The earliest studies on Ganoderma lucidum's anti-radiation effects
In the late 1970s, in order to observe the effects of Ganoderma lucidum seed extracts on enhancing the resistance of mice to harsh environments (conditions), a series of experiments were designed, such as those on resistance to oxygen deprivation, cold, high temperatures, fatigue, and radiation, and so on.
At that time, we did not have cobalt-60 radiation equipment, so each time we had to use the school car to escort dozens of experimental mice to the irradiation laboratory of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences to be irradiated, which was a luxury in those days when all people rode bicycles.
During the experiment, each mouse was fixed in a special glass cylinder, equidistant around the cobalt-60 source, receiving cobalt-60 gamma ray whole-body irradiation for 15 minutes, the cobalt-60 ray dose rate of 60.4R/min (about 529.1mGy/min), the total irradiation dose of 906R (about 7.9Gy). After irradiation, the mice were transported back to the laboratory for rearing, and the mortality rate was observed for 30 days.
It was found that the 30-day mortality rate of mice irradiated after gavage of Ganoderma lucidum extract (equivalent to 10 g/kg of substrate) for 20 days beforehand was 44.4%, compared with 70.4% in control mice gavaged with saline. When mice were treated with the same dose of Ganoderma lucidum liquid after cobalt-60 γ-ray irradiation, there was no significant difference in the 30-day mortality rate after irradiation between the two groups, but it could significantly prolong the average survival time of the animals. This discovery was published in Science Bulletin in Chinese and English in 1980, which is the first research paper on Ganoderma lucidum's anti-radiation, and has received attention from the academic community.
Science can withstand repetition
The results of scientific experiments are supposed to be able to withstand repetition. After more than ten years, some laboratory studies have obtained similar results:
(1) Ganoderma lucidum extract has a certain protective effect on the damage induced by X-ray irradiation in mice, which can mildly increase the survival rate of irradiation for 30 days, and promote the recovery of body weight and blood indexes in mice after irradiation.
(2) Ganoderma lucidum extract, administered prophylactically, has an obvious protective effect on the damage caused by 4Gy?γ-ray irradiation in mice, and can significantly improve the leukopenia and immune function reduction caused by irradiation.
(3) Gavage of Ganoderma lucidum spore powder to mice can reduce the leukopenia induced by cobalt-60?γ rays and improve the survival rate of mice.
(4) Giving mice Ganoderma lucidum mycelium aqueous extract (MAK) prior to X-ray irradiation was protective against X-ray irradiation injury, significantly prolonged the survival time of mice, and increased the survival rate of small intestinal glandular cells.
These studies have demonstrated that Ganoderma lucidum fruiting bodies, mycelium and spore powder have anti-radiation injury effects.
Clinical effectiveness is the most scientific
The anti-radiation effects of Ganoderma lucidum have been used in clinical practice, one of which is to reduce the damage caused by radiation therapy for tumors, such as leukopenia, gastrointestinal reactions (e.g., vomiting), and decreased immune function, which I have mentioned many times in my column. The second is the treatment of leukopenia.
Leukopenia is a condition in which the white blood cells in the peripheral blood are less than 3.5*10 ^9/L. The cause of leukopenia is not yet fully understood, and it may be related to the effects of physical and chemical pollution in the environment, or genetic or immune disorders of the body, including the effects of various radiation factors.
The deterioration of the human living environment can also be seen in the change of the normal value of clinical leukocytes. 1960, when I was in clinical practice, the lower limit of the normal value of total leukocytes was 6.0X 10 ^9/L, and with the passage of time, this value dropped to 5.0X 10 ^9/L, and then to today's 3.5X 10 ^9/L, which is a deteriorating situation.
Some preliminary clinical observations have shown that Ganoderma lucidum is effective for various causes of leukopenia. For example, Ganoderma capsules (containing ethanol extract of Ganoderma lucidum mycelium and its solid medium) were used to treat 52 cases of leukocyte wilfulness in which the total number of leukocytes was less than 4,000/mm? before treatment. Each time, 4 capsules of Ganoderma lucidum capsule were taken orally 3 times a day for ****10?14 days. After treatment, the total number of white blood cells of 52 patients increased by 1028/mm? on average, and the total effective rate was 84.6%.
Among them, the total number of white blood cells increased by 2000/mm? or more than before taking the drug (effective) 11 cases, accounting for 21.15%, the total number of white blood cells increased by 1000-2000/mm? before taking the drug (progress) 12 cases, accounting for 23.1%; the total number of white blood cells increased by 500-1000/mm? before taking the drug (improvement) 21 cases, accounting for and 40.4%; Ineffective cases were 8 cases, accounting for 15.4%. After treatment, the total number of white blood cells increased to 4000?6700/mm?*** 30 cases, of which the subjects who used the drug for 20 days, and better than those who used the drug for 10 days.
Another example: the use of ganoderma lucidum mycelium tablets (the mycelium used includes solid medium components) to treat 60 cases of leukopenia, the group of cases before treatment, the total number of leukocytes are in the 4500/mm? below the etiology of the 9 cases (due to long-term exposure to gasoline, diesel fuel, 3 cases, 6 cases of chronic diseases), 51 cases of unknown causes. After taking ganoderma lucidum mycelium tablets (0.4g per tablet, 3 tablets per time, 2 times a day) for 10?30 days, the total number of leukocytes increased by 1428/mm? on average, with a total effective rate of 81.7%, and those who recovered to normal accounted for 75%; the self-awareness of the symptoms, such as dizziness, fatigue, insomnia, etc., were also improved to different degrees.
The results of the above studies show that Ganoderma lucidum does have a certain protective effect on radiation damage, and that people who use Ganoderma lucidum for health care may have a stronger resistance to nuclear radiation than the general population. Of course, further research is needed to prove this hypothesis.
From: Lin Zhibin, "Ganoderma"