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Lingzhi (reishi)

Ganoderma lingzhi

Also calledLingzhi (Chinese, 'spirit mushroom') · Reishi (Japanese) · Yeongji (Korean) · Linh chi (Vietnamese) · Chizhi / danzhi (classical Chinese, 'red / cinnabar zhi')

In older monographsGanoderma sichuanense (accepted name per Du et al. 2023), Ganoderma lucidum (name widely misapplied to Asian lingzhi)

The glossy red bracket fungus that symbolises longevity in Chinese art and was ranked a 'superior' tonic in the oldest Chinese materia medica. A Cochrane review found no evidence it treats cancer on its own; added to chemotherapy it may modestly improve response and immune counts, but the trials are of poor quality.

Full natural-history sheet →

What it is used for

  • A 2016 Cochrane review (5 trials, 373 participants) found people given G. lucidum alongside chemotherapy or radiotherapy were more likely to respond (RR 1.50), and reported better quality of life in four studies, but the trials were poorly conducted. It found no evidence to justify it as first-line treatment, and it is unknown whether it prolongs survival.1,2

  • The same review found small rises in CD3, CD4 and CD8 lymphocyte percentages (2–4 percentage points) in cancer patients; the clinical meaning is uncertain.1

  • Sleeplessness
    Traditional

    In Chinese tradition lingzhi 'calms the spirit'; no adequate trials for sleep were found.3

  • General tonic
    Traditional

    Ranked among the superior (upper-grade) medicines of the Shennong Bencao Jing, taken long-term for vitality and longevity.3

How it is prepared

decoction

Thin slices of the woody fruiting body simmered for a long time in water; the extract is very bitter.

dry extract / capsule

Hot-water extract powders and spore products; NCI notes trial doses such as 1.8 g of Ganopoly three times daily, but products differ widely.

Amounts are as recorded by the named source, not a recommendation.

Safety

Pregnancy
Insufficient data
Breastfeeding
Insufficient data

Side effects

  • Nausea and insomnia reported in one trial
  • Generally well tolerated in cancer-patient trials, with no significant blood or liver toxicity reported in the Cochrane review

In the healing traditions

  • Traditional Chinese Medicine

    Lingzhi / chizhi

    An upper-grade tonic said to nourish qi, calm the spirit and prolong life; the classical text lists six coloured zhi, each linked to an organ, with the red chizhi linked to the heart.

    Shennong Bencao Jing (c. 200–250 CE)

  • Kampo

    Reishi

    Hot-water extracts for fatigue, sleep and general resilience.

  • Modern pharmacology

    Ganopoly and other extracts

    Standardised extracts studied as adjuncts in cancer care, with no measured effect on cancer outcomes so far.

Active compounds

ganoderic acids
bitter lanostane triterpenoids, structurally like steroid hormones
β-D-glucans
polysaccharides studied for immune effects
ganodermanontriol
triterpene studied in the lab

History

Lingzhi appears in Chinese art and Daoist texts as the mushroom of immortality, and archaeologists have reported Ganoderma at Neolithic sites in China.

Sources

  1. 1.Jin X et al. Ganoderma lucidum (Reishi mushroom) for cancer treatment. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2016
  2. 2.NCI PDQ: Medicinal Mushrooms (health professional version)
  3. 3.Wikipedia: Lingzhi (mushroom) (Shennong Bencao Jing, taxonomy)
  4. 4.Du Z et al. Re-examination of the holotype of Ganoderma sichuanense. J Fungi 2023
  5. 5.Cao Y, Wu SH, Dai YC. Species clarification of the prize medicinal Ganoderma mushroom 'Lingzhi'. Fungal Divers 2012

Reference, not prescription. Nothing here is medical advice. Herbs can interact with medicines and be dangerous in pregnancy; tell your doctor or pharmacist about anything you take.