Reishi Mushroom

Reishi mushroom is a natural product that may enhance immunity and response to chemo/radiotherapy, improve quality of life, and manage some side effects. 

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This section does not replicate the other information on this topic but provides additional details or context most relevant to professionals.

Modes of action

Studies suggest that the anti-tumor activities of G. lucidum polysaccharide (GLPS) are mediated by its immunomodulatory, anti-angiogenic, and cytotoxic effects. GLPS affects immune cells and immune-related cells including B lymphocytes, T lymphocytes, dendritic cells, macrophages, and natural killer cells.¹Xu Z, Chen X, Zhong Z, Chen L, Wang Y. Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides: immunomodulation and potential anti-tumor activities. American Journal of Chinese Medicine. 2011;39(1):15-27. 

Network pharmacology revealed that key targets of G. lucidum against endometrial cancer were primarily associated with the Rap1 signaling pathway.²Shi M. The efficacy of Ganoderma lucidum extracts on treating endometrial cancer: a network pharmacology approach. Reproductive Sciences. 2024 Jul;31(7):1881-1894.

Androgen receptor, nuclear factor-kappa B, activator protein-1, p53 and 14-3-3 are reportedly involved in the anticancer properties of G. lucidum triterpenoids.³Wu GS, Guo JJ et al. Anti-cancer properties of triterpenoids isolated from Ganoderma lucidum—a review. Expert Opinion on Investigtional Drugs. 2013 Aug;22(8):981-92. 

Ganoderic acids might exert their cytotoxicity by altering proteins involved in cell proliferation and/or cell death, carcinogenosis, oxidative stress, calcium signaling, and ER stress.⁴Yue QX, Song XY et al. Effects of triterpenes from Ganoderma lucidum on protein expression profile of HeLa cells. Phytomedicine. 2010 Jul;17(8-9):606-13.

More on safety

One cell study found toxic effects of reishi mushrooms on human leukocytes.⁵Gill SK, Rieder MJ. Toxicity of a traditional Chinese medicine, Ganoderma lucidum, in children with cancer. Canadian Journal of Clinical Pharmacology. 2008 Summer;15(2):e275-85. and another study found that “both submerge-cultured intracellular GLP and fruiting body GLP can stimulate the growth of human carcinoma cell lines lacking functional p53, such as HCT-116 p53(-/-), Saos-2, H1299, HL-60, MDA-MB-157. Conversely, the two GLPs inhibit all other assayed cells with functional p53.”⁶Zhang J, Chen JM et al. Inhibitor or promoter? The performance of polysaccharides from Ganoderma lucidum on human tumor cells with different p53 statuses. Food & Function. 2016 Apr;7(4):1872-5.

Preclinical evidence

The strongest preclinical studies for various types of cancer are presented here. Clinical evidence is presented in How can reishi mushroom help you? What the research says ›

Improving treatment outcomes

Cancer as a whole

Enhanced response to chemotherapy

• Nanoparticles loaded with G. lucidum polysaccharide at 6 µg/ml and chitosan/sodium tripolyphosphate (mass) ratio of 5.5 had significantly greater cytotoxic effects on tumor cells.⁷Li N, Hu YL et al. Preparation, characterisation and anti-tumour activity of Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharide nanoparticles. Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology. 2010 Jan;62(1):139-44.

• Reishi enhanced anticancer effects of chemotherapeutic agents including cisplatin, arsenic trioxide, and cyclophosphamide⁸Sohretoglu D, Huang S. Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides as an anti-cancer agent. Anticancer Agents in Medicinal Chemistry. 2018;18(5):667-674; Zhao S, Ye G, Fu G, Cheng JX, Yang BB, Peng C. Ganoderma lucidum exerts anti-tumor effects on ovarian cancer cells and enhances their sensitivity to cisplatin. International Journal of Oncology. 2011 May;38(5):1319-27; Suarez-Arroyo IJ, Loperena-Alvarez Y, Rosario-Acevedo R, Martínez-Montemayor MM. Ganoderma spp.: a promising adjuvant treatment for breast cancer. Medicines (Basel). 2017 Mar;4(1):15; Ouyang MZ, Li LZ et al. Effects of the polysaccharides extracted from Ganoderma lucidum on chemotherapy-related fatigue in mice. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules. 2016 Oct;91:905-10. although the effects may not be universal.⁹Yue Q-X, Guan S-H et al. Interaction of Ganoderma triterpenes with docetaxel and cisplatin in cytotoxicity against human carcinoma cells. Chinese Journal of Natural Medicines. 2008;6(5):367-71.
• Reishi triterpenes act synergistically with doxorubicin, appearing to induce sensitization of cells to chemotherapeutics through enhanced oxidative stress, DNA damage, and apoptosis.¹⁰Yue QX, Xie FB et al. Interaction of Ganoderma triterpenes with doxorubicin and proteomic characterization of the possible molecular targets of Ganoderma triterpenes. Cancer Science. 2008 Jul;99(7):1461-70.

