GROWING GOURMET - Anto2ni.it

368
GROWTH PARAMETERS
pressure and lipid levels (Kabir et al., (1989)), influence on blood glucose levels (Kimura et al.,
(1989)), and presence of jmjnuno-modulating proteins (Kino et al., (1989)). T. Mizuno summarized
the historical development of compounds extracted fromthis mushroom in Chemical Times, (3): 50-
60, 1989. (For more
information, see Nishitoba et al. (1984), Jifeng et al. (1985), Hirotani et al.
(1985),Satoetal. (1986),Tanaka(1989),andJong(l99L))
Studies by Stavinoha (1990) on mice at the Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio showed
that unextracted "gill powder" (sic) or ether extracts of the mushrooms showed significant anti-inflammatory
activity, comparable to hydrocortisone. Weil (1993) noted that it is difficult to reconcile
that a mushroom could both be an immune stimulator and an anti-inflammatory agent. His point is
that anti-inflammatory agents generally suppress immune function, not enhance it. However, many
forms of arthritis are viewed as auto-immune disorders. If the mode of activity of G. lucidum is to act
as an immuno-modulator, not an immuno-stimulator, then this contradiction in viewpoints is
reconciliable.
At the Fifth International Mycological Congress convened in Vancouver, British Columbia, Dr.
B .K. Kim et al. (1994) reported that a low molecular weight polysaccharide fraction, isolated from
Ganoderma luciduin, prolonged the survival of human lymphocytes
after exposure to HIV, comparing
favorably with healthy cells in terms of longevity. Lymphocytes not treated with this
polysaccharide died shortly after exposure to the virus. Clinical studies on are going in Korea. Patents
are planned. To my knowledge, no juried reports have been published to date.
According to Willard (1990) who compiled a review of Reishi's properties, this mushroom can
cure cancer, chronic fatigue syndrome, liver degeneration, blood disorders and practically every
other modern malady to affect human kind. (No wonder Reishi is also known as the "Panacea
Polypore"!) However, to date, no definitive, long-term, double-blind studies with human patients suffering
from cancer (or other diseases) have been reported in the English literature. Studies with
human patients at the Institute of Materia Medica (Beijing, China) in 1983, showed that Ling Chi had
no significant effect against lung cancer after radiation therapy whereas Zhu Ling (Polyporus
umbellatus) was effective. (Stamets &Weil, 1983).
I have been told by native Chinese that Ling Chi is traditionally given to men by women (or an intermediary
messenger) to express sexual interest as Ling Chi purportedly stimulates sexual virility,
especially in older men.The antler form is preferred. No medical evidence has been published to support
this claim.
Flavor, Preparation & Cooking: Typically extracted in hot water for teas, tinctures, syrups, &
soups. My family enjoys making a tea from fresh, living specimens, breaking them into pieces,
boiling in water for 5 minutes and then steeping for 30 minutes. The tea is reheated to a desired
temperature, strained and served, without sweeteners. If a daily regimen of Ling Chi tea is followed,
as little as 3-5 grams per person has been traditionally prescribed. The antler forms, with
a reduced hymenial package, have a rich, mildly sweet, and soothing flavor reaction. The well
developed conk forms reveal a more bitter after-taste. Yellow strains are more often bitter than
the red and black strains.
PDF compression, OCR, web-optimization with CVISION's PdfCompressor