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How Ganoderma Mushroom Improves Immune System Function
What valid scientific studies have been done on this mushroom?
Antioxidant property of medicinal mushroom Ganoderma
Medicinal mushroom Ganoderma lucidum (Ganoderma lucidum) is one of the medicinal mushrooms that has been used to treat many diseases and improve health since long ago.
This mushroom contains various and essential substances for the body such as vitamins, minerals, amino acids, polysaccharides and triterpenoids, the last two of which, namely polysaccharides and triterpenoids, play an essential role in improving health, especially strengthening the immune system.
The human body is protected by a powerful security guard called the immune system. The functioning of the immune system is such that it protects the body daily against millions of viruses, bacteria, parasites, toxins and in general any living or non-living organism that harms the human body. But this strong immune system may be weakened for various reasons and stop doing its job.
Some of the symptoms of weakened immune system are:
Persistent infections
tiredness
Frequent colds
Sore throat and flu
Allergies
Wounds that heal slowly
When the body’s immune system is exposed to microbial agents, it destroys it through several defense mechanisms. At first, it does not allow the entry and penetration of microbial agents into the body through the barrier and external mechanisms including skin, sneezing and coughing, runny eyes and nose, etc. In the next step, if the microbial agent enters the body, the cells of the immune system come into action and destroy the microbial agent by producing inflammatory and immune factors. Among the most important cells of the immune system are macrophages, neutrophils (which cause the destruction of the microbial agent with phagocytosis or xenophagy) and lymphocytes (which specifically destroy the microbe), and the most important inflammatory factors are interleukins and interferons. did
Also read: link to the article on ways to strengthen the immune system
How does ganoderma mushroom improve the function of the immune system?
Authentic research has been done to investigate the properties of Ganoderma mushroom. According to research, medicinal mushroom Ganoderma can improve the function of immune system cells such as macrophages, NK cells and lymphocytes (1).
In a research on mice, it was shown that the mice who received medicinal extract of Ganoderma mushroom compared to the group that did not receive it, had increased and improved performance in NK cells and macrophages. Also, this research showed that inflammatory factors such as interleukin 6 and interferon gamma, which play a very effective role in the defense of the immune system, were more expressed, and as a result, the function of the immune system was better (2).
What valid scientific studies have been done on this mushroom?
In another study, Wang et al. reported that after treatment of macrophage culture with ganoderma polysaccharides, the levels of IL-1β, TNF-α and IL-6 increased by -5.1, and in addition, the release of INF-γ (interferon gamma) from lymphocytes T increased greatly in the presence of this polysaccharide. This proinflammatory cytokine response has been suggested to facilitate the antitumor activity of this extract.
In another study, Wang et al. reported that ganoderma polysaccharides increased the levels of IL-1β, TNF-α and IL-6 by 5.1-5.1, and in addition, the release of INF-γ (interferon gamma) from T lymphocytes also in the presence of this polysaccharide. The saccharide increased greatly. This proinflammatory cytokine response has been suggested to facilitate the antitumor activity of this extract. (to be sweeter)
Also, clinical studies have confirmed the function of strengthening the immune system of medicinal mushroom Ganoderma. In a clinical study, the medicinal extract of Ganoderma was shown to play an effective role in healing by increasing the level of B-Glucan in the body of people receiving Ganoderma (Betaglucans are substances that increase the activity of macrophages and NK cells and the activity of the immune system in general). It plays a role in the function of the immune system and preventing infection (3).
Antioxidant property of medicinal mushroom Ganoderma
Free radicals and reactive oxygen species, which are produced as byproducts of several metabolic processes, can cause serious damage to cells through oxidation processes. The long-term presence of free radicals and reactive oxygen species accelerates aging and many age-related diseases. Some studies show that G. lucidum extract increases the activity of superoxide dismutase and catalase (enzymes involved in eliminating harmful reactive oxygen species).
Heleno et al. concluded that the extract obtained from G. lucidum showed significant antioxidant activity against several antioxidant systems in vitro. Consumption of GLBR extract can increase the activity of some enzymes such as superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase in the serum, liver and brain of mice (4).
Although most of the benefits of ganoderma mushroom for the immune system have been seen in sick people, some evidence has shown that this mushroom can help healthy people as well. In one study, in athletes exposed to stressful conditions, this mushroom improved the function of lymphocytes (which help fight infections and cancer).
In the end, it can be mentioned that Ganoderma medicinal mushroom has therapeutic and effective properties such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor growth and metastasis, as well as improving liver and kidney function to improve people’s health, which we will discuss in the next articles.