Bile duct cancer cancer (cholangiocarcinoma)

• A supercritical-CO2 extract of reishi spores suppressed cholangiocarcinoma migration in human cholangiocarcinoma cells.¹¹Li L, Guo HJ, Zhu LY, Zheng L, Liu X. A supercritical-CO2 extract of Ganoderma lucidum spores inhibits cholangiocarcinoma cell migration by reversing the epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Phytomedicine. 2016 May 15;23(5):491-7.

Bladder cancer

• Reishi inhibited the viability and growth of human urothelial cells.¹²Yuen JW, Gohel MD, Au DW. Telomerase-associated apoptotic events by mushroom ganoderma lucidum on premalignant human urothelial cells. Nutrition and Cancer. 2008;60(1):109-19.
• Reishi extracts inhibited the growth of human urothelial cells, and ethanol extracts had a stronger growth inhibition effect than water extracts.¹³Lu QY, Jin YS et al. Ganoderma lucidum extracts inhibit growth and induce actin polymerization in bladder cancer cells in vitro. Cancer Letters. 2004 Dec 8;216(1):9-20.

Blood cancers

• Reishi extracts show anticancer effects against hematologic malignant cells,¹⁴Dulay RMR, Valdez BC et al. Cytotoxicity of medicinal mushrooms Oudemansiella canarii and Ganoderma lucidum (Agaricomycetes) against hematologic malignant cells via activation of apoptosis-related markers. International Journal of Medicinal Mushrooms. 2022;24(11):83-95. including leukemia.¹⁵Zhong M, Huang J et al. Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharide inhibits the proliferation of leukemic cells through apoptosis. Acta Biochimica Polonica. 2022 Jun 28;69(3):639-645; Yang G, Yang L, Zhuang Y, Qian X, Shen Y. Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharide exerts anti-tumor activity via MAPK pathways in HL-60 acute leukemia cells. Journal of Receptor and Signal Transduction Research. 2016;36(1):6-13; Wang JH, Zhou YJ, Zhang M, Kan L, He P. Active lipids of Ganoderma lucidum spores-induced apoptosis in human leukemia THP-1 cells via MAPK and PI3K pathways. Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 2012 Jan 31;139(2):582-9; Calviño E, Manjón JL et al. Ganoderma lucidum induced apoptosis in NB4 human leukemia cells: involvement of Akt and Erk. Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 2010 Mar 2;128(1):71-8.

Brain and nervous system cancers: tumor response 

• Anaplastic meningioma: Reishi produced lower tumor volume, less tumor cell proliferation, and longer survival in rats.¹⁶Das A, Alshareef M et al. Ganoderic acid A/DM-induced NDRG2 over-expression suppresses high-grade meningioma growth. Clinical & Translational Oncology: Official Publication of the Federation of Spanish Oncology Societies and of the National Cancer Institute of Mexico. 2020 Jul;22(7):1138-1145.
• Glioma: Reishi produced slower tumor development and longer survival in rats.¹⁷Wang C, Shi S et al. Antitumor and immunomodulatory activities of Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides in glioma-bearing rats. Integrative Cancer Therapies. 2018 Sep;17(3):674-683.
• Glioblastoma: Ganoderic acid A isolated from reishi mushrooms inhibited human glioblastoma cell growth and invasion/migration and promoted apoptosis and autophagy.¹⁸Cheng Y, Xie P. Ganoderic acid A holds promising cytotoxicity on human glioblastoma mediated by incurring apoptosis and autophagy and inactivating PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. Journal of Biochemical and Molecular Toxicology. 2019 Nov;33(11):e22392.
• Neuroblastoma: Ganoderic acid isolated from reishi mushrooms exhibited downregulation in Notch-1 mRNA expression and inhibited proliferation, viability, and ROS activity in neuroblastoma cells.¹⁹Gill BS, Navgeet, Kumar S. Antioxidant potential of ganoderic acid in Notch-1 protein in neuroblastoma. Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry. 2019 Jun;456(1-2):1-14.

