灵芝自古以来被以为是祥瑞，富贵，长寿的象征，有仙草，瑞草之称。菌盖半圆形肾形或近圆形，木栓质，功能比较全面。赤灵芝内含有灵芝多糖，灵芝多糖明显促进T淋巴细胞的增殖，促进细胞免疫和体液免疫能力，从而提高老年人抵抗外来疾病感染的能力，具有抗病，延缓衰老的作用。中华传统医学恒久以来一直视为滋补强壮，固本扶正的珍贵中草药。现代医学证实，灵芝含有多种心里活性物质，能够调治增强人体免疫力，冠心病，高血压，糖尿病，赤灵芝还具有抗肿瘤的作用，它可以显著的提高机体的免疫功能，增强患者自身的抗癌能力。灵芝又称瑞草、灵芝草,也被称为仙草，在国外被称为万年茸,灵芝属药食两用真菌。在我国,灵芝药用已有两千多年的历史,其子实体、孢子粉、菌丝体均可入药。在《神农本草经》中,多处记载着灵芝的功效。大量药理研究表明,灵芝具有调节免疫、保肝、抗肿瘤、抗衰老、提高机体耐缺氧能力等活性。

1.调节免疫力

灵芝多糖具有广泛的免疫调节活性,能提高机体免疫活性。灵芝多糖能增强免疫应答,通过激活磷脂酰肌醇-3激酶途径抑制嗜中性粒细胞自发性凋亡而达到抗癌效果;通过促分裂原活化蛋白激酶(MAPK)和蛋白激酶C(PKC)途径,灵芝多糖能刺激嗜中性粒细胞的吞噬作用和趋化性。

2.抗肿瘤

灵芝能抑制乳腺癌细胞MDAMD-231的生长,通过抑制NF-JB来抑制乳腺癌的浸润,抑制癌细胞增殖,Akt/NF-JB信号的负调节作用抑制Akt分子中第473位上丝氨酸磷酸化,对Akt表达负调节,通过NF-JB对细胞周期蛋白D1的负调节作用,使肿瘤细胞停滞在G0/G1期。

从灵芝孢子中分离出来的三萜类化合物对小鼠肉瘤Meth-A和lewis肺癌细胞有细胞毒活性,灵芝孢子的提取物经分离得到的三萜类能抑制HeLa细胞生长,使细胞分裂停留在G1期,三萜类能抑制Ras癌蛋白并抑制癌细胞的转化。灵芝子实体三萜类给小鼠灌胃后,能抑制脾外移植的lewis肺癌细胞的生长,还能阻止转移的肿瘤细胞浸润到脾和肝脏。

3.抗病毒

实验表明,灵芝中的蛋白多糖有抗病毒活性,与酸结合的灵芝多糖(APBP)有抗疱疹病毒HSV-1和HSV-2的活性;灵芝三萜类化合物还能抗HIV,在MF-4细胞中,灵芝醇F和灵芝萜酮三醇抑制HIV-1的致病作用,ganolucidicacid-A、灵芝萜酮二醇、灵芝萜酮三醇、lucidimol-B和灵芝酸B明显抑制HIV-1蛋白水解酶的活性,使HIV-1增殖受阻。4.抗衰老、抗氧化，萃取灵芝可以得到酚类化合物,其具有抗氧化作用,能抑制脂类的过氧化,在休眠的孢子萌发时,该活性大大增强。灵芝氨基多糖G009能抑制活性氧对DNA的氧化损伤,抑制铁诱导的脂类过氧化作用。

5.保肝

在胆汁梗阻引起小鼠肝硬化的实验中,灵芝蛋白多糖能降低血清中天冬氨酸转移酶、丙氨酸转移酶、碱性磷酸酶和总胆红素的含量,同时能改善胶原蛋白和肝细胞的组织形态。另有实验表明,灵芝多糖通过激活解毒酶谷胱甘肽-S-转移酶(GST)介导正常小鼠肝细胞的化学防护作用。

