When my father was diagnosed with an aggressive cancer of unknown origin back in summer 2019, I was devastated, and at a loss for how I could help. In my herbal studies and my range of experience, I had never worked with anyone who was fighting cancer. I had only read a few things here are there, but never dug any deeper. I trusted the treatment plan his oncologist advised, and my father recieved immunotherapy once each month. The first few sessions were rough on him - but his numbers were improving. He felt better, was able to eat again, and he could sleep longer stretches. I sought information from other herbalists and herbal educational sources for herbal cancer aids. Most are immune stimulants - which is exactly what immunotherapy is. I did not want to interfere with his prescribed treatments, so I did not offer any information. My father's comeback was short. He started feeling ill again, and he passed away 3 weeks later. I do not regret anything regarding how I could have helped him with medicinal herbs - I do believe the immunotherapy gave him what we really wanted - one last Christmas with his family (and we had a really good Christmas that year). However, it has inspired me to research more on my own to hopefully help others that are fighting cancers. Traditional cancer treatments - chemotherapy, radiation, surgery, and immunotherapy are really only successful when the cancer is detected early, or limited to certain types of cancer (1). All of these treatments are harsh, toxic, and further harm weakened individuals.
This past semester, I had to write a research paper for my Clinicals 1 class. I have been curious about medicinal mushrooms for awhile, so I chose to research the anticancer effects of Reishi mushrooms (Gandoderma lucidum) for my topic. I referenced 5 scientific articles for this paper, each covering different aspects of Reishi as a cancer therapy. I could simply post my paper for everyone to read, but it's long and dry. I would rather highlight my findings in this article. However, if anyone would like a copy of my paper in its entirety, please send me an email - claire@tranquilwoodswellness.com.
Reishi is a large mushroom with a woody texture and a dark red-to-brown glossy surface. These medicinal mushrooms are native to Europe, Asia, and North America, however it is rare to find growing in the wild. Reishi's history as a medicinal mushroom goes back over 2,000 years ago where it was recorded in China's oldest medical record, Shen Nung Pen Tsa'o Ching (2). People of East Asian cultures used Reishi as a therapeutic to increase youthfullness and vitality, extend the lifespan, and treat a range of illnesses such as liver disease, diabetes, viral and bacterial infections, and cancers (3). Reishi was also viewed as a spiritual talisman - it was a symbol of good luck, prosperity, good health, longevity, and immortality (4).
The medicinal properties of Reishi are attributed to three constituents: polysaccharides, peptidoglycans, and triterpenes; polysaccharides are responsible for stimulating the immune system and triterpenes create cytotoxic activity upon cancer cells (5). Scientific testing has shown the bioactive compounds of Reishi to be immunostimulating, anti-inflammatory, hypoglycemic, anti-ulcer, anti-tumorigenic, and antioxidant(3,8). The appeal of Reishi as a cancer therapy is that it is gentle, non-toxic, and does not harm healthy cells and tissues. Here is my summary of 5 reliable scientic experiment articles:
The first scientific study I reviewed was the only study conducted on humans. This was a comparative study which examined the effects of Reishi on the immune functions of advanced-stage cancer patients. There were 34 subjects participating in the study, and each took a 1,800 mg over-the-counter Reishi polysaccharide extract capsule, three times daily for 12 weeks. At the conclusion of the study, immune parameters such as T cell subsets, cytokines, and natural killer (NK) activity were compared to baseline numbers. 80% of the participants experienced cellular immunological enhancements. (1)
This study examined the anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer effects of Reishi extract on colitis-associated cancer. This was a controlled experiment on 40 mice, all who received the same doses of the food-borne carcinogen PhIP (a compound found in well-done meats) and inflammatory compound DSS (dextran sodium sulfate). After tumor development, the mice were separated into 4 groups - 1 control group and three experiment groups that received 125, 250, and 500 mg/kg of body weight of Reishi extract three times a day. After 120 days, the mice were euthanized and examined to show that the mice treated with the Reishi extract had reduced tumor size and weight, inhibited colon carcinogenesis, and reduced colon inflammation (a major contributor to colon cancers)(5)