Breast cancer: tumor response and less cell invasion, migration and metastasis

• Slower tumor growth in mice²⁰Su J, Li D et al. Anti-breast cancer enhancement of a polysaccharide from spore of Ganoderma lucidum with paclitaxel: suppression on tumor metabolism with gut microbiota reshaping. Frontiers of Microbiology. 2018 Dec 17;9:3099. and lower rate of breast cancer cell invasion, growth, migration and metastasis in cell and animal studies,²¹Barbieri A, Quagliariello V et al. Anticancer and anti-inflammatory properties of Ganoderma lucidum extract effects on melanoma and triple-negative breast cancer treatment. Nutrients. 2017 Feb 28;9(3). pii: E210; Suarez-Arroyo IJ, Rosario-Acevedo R 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):e57431; Zhang Y. Ganoderma lucidum (reishi) suppresses proliferation and migration of breast cancer cells via inhibiting Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications. 2017 Jul 8;488(4):679-684; Weng CJ, Yen GC. The in vitro and in vivo experimental evidences disclose the chemopreventive effects of Ganoderma lucidum on cancer invasion and metastasis. Clinical and Experimental Metastasis. 2010 May;27(5):361-9. including suppression of adhesion and migration of highly invasive breast cancer cells in lab studies²²Sliva D. Ganoderma lucidum (reishi) in cancer treatment. Integrative Cancer Therapies. 2003 Dec;2(4):358-64; Wu G, Song Y et al. Ganoderiol A-enriched extract suppresses migration and adhesion of MDA-MB-231 cells by inhibiting FAK-SRC-paxillin cascade pathway. PLoS One. 2013 Oct 29;8(10):e76620.
• Slower growth and lower weight of tumors in mice given a reishi extract with cyclophosphamide injections²³Suarez-Arroyo IJ, Loperena-Alvarez Y, Rosario-Acevedo R, Martínez-Montemayor MM. Ganoderma spp.: a promising adjuvant treatment for breast cancer. Medicines (Basel). 2017 Mar;4(1):15. 
• Fewer mammary tumors, smaller average number of tumors per animal, and longer tumor latency period in mice and rats²⁴Smina TP, Nitha B, Devasagayam TPA, Janardhanan KK. Ganoderma lucidum total triterpenes induce apoptosis in MCF-7 cells and attenuate DMBA induced mammary and skin carcinomas in experimental animals. Mutation Research. 2017 Jan;813:45-51.

Colon cancer: improved sensitivity to 5FU

• Colon cancer cells more sensitive to 5-fluorouracil (5FU)²⁵Opattova A, Horak J et al. Ganoderma lucidum induces oxidative DNA damage and enhances the effect of 5-Fluorouracil in colorectal cancer in vitro and in vivo. Mutation Research. 2019 Sep;845:403065.

Gynecological cancer: tumor response in combination with cisplatin

• Slower growth of tumors in combination with cisplatin²⁶Zhu J, Xu J et al. Improved antitumor activity of cisplatin combined with Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides in U14 cervical carcinoma-bearing mice. The Kaohsiung Journal of Medical Sciences. 2019 Apr;35(4):222-229.

Liver cancer: tumor response

• Liver cancer: slower tumor growth in mice²⁷Li A, Shuai X et al. Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharide extract inhibits hepatocellular carcinoma growth by downregulating regulatory T cells accumulation and function by inducing microRNA-125b. Journal of Translational Medicine. 2015 Mar 26;13:100.

Lung cancer: tumor response and reduce mobility

• Lung cancer: slower tumor growth²⁸Rossi P, Difrancia R et al. B-glucans from Grifola frondosa and Ganoderma lucidum in breast cancer: an example of complementary and integrative medicine. Oncotarget. 2018 May 15; 9(37): 24837–24856. and lung cancer cell growth²⁹Wu C, Lin T et al. Ling Zhi-8 mediates p53-dependent growth arrest of lung cancer cells proliferation via the ribosomal protein S7-MDM2-p53 pathway. Carcinogenesis. 2011 Dec;32(12):1890-6; Chen Y, Lv J et al. Sporoderm-broken spores of Ganoderma lucidum inhibit the growth of lung cancer: involvement of the Akt/mTOR signaling pathway. 2016 Oct;68(7):1151-60. and inhibited cancer cell viability and mobility in mice³⁰Hsu W, Qiu W et al. Effects of WSG, a polysaccharide from Ganoderma lucidum, on suppressing cell growth and mobility of lung cancer. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules. 2020 Dec 15;165(Pt A):1604-1613.