Ganoderma lucidum has been regarded as a symbol of auspiciousness, wealth and longevity since ancient times. It is known as fairy grass and auspicious grass. The pileus is semicircular, renal or nearly circular, corky, and has comprehensive functions. Ganoderma lucidum contains Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharide. Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharide can significantly promote the proliferation of T lymphocytes and promote the ability of cellular immunity and humoral immunity, so as to improve the ability of the elderly to resist foreign disease infection. It has the function of disease resistance and delaying aging. Chinese traditional medicine has long been regarded as a precious Chinese herbal medicine for nourishing, strengthening and strengthening. Modern medicine has proved that Ganoderma lucidum contains a variety of mental active substances, which can regulate and enhance human immunity, coronary heart disease, hypertension and diabetes. Ganoderma lucidum also has anti-tumor effect. It can significantly improve the immune function of the body and enhance its own anticancer ability. Ganoderma lucidum, also known as ruicao and Ganoderma lucidum grass, is also known as Xiancao. It is called Wannian antler abroad. Ganoderma lucidum is a dual-purpose fungus for medicine and food. In China, Ganoderma lucidum has been used as medicine for more than 2000 years. Its fruiting body, spore powder and mycelium can be used as medicine. The efficacy of Ganoderma lucidum is recorded in many places in Shennong herbal classic. A large number of pharmacological studies show that Ganoderma lucidum has the activities of regulating immunity, protecting liver, anti-tumor, anti-aging and improving the ability of hypoxia tolerance.

1. Regulate immunity

Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharide has a wide range of immunomodulatory activities and can improve the immune activity of the body. Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharide can enhance immune response and inhibit neutrophil spontaneous apoptosis by activating phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase pathway; Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharide can stimulate the phagocytosis and chemotaxis of neutrophils through mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) and protein kinase C (PKC) pathways.

2. Anti tumor

Ganoderma lucidum can inhibit the growth of breast cancer cell MDAMD-231, inhibit the invasion of breast cancer and inhibit the proliferation of cancer cells by inhibiting NF-JB. The negative regulation of Akt/NF-JB signal inhibits the 473rd position of serine phosphorylation in Akt molecules, negatively regulates the expression of Akt, and makes the tumor cells stagnate in G0/G1 stage through NF-JB's negative regulation on cell cycle protein D1.

Triterpenoids isolated from Ganoderma lucidum spores have cytotoxic activity against mouse sarcoma Meth-A and Lewis lung cancer cells. Triterpenoids isolated from Ganoderma lucidum spores can inhibit the growth of HeLa cells and make cell division stay in G1 phase. Triterpenoids can inhibit Ras oncoprotein and inhibit the transformation of cancer cells. Triterpenoids from Ganoderma lucidum fruiting body can inhibit the growth of Lewis lung cancer cells transplanted outside the spleen and prevent the infiltration of metastatic tumor cells into the spleen and liver.

3. Antiviral

The results showed that the proteoglycan in Ganoderma lucidum had antiviral activity, and the acid bound Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharide (APBP) had antiherpesvirus HSV-1 and HSV-2 activities; Ganoderma lucidum triterpenoids can also resist HIV. In MF-4 cells, Ganoderma lucidum alcohol F and Ganoderma lucidum terpenone triol inhibit the pathogenic effect of HIV-1. Ganolucidicacid-a, Ganoderma lucidum terpenone diol, Ganoderma lucidum terpenone triol, lucidimol-b and Ganoderma acid B significantly inhibit the activity of HIV-1 protein hydrolase and hinder the proliferation of HIV-1. 4. Anti aging and antioxidant. Phenolic compounds can be obtained by extracting ganoderma lucidum. It has antioxidant effect and can inhibit lipid peroxidation. This activity is greatly enhanced during dormant spore germination. Ganoderma lucidum aminopolysaccharide G009 can inhibit the oxidative damage of reactive oxygen species to DNA and iron induced lipid peroxidation.

5. Liver protection

In the experiment of liver cirrhosis in mice caused by bile obstruction, Ganoderma lucidum proteoglycan can reduce the contents of aspartate transferase, alanine transferase, alkaline phosphatase and total bilirubin in serum, and improve the tissue morphology of collagen and hepatocytes. Other experiments showed that Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharide mediated the chemical protection of normal mouse hepatocytes by activating the detoxifying enzyme glutathione-S-transferase (GST).