Antimalarial and Hepatoprotective Effects of Crude Ethanolic Extract of Lingzhi or Reishi Medicinal Mushroom, Ganoderma lucidum (W.Curt.:Fr.)P.Karst. (Higher Basidiomycetes), in Plasmodium berghei-Infected Mice

Abstract

This study was aimed at investigating the in vivo antimalarial activity (using some biochemical indices) of crude aqueous extracts of the fruiting bodies of Ganoderma lucidum, a mushroom with well-established medicinal properties. A rodent malaria parasite, Plasmodium berghei (1 × 107), was inoculated intraperitoneally into Swiss albino mice. The test groups were administered G. lucidum extract and chloroquine (CQ, as standard drug), while the control groups were administered the same amount of distilled water by an intragastric tube once daily. The antimalarial activity of the extract was investigated from the suppressive, curative, and prophylactic effects of the extract on parasite growth. Serum aminotransferases (AST and ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and gamma glutamine transpeptidase (γ-GT) levels monitored following the 4-day suppressive test were significantly reduced, with a corresponding significant increase in the livers of mice treated with the extract compared with infected untreated mice. The results obtained from this study provide scientific justification in an animal model of malaria that an ethanolic extract of G. lucidum possesses potent antimalarial activity and also could help ameliorate the attendant Plasmodium-induced liver damage due to malarial infection.

Antihyperglycemic, insulin-sensitivity and anti-hyperlipidemic potential of Ganoderma lucidum, a dietary mushroom, on alloxan- and glucocorticoid-induced diabetic Long-Evans rats

“…Crude aqueous extract and proteoglycan from Ganoderma lucidum fruiting bodies showed anti-diabetic, antihyperlipidemic and antioxidant activities on mice [12,15,16]. The aqueous extract of this mushroom exhibited anticonvulsant, antidepressant and anxiolytic activities in experimental mice and rats [17,18], whereas ethanol extract showed antimalarial and hepatoprotective effects in experimental mice [19]. It has been reported that the antimicrobial activity of GL is caused by the presence of triterpenoid and steroid compounds [20].…”

Emerging Roles of Ganoderma Lucidum in Anti-Aging

“…EGL has pro-apoptosis, anti-proliferation and anti-angiogenic effects, which makes it an ideal tumor combating drug. EGL could induce apoptosis in human breast cancer cells by altering mitochondrial transmembrane depolarization and exerting its anti-proliferative effect through cell cycle arrest [ 35 ].…”

Mushrooms (Basidiomycetes) as a significant source of biologically active compounds for malaria control

“…Basidiomycetes, especially mushrooms, are a good source of diverse specialized metabolites with a large scale of biological activities including antimalarial properties (Isaka et al, 2011;Lakornwong et al, 2014). For instance, the extract of Ganoderma lucidum exhibited antimalarial activity (Ma et al, 2014;Oluba et al, 2012), and the antimalarial properties of Cordyceps species and Bulgaria inquinans have been also reported (Isaka et al, 2001). Despite the relevant and interesting data reported on the antimalarial potencies of extracts and compounds of some mushrooms, to the best of our knowledge, very few works have been done on their insecticidal activities while no review article has been published on the phytochemistry and pharmacology of mushrooms concerning their contribution in fighting against malaria as a source of antiplasmodial and insecticidal agents.…”