The novel coronavirus epidemic has ravaged mankind for three years so far. Since December 2022, normalized nucleic acid testing has been canceled in many places across China, and the negative nucleic acid test certificate for COVID-19 will no longer be checked. China has entered an era of co-existing with the epidemic. Facing the possible peak of infections, how to improve immunity and be the first person responsible for your own health has become a topic of greatest concern to the whole society.
As the advantages of traditional Chinese medicine in the prevention and control of the epidemic have become increasingly prominent, “Ganoderma lucidum“, which has the effect of enhancing immunity and maintaining the balance of the overall function, has performed outstandingly in the prevention and control of the epidemic.
So, does Ganoderma lucidum have any inhibitory effect on the novel coronavirus? Can patients with COVID-19 eat Ganoderma lucidum to have a positive effect on the body? Several recent research results provide us with favorable evidence.
In April 2020, the international academic journal Molecules published “Natural Bioactive Compounds from Fungi as Potential Candidates for Protease Inhibitors and Immunomodulators to Apply for Coronaviruses”.
This paper reviews the discovery and research progress of natural active compounds of fungi in inhibiting human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) protease. It proposes that active compounds of fungi, especially Ganoderma lucidum (triterpenoids, polysaccharides and small molecular proteins) play an important role in inhibiting human immunodeficiency viral (HIV) protease.
This study provides a potential drug candidate for the prevention and treatment of coronaviruses, which can be used in the future to prevent and treat coronaviruses, especially for the prevention and treatment of novel coronavirus infections.
In 2021, “Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) 2021 Vol. 118 No.5″ published an article “Identification of Inhibitors of Novel Coronavirus Infection from Listed Drugs and Herbal Medicines”. The study found that Ganoderma lucidum water extract can significantly inhibit the infection of the novel coronavirus (SARS-Cov-2) both in vivo and in vitro.
Chinese herbal medicine water extract (1.0 g/20 mL, 5%) and Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharide RF3 (0.25 mg/mL, 0.025%). IC50=half inhibitory (virus) dose; CC50=half toxic dose
The results prove that Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharide RF3 (2μg/ml) has a significant antiviral effect on SARS-Cov-2 cultured in vitro, and it still has inhibitory activity when diluted to 1280 times. But it has no toxicity to the virus host Vero E6 cells.
(A) Researchers observed the anti-sars-cov-2 effects of drugs and extracts in hamsters. On day 0, hamsters were infected by intranasal instillation of SARS-CoV-2. Subsequently, the hamsters were orally administered the drug (30mg/kg/d) and the traditional Chinese medicine extract (200mg/kg/d), twice/d, and the viral load in the lungs of the hamsters was measured after 3 days (n=5), *P < 0.05 ;* * P < 0.005(B) Body weight change after 3-d treatment, N=5 in the test group, N=6 in the control group. The results proved that compared with the infection control group, oral administration of Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharide RF3 can significantly reduce the viral load (content) in the lungs of hamsters infected with SARS-Cov-2 virus, and the animals did not lose weight during the test. In vivo and in vitro antiviral tests proved that Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharide RF3 significantly inhibited SARS-Cov-2 infection.
In February 2020, Professor Sun Guifan, vice chairman of the Precision Nutrition Professional Committee of the China Nutrition and Health Food Association, and the Institute of Preventive Medicine of China Medical University, publicly released the article “The second popular science series article on precise assistance in the prevention and treatment of novel coronavirus infections in terms of nutrition – the function of nutritional supplements”, announced to the public 12 kinds of nutritional supplements that can help prevent and treat novel coronavirus infections, including Ganoderma lucidum, a traditional Chinese herbal medicine!
In the article, Professor Sun clearly pointed out that Ganoderma lucidum has an immune stimulating effect, which can directly affect its ability to fight bacterial and viral infections. Laboratory cell studies have shown that Reishi extract can stop or slow the growth of influenza virus, HIV, hepatitis B and many other viruses, reversing age-related decline in immune system function.
Professor Zhi-Bin Lin of Peking University Health Science Center, who has focused on the pharmacological research of Ganoderma lucidum for more than 50 years, introduced the antiviral effect and mechanism of Ganoderma lucidum in the article “Antiviral Effect of Ganoderma lucidum” published at the end of 2020, pointing out that Ganoderma lucidum, especially the triterpenes contained in Ganoderma lucidum, have inhibitory effects on a variety of viruses.
Professor Zhi-Bin Lin preliminarily analyzed the mechanism of the antiviral effect of Ganoderma lucidum, which involves inhibiting the adsorption or penetration of viruses to cells, inhibiting virus uncoating, inhibiting the activity of enzymes (such as reverse transcriptase and protease) required for virus synthesis in cells, and hindering viral DNA or RNA replication but Ganoderma lucidum has no toxicity to host cells and has a synergistic effect in combination with known antiviral drugs.
The article also pointed out that the clinical efficacy of Ganoderma lucidum on viral diseases may be mainly related to the immune regulation effect of Ganoderma lucidum, the anti-oxidation and free radical scavenging effect of Ganoderma lucidum, and the protective effect of Ganoderma lucidum on organs and tissues.
Modern research shows that Ganoderma lucidum is rich in dozens of active ingredients, which are the “messenger” for enhancing immunity.
Generally speaking, the higher the content of active ingredients, the better the effect of enhancing immunity.
As early as 2017, GanoHerb and Fujian Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention jointly launched a research project on “The Effect of Ganoderma Lucidum Granules on Immune Function”. The mice were divided into five groups, and they were given different doses of Ganoderma lucidum granules (by GanoHerb Technology (Fujian) Corporation).
By comparing each dose group of the sample with the control group, it was found that: ①The high-dose sample group significantly enhanced the proliferation ability of mouse spleen lymphocytes induced by ConA and the delayed-type hypersensitivity of mice induced by DNFB; ②The medium and high-dose groups significantly enhanced the antibody generation ability, the high-dose group significantly increased the level of serum hemolysin in mice; ③The high-dose sample group significantly enhanced the activity of NK cells in mice.
The conclusion drawn from the test is that Ganoderma granules formulated with Ganoderma lucidum extract and Ganoderma sinense extract have the function of enhancing immunity. As a leading company focusing on the Ganoderma health industry, since the outbreak of the epidemic in 2020, GanoHerb has donated a total of 9.126 million yuan in cash and materials including Ganoderma lucidum spore oil, Ganoderma lucidum spore powder and Ganoderma lucidum extract to help front-line medical staff and other staff members improve their own immunity and build a healthy defense line together. It is precisely because of this responsibility and commitment to strive to fight against the epidemic that in 2021, GanoHerb Technology (Fujian) Corporation., a subsidiary of GanoHerb Group, was awarded the “Fujian Province Advanced Private Enterprise in Fighting against the Novel Coronary Pneumonia Epidemic”.
An era of competition for immunity has come. Have you stocked up on GanoHerb organic Ganoderma that strengthens immunity and regulates vitality?