Ovarian cancer: tumor response

• Ovarian cancer: less proliferation in cell studies³¹Dai S, Liu J, Sun X, Wang N. Ganoderma lucidum inhibits proliferation of human ovarian cancer cells by suppressing VEGF expression and up-regulating the expression of connexin 43. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2014 Nov 5;14:434; Hsieh TC, Wu JM. Suppression of proliferation and oxidative stress by extracts of Ganoderma lucidum in the ovarian cancer cell line OVCAR-3. International Journal of Molecular Medicine. 2011 Dec;28(6):1065-9.

Prostate cancer: less adhesion and migration

• Prostate cancer: less adhesion and migration of highly invasive prostate cancer cells³²Sliva D. Ganoderma lucidum (reishi) in cancer treatment. Integrative Cancer Therapies. 2003 Dec;2(4):358-64.

Optimizing your terrain

• Anti-inflammatory³³Sohretoglu D, Huang S. Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides as an anti-cancer agent. Anticancer Agents in Medicinal Chemistry. 2018;18(5):667-674; Rossi P, Difrancia R et al. B-glucans from Grifola frondosa and Ganoderma lucidum in breast cancer: an example of complementary and integrative medicine. Oncotarget. 2018 May 15; 9(37): 24837–24856; Suarez-Arroyo IJ, Loperena-Alvarez Y, Rosario-Acevedo R, Martínez-Montemayor MM. Ganoderma spp.: a promising adjuvant treatment for breast cancer. Medicines (Basel). 2017 Mar;4(1):15. 
• Antioxidant: protected neuroblastoma cells from oxidative stress³⁴Wang C, Liu X, Lian C, Ke J, Liu J. Triterpenes and aromatic meroterpenoids with antioxidant activity and neuroprotective effects from Ganoderma lucidum. Molecules. 2019 Nov 28;24(23):4353; XiaoPing C, Yan C et al. Free radical scavenging of Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides and its effect on antioxidant enzymes and immunity activities in cervical carcinoma rats. Carbohydrate Polymers. 2009; 77(2):389-393.
• Microbiome: better microbiome composition in mice³⁵Rossi P, Difrancia R et al. B-glucans from Grifola frondosa and Ganoderma lucidum in breast cancer: an example of complementary and integrative medicine. Oncotarget. 2018 May 15; Yang Y, Nirmagustina DE et al. Feeding of the water extract from Ganoderma lingzhi to rats modulates secondary bile acids, intestinal microflora, mucins, and propionate important to colon cancer. Bioscience, biotechnology and biochemistry. 2017 Sep;81(9):1796-1804.

Managing side effects and promoting wellness: preclinical evidence 

Blood-related side effects

• Less radiation-induced DNA damage in bone marrow in mice³⁶Zhao W, Jiang X et al. Antioxidant activities of Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides and their role on DNA damage in mice induced by cobalt-60 gamma-irradiation. Food and Chemical Toxicology. 2012 Feb;50(2):303-9.

Cardiovascular symptoms

• Significantly less cardiotoxicity in rats given doxorubicin³⁷Veena RK, Ajith TA, Janardhanan K. Lingzhi or reishi medicinal mushroom, Ganoderma lucidum (Agaricomycetes), prevents doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity in rats. International Journal of Medicinal Mushrooms. 2018;20(8):761-774; Xu F, Li X et al. Effects of Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides against doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity. Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy. 2017 Nov;95:504-512.

Changes in appetite

• Better appetite and general health in rats³⁸Wang CZ, Basila D et al. Effects of ganoderma lucidum extract on chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in a rat model. American Journal of Chinese Medicine. 2005;33(5):807-15.

