Anti-androgenic activities of Ganoderma lucidum

In 2005, a study investigated the anti-androgenic properties of Ganoderma lucidum, a medicinal mushroom, by examining its effects on 5α-reductase activity and testosterone-induced prostate growth in castrated rats. The study found that both minced Ganoderma lucidum and its ethanol extracts significantly inhibited prostate growth, with the ethanol extract at a lower dose of 1.5 mg/kg being more effective than a higher dose of 15 mg/kg. The results indicated that Ganoderma lucidum could potentially inhibit the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT), suggesting its usefulness in treating benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). However, the study had small sample sizes, with n=4 for the minced mushroom group and n=6 for the ethanol extract group, indicating a need for further research with larger sample sizes to confirm these findings.