This study examined the anti-tumor effects of Reishi extract using in vitro (culture dish) and in vivo (mice) experiments. The mice were injected with inflammatory breast cancer cells (IBC is an aggressive form of cancer that spreads quickly to the lymph system) and after tumor establishment, the mice were divided into 2 groups. One group was the control group and the other was given a commercially available extract three times a day for 14 days. The tumors were weighed and measured and the group receiving the Reishi extract showed a 50% reduction in tumor volume and 45% reduction in tumor weight. The in vitro study showed the cell cultures that were treated with Reishi extract experienced down regulation of gene pathways responsible for cell growth and metabolism. (6)
Another study focused on the radio-protective properties of Reishi during ionizing radiation - a conventional cancer therapy. The scientists used mice as the subjects; all were injected with lymphoma cells. They were separated into 4 groups. The first was the control group; the second group received 16 doses of Reishi extract over 15 days; the third group was exposed to a single dose of radiation; and the fourth group received a dose of Reishi extract before and after a single dose of radiation, and then every day after for 14 days. The results of this experiment showed groups 3 and 4 had significantly reduced tumor growth (both groups received radiation). Upon measuring for cellular and DNA damage, group 4 (radiation with Reishi) demonstrated significant reduction in radiation-induced damage in healthy cells compared to group 3 (radiation with no Reishi). (7)
This study explored the effects of Reishi's polysaccharides on the growth and motility of lung cancer cells. This study employed both an in vitro and in vivo experiment. The cell cultures were treated with the Reishi polysaccharide Ganoderan B and the experiment proved that exposure to the polysaccharide 1) inhibits the growth of non-small cell lung cancer cells 2) inhibits the invasion and migration of those cells and 3) promotes apoptosis of non-small cell lung cancer cells. The experiment on mice demonstrated the same - mice that were treated with varied amounts of the isolated polysaccharide had a significant reduction in tumor size and apoptosis of tumor cells. (8)
There are many over-the-counter Reishi extract capsules and tinctures on the market today, available in a variety of concentrations. A few of the experiments used similar dosages for the mice - roughly 28mg per kg of body weight (for example: 2,240 mg for a 175 lb adult) up to three times a day. The study conducted on humans used 1,800 mg capsules three times daily. There are no set dosing protocols, so if you would like to add Reishi for any purpose, start small. The effects of Reishi do build over time. Please consult your physician before consuming large dosages, and any modifications to cancer treatment plans should be discussed with one's oncologist.
So can Reishi cure cancer? Maybe cure is not the correct word - but Reishi kills cancer cells, reduces tumor size, inhibits the spread of cancer cells, reduces inflammation associated with cancer, and bolsters the body's immune response to cancer. There are many more studies out there that you can find that demonstrate Reishi's healing powers. However, there does need to be more testing on humans. I am confident that with more science-based evidence the use of Reishi as a cancer therapy is sure to increase. Using Reishi as a cancer therapy may significantly improve the lives of those fighting cancer, as well as prolonging life. If you know someone with cancer, please share this article.
References:
Gao Y, Zhou S, Jiang W, Huang M, Dai X. Effects of Ganopoly® (A Ganoderma lucidum Polysaccharide Extract) on the Immune Functions in Advanced-Stage Cancer Patients. Immunological Investigations. 2003;32(3):201-215. doi:10.1081/IMM-120022979
Wasser S. P, Coates P, Blackman M, Cragg G, Levine M, Moss J, White J. Encyclopedia of Dietary Supplements. New York: Marcel Dekker; 2005. Reishi or Lingzhi (Ganoderma lucidum) pp. 680–90.
ĆILERDŽIĆ JL, STAJIĆ MM, VUKOJEVIĆ JB. Ganoderma lucidum -- FROM TRADITION TO MODERN MEDICINE. Matica Srpska Journal for Natural Sciences. 2017;(133):151-161. doi:10.2298/ZMSPN1733151C
Sliva D, Loganathan J, Jiang J, et al. Mushroom Ganoderma lucidum Prevents Colitis-Associated Carcinogenesis in Mice. PLoS ONE. 2012;7(10):1-13. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0047873
Suarez-Arroyo IJ, Rosario-Acevedo R, Aguilar-Perez A, et al. Anti-Tumor Effects of Ganoderma lucidum (Reishi) in Inflammatory Breast Cancer in In Vivo and In Vitro Models. PLoS ONE. 2013;8(2):1-12. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0057431
Gopakumar G, Martin F, Antony SK, Pillai TG, Nair CKK. Preclinical studies on the use of medicinal mushroom Ganoderma lucidum as an adjuvant in radiotherapy of cancer. Current Science (00113891). 2010;99(8):1084-1090. Accessed November 30, 2021.
Wang W, Gou X, Xue H, Liu K. Ganoderan (GDN) Regulates The Growth, Motility And Apoptosis Of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cells Through ERK Signaling Pathway In Vitro And In Vivo. OncoTargets & Therapy. 2019;12:8821-8832. doi:10.2147/OTT.S221161
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