Bioactive Metabolites of Ganoderma Lucidum: Factors, Mechanism, and Broad Spectrum Therapeutic Potential

The document from 2019 reviewed the therapeutic potential of Ganoderma lucidum, a type of medicinal mushroom. The mushroom contains bioactive compounds such as lectins, polysaccharides, lanostanoids, terpenoids, alkaloids, sterols, and phenolic structured compounds, which have been tested for their potential anticancer, antioxidant, anti-tumour, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and anti-immunomodulatory activities. The mushroom has been used for boosting immunity, treating cancer, balancing blood cholesterol, respiratory diseases, and stress disorders. The mushroom contains about 90% water by weight, and the remaining 10% consists of 10–40% protein, 2–8% fat, 3–28% carbohydrate, 3–32% fiber, 8–10% ash, some vitamins, and minerals. The therapeutic use of G. lucidum dates back around 4000 years. The mushroom possesses abundant amounts of therapeutic biometabolites such as triterpenoids, polysaccharides, and proteins.