Gastrointestinal effects

• Less chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in rats³⁹Wang CZ, Basila D et al. Effects of ganoderma lucidum extract on chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in a rat model. American Journal of Chinese Medicine. 2005;33(5):807-15.
• Less small intestinal damage induced by methotrexate⁴⁰Chen L, Lin Z, Li W. Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides reduce methotrexate-induced small intestinal damage in mice via induction of epithelial cell proliferation and migration. Acta Pharmacologica Sinica. 2011 Dec;32(12):1505-12.
• Less small intestinal injury caused by several chemotherapy drugs in mice with a cultured reishi extract⁴¹Kashimoto N, Ishii S et al. A water-soluble extract from cultured medium of Ganoderma lucidum (Reishi) mycelia attenuates the small intestinal injury induced by anti-cancer drugs. Oncology Letters. 2010 Jan;1(1):63-68.
• Significantly longer survival of small intestinal crypts, which support the regeneration of the intestinal lining, in mice undergoing X-ray irradiation with a cultured reishi extract⁴²Kubo N, Myojin Y et al. Protective effects of a water-soluble extract from cultured medium of Ganoderma lucidum (Rei-shi) mycelia and Agaricus blazei murill against X-irradiation in B6C3F1 mice: Increased small intestinal crypt survival and prolongation of average time to animal death. International Journal of Molecular Medicine. 2005 Mar;15(3):401-6.
• Improvement in gut microbiota disrupted by paclitaxel in mice⁴³Su J, Li D et al. Anti-breast cancer enhancement of a polysaccharide from spore of Ganoderma lucidum with paclitaxel: suppression on tumor metabolism with gut microbiota reshaping. Frontiers of Microbiology. 2018 Dec 17;9:3099.

Other chemotherapy and radiotherapy side effects

• Less kidney toxicity (nephrotoxicity) from cisplatin in rats and mice⁴⁴Mahran YF, Hassan HM. Ganoderma lucidum prevents cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity through inhibition of epidermal growth factor receptor signaling and autophagy-mediated apoptosis. Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity. 2020 Jul 6;2020:4932587; Pillai TG, John M, Thomas GT. Prevention of cisplatin induced nephrotoxicity by terpenes isolated from Ganoderma lucidum occurring in southern parts of India. Experimental and Toxicological Pathology: Official Journal of the Gesellshaft fur Toxicologische Pathologie. 2011 Jan;63(1-2):157-60.
• Less cisplatin-induced liver injury in rats⁴⁵Hassan HM, Al-Wahaibi LH, Elmorsy MA, Mahran YF. Suppression of cisplatin-induced hepatic injury in rats through alarmin high-mobility group box-1 pathway by Ganoderma lucidum: theoretical and experimental study. Drug Design, Development and Therapy. 2020 Jun 11;14:2335-2353.

Reducing cancer risk

Bladder cancer: tumor inhibition

• Slower tumor formation in mice⁴⁶Yuen JWM, Mak DSY, Chan ES, Gohel MDI, Ng CF. Tumor inhibitory effects of intravesical Ganoderma lucidum instillation in the syngeneic orthotopic MB49/C57 bladder cancer mice model. Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 2018 Sep 15;223:113-121.

Colorectal cancer: less carcinogenesis 

• Lower rate of carcinogenesis in both cell and animal studies;⁴⁷Na K, Li K et al. Anticarcinogenic effects of water extract of sporoderm-broken spores of Ganoderma lucidum on colorectal cancer in vitro and in vivo. International Journal of Oncology. 2017 May;50(5):1541-1554. prevention and suppression of colitis-associated carcinogenesis in mice⁴⁸Sliva D, Loganathan J et al. Mushroom Ganoderma lucidum prevents colitis-associated carcinogenesis in mice. PLoS One. 2012;7(10):e47873.

Prostate cancer: inhibition of premalignant cells

• Slower growth of premalignant prostate cells⁴⁹Lee YF, Guo D, Thomas NR, Watson SA. Triterpene extract of Ganoderma lucidum inhibits proliferation of premalignant human prostate cells by regulation of epithelial mesenchymal transition. Cancer Research. 2010 April;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1462.

Skin cancer: fewer tumors and longer latency

• Lower incidence of skin papilloma and average number of tumors per animal, and longer tumor latency period in mice and rats⁵⁰Smina TP, Nitha B, Devasagayam TPA, Janardhanan KK. Ganoderma lucidum total triterpenes induce apoptosis in MCF-7 cells and attenuate DMBA induced mammary and skin carcinomas in experimental animals. Mutation Research. 2017 Jan;813:45-51.

Helpful links for professionals

This table summarizes the evidence of interactions with reishi (Lingzhi) and turkey tail (Yunzhi) mushrooms and components with 17 chemotherapy drugs: Pharmacodynamic interactions between medicinal mushrooms and cytotoxic drugs in clinical studies ›
From Lam CS, Cheng LP, Zhou LM, Cheung YT, Zuo Z. Herb-drug interactions between the medicinal mushrooms Lingzhi and Yunzhi and cytotoxic anticancer drugs: a systematic review. Chinese Medicine. 2020 Jul 25;15:75.