Ganoderma lucidum is a wood-degrading basidiomycete with numerous pharmacological effects. Since the mushroom is very rare in nature, artificial cultivation of fruiting bodies has been known on wood logs and on sawdust in plastic bags or bottles. Biotechnological cultivation of G. lucidum mycelia in bioreactors has also been established, both on solid substrates and in liquid media by submerged cultivation of fungal biomass. The most important pharmacologically active constituents of G. lucidum are triterpenoids and polysaccharides. Triterpenoids have been reported to posses hepatoprotective, anti-hypertensive, hypocholesterolemic and anti-histaminic effects, anti-tumor and anti-engiogenic activity, effects on platelet aggregation and complement inhibition. Polysaccharides, especially β-d-glucans, have been known to possess anti-tumor effects through immunomodulation and anti-angiogenesis. In addition, polysaccharides have a protective effect against free radicals and reduce cell damage caused by mutagens.

Ganoderma lucidum and its pharmaceutically active compounds

Anti-HIV-1 and anti-HIV-1-protease substances from Ganoderma Lucidum

The genus Scutellaria an ethnopharmacological and phytochemical review

Secondary metabolites from Ganoderma

Ganoderma lucidum, a fungus used in traditional Chinese medicine, produces polysaccharides and oxygenated triterpenoids with a very broad spectrum of biological activities and pharmacological functions. Among the Ganoderma triterpenoids, many pairs of C-3 alpha/beta stereoisomers and C-3/C-15 positional isomers have been identified. Biosynthetic study has indicated that the C-3alpha series of oxygenated triterpenoids is derived from the C-3beta series via an oxidation-reduction pathway. The interaction of Ganoderma triterpenoids with human platelets in the induction of aggregation and inhibition of agonist-induced aggregation and signal transduction has been elucidated. Reduction of cellular mevalonate content to a stage in which cholesterol synthesis is strongly inhibited and cell growth is marginally arrested sensitizes hepatoma cells to the oxygenated triterpenoids. A combination treatment of lovastatin and Ganoderma triterpenoids in animal studies has exhibited a potential anticancer effect.

Natural products of the medicinal fungus Ganoderma lucidum: Occurrence, biological activities, and pharmacological functions

Sixteen new triterpene acids isolated as the methyl esters from the gills of Ganoderma lucidum (Polyporaceae) along with five known triterpenes. The structures of seven new compounds among them, ganoderic acids C2, E, I, and K, compounds B8 and B9 and lucidenic acid F, were elucidated. Detailed analyses of their proton and carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance (1H- and 13C-NMR) spectra were also done by application of two-dimensional NMR techniques.

Constitutents of the Fungus Ganoderma lucidum (FR.) KARST. I. : Structures of Ganoderic Acids C2, E, I, and K, Lucidenic Acid F and Related Compounds

Seven new triterpenes, ganoderic acids F, G, and H, lucidenic acids D2 and E2, compound C5', and compound C6, were isolated from the surface part of gills of Ganoderma lucidum. The structures 3a, 1a, 4a, 6a, 7a, 2b, and 5b were proposed for these compounds, respectively. Detailed analyses of the proton and carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-and 13C-NMR) spectra were performed by using two-dimensional (2-D) 1H-1H and 1H-13C shift correlation techniques.

Constituents of the Fungus Ganoderma lucidum (FR.) KARST. II. : Structures of Ganoderic Acids F, G, and H, Lucidenic Acids D2 and E2, and Related Compounds

The structures of ganolucidic acids A and B, new lanostane-type triterpenoids isolated from the surface part of the gills of Ganoderma lucidum (Polypolaceae), ware determined to be 1a and 2a, respectively. Detailed analyses of proton and carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-and 13C-NMR) spectra were performed by using two-dimensional (2-D) 1H-1H and 1H-13C shift correlation NMR techniques.

Constituents of the Fungus Ganoderma lucidum (FR.) KARST. III. : Structures of Ganolucidic Acids A and B, New Lanostane-Type Triterpenoids

Convenient synthesis of magnoshinin, an anti-inflammatory neolignan

The proton and carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) signals of cycloeucalenol (1a), cycloeucalenol acetate (1b), cyclonervilol (2a), cyclonervilol acetate (2b), and cyclohomonervilol acetate (3b), isolated from Nervilia purpurea, were assigned by means of two-dimensional NMR spectroscopy.

Studies on the Constituents of Orchidaceous Plants. IV. : Proton and Carbon-13 Signal Assignments of Cycloeucalenol-Type Triterpenes from Nervilia purpurea SCHLECHTER by Two-Dimensional Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy

Koji Tsubono

Papers

Constitutents of the Fungus Ganoderma lucidum (FR.) KARST. I. : Structures of Ganoderic Acids C2, E, I, and K, Lucidenic Acid F and Related Compounds

Constituents of the Fungus Ganoderma lucidum (FR.) KARST. II. : Structures of Ganoderic Acids F, G, and H, Lucidenic Acids D2 and E2, and Related Compounds

Constituents of the Fungus Ganoderma lucidum (FR.) KARST. III. : Structures of Ganolucidic Acids A and B, New Lanostane-Type Triterpenoids

Convenient synthesis of magnoshinin, an anti-inflammatory neolignan

Studies on the Constituents of Orchidaceous Plants. IV. : Proton and Carbon-13 Signal Assignments of Cycloeucalenol-Type Triterpenes from Nervilia purpurea SCHLECHTER by Two-Dimensional Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy