A Review of Ganoderma Triterpenoids and Their Bioactivities

Abstract

For centuries, Ganoderma has been used as a traditional medicine in Asian countries to prevent and treat various diseases. Numerous publications are stating that Ganoderma species have a variety of beneficial medicinal properties, and investigations on different metabolic regulations of Ganoderma species, extracts or isolated compounds have been performed both in vitro and in vivo. However, it has frequently been questioned whether Ganoderma is simply a dietary supplement for health or just a useful “medication” for restorative purposes. More than 600 chemical compounds including alkaloids, meroterpenoids, nucleobases, nucleosides, polysaccharides, proteins, steroids and triterpenes were extracted and identified from Ganoderma, with triterpenes serving as the primary components. In recent years, Ganoderma triterpenes and other small molecular constituents have aroused the interest of chemists and pharmacologists. Meanwhile, considering the significance of the triterpene constituents in the development of new drugs, this review describes 495 compounds from 25 Ganoderma species published between 1984 and 2022, commenting on their source, biosynthetic pathway, identification, biological activities and biosynthesis, together with applications of advanced analytical techniques to the characterization of Ganoderma triterpenoids.

Amelioration of CCl4-induced oxidative stress and hepatotoxicity by Ganoderma lucidum in Long Evans rats

“…Triterpenoids, which were found in the mushroom extract are reported to provide protection against liver injury induced by toxic chemicals such as CCl 4 , thioacetamide and alcohol 13 . Triterpenoids are emerging as a unique group of phytochemicals with multifunctional activities like anti-adipogensis, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antipyretic, cardiotonic, sedative and hepatoprotective effects 9 , 26 . Ergosterols present in the mushroom extract as evidenced by GCMS analysis, have been shown to exert anti-tumor, anti-angiogenic 21 and protective effects against liver fibrosis 11 .…”

“…Besides nutritionally beneficial primary compounds such as protein, vitamins and minerals, mushrooms also contain many secondary constituents, including phenolic compounds such as alkaloids, terpenes, and steroids. Mushrooms help in lowering blood pressure, blood glucose and cholesterol levels, and are found useful in the treatment of diabetes, atherosclerosis, hypercholesterolemia, heart diseases, osteoporosis and peptic ulcer 9 – 11 . Hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral, immunomodulatory, and anticancer properties of various types of mushrooms have been reported previously 11 – 13 .…”

Nutritional Value and Antioxidant, Antimicrobial and Cytotoxic Activity of Wild Macrofungi

“…Ash content was estimated by incineration at 600 ± 15 °C for 5 h. Dietary fiber was analyzed by a gravimetric method. Mineral constituents comprising potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), iron (Fe), calcium (Ca), copper (Cu), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn) and phosphorus (P) were determined by an Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (SHIMADZU AA-6300) [ 30 ].…”

Integrating in Silico and In Vitro Studies to Screen Anti-Staphylococcus aureus Activity From Vietnamese Ganoderma multiplicatum and Ganoderma sinense

“…Ganodermataceae species (Polyporales) are medicinal mushrooms that have been used in traditional medicine in China and other Asian countries for approximately 2000 years. 12–14…”

“…Ganodermataceae species (Polyporales) are medicinal mushrooms that have been used in traditional medicine in China and other Asian countries for approximately 2000 years. [12][13][14] Drug discovery is a time-consuming and costly process. Recently, computational methods have provided a better understanding of the interactions between herbal medicine drug targets to help clinical practitioners design herbal formulae rationally.…”