Abstract
1. Main Functions of the Ingredient
- Anti-cancer: Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides inhibit cancer cell DNA synthesis, stimulate the production of non-specific antibodies, and induce apoptosis in cancer cells.
- Antioxidant: They have antioxidant effects by scavenging free radicals and improving cell survival rates under oxidative stress.
- Immunomodulation: Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides enhance cellular and humoral immune functions, restore immune function suppression, and promote the production of interleukin-2 (IL-2) and antibody-forming cells.
- Hypoglycemic: They significantly reduce blood glucose levels, promote insulin secretion, improve glucose tolerance, and regulate blood lipid concentrations.
2.Suitable supplement dosage forms
Capsules:
- Immune support capsules: Contains ganoderma polysaccharides, vitamin C, zinc, etc. to enhance immune function.
- Anti-aging capsules: Ganoderma polysaccharides are combined with vitamin E and resveratrol to support anti-aging and overall health.
- Stress relief capsules: Ganoderma polysaccharides are combined with adaptogenic herbs such as Ashwagandha and Rhodiola to reduce stress and promote relaxation.
Tablets:
- Energy boosting tablets: Ganoderma polysaccharides are combined with B vitamins and ginseng extract to increase energy and reduce fatigue.
- Cognitive support tablets: Ganoderma polysaccharides are combined with ginkgo biloba and omega-3 fatty acids to support brain health and cognitive function.
- Digestive health tablets: Ganoderma polysaccharides are combined with probiotics to improve digestive health and balance intestinal flora.
3.Market prospects/advantages
- Immunity enhancement: Ganoderma polysaccharides can enhance the immune system and attract health-conscious consumers.
- Anti-aging: It has unique anti-aging effects and is widely popular.
- Market demand growth: With the increase in awareness, market demand has increased year by year, becoming a star ingredient in the health product market.
- Wide application: Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharide can be used as a food additive in beverages, pastries, oral liquids, etc. to improve the nutritional value and health benefits of food.
- Clinical and economic benefits: Functional foods containing Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharide have significant clinical effects and economic benefits.
- Future development potential: With the deepening of research, Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharide has broad application prospects in precision medicine and personalized health product development.
4. Technical/Extraction Methods
Traditional Methods: Current extraction methods include hot water extraction, microwave-assisted extraction, enzymatic hydrolysis, and ultrasonic extraction. These methods have limitations such as high impurity content and potential damage to active compounds.
Microbial Fermentation: A more advanced method involves using microbial fermentation with Bacillus subtilis, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and Lactobacillus plantarum. This step-by-step fermentation process improves cell wall disintegration, polysaccharide degradation, and biological activity, resulting in high raw material utilization and better extraction of small molecular polysaccharides.
Article Content
Ganoderma lucidum, also known as fairy grass, auspicious grass, forest spirit, and Qiongzhen, is a medicinal material in traditional Chinese medicine that is as famous as ginseng. Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharide is one of the main active ingredients of Ganoderma lucidum. At present, more than 200 types of Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides have been discovered internationally, mainly in the form of heteropolysaccharides, most of which are β-glucans. Natural β-glucans are considered to be a functional polysaccharide with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and immunomodulatory activities. In recent years, Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides have been widely used in food, health products, and pharmaceuticals due to their significant biological activity and health benefits.
1. Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharide efficacy
A.Anti-cancer
Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharide is an important active ingredient in Ganoderma lucidum to exert anti-tumor effects. The molecular weight and molecular structure of polysaccharides directly affect the anti-tumor activity of Ganoderma lucidum. Studies have found that polysaccharides with a molecular weight of ≥10kDa show strong tumor inhibition activity, and the strength of the activity is related to the degree of branching of the polysaccharide chain and the number of light-based substitutions on the branch chain. The oral dose of Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharide to mice was 2000mg/Kg.d. The inhibition rates of toe inoculation and axillary subcutaneous inoculation on Lewis lung cancer were 53.54-59.13% and 36.14-42.76%, respectively; the inhibition rates on colon cancer were 42.47-49.14% and 29.43-32.09%, respectively. Studies have shown that the anti-cancer mechanism of Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharide may achieve the purpose of anti-cancer by inhibiting the synthesis of cancer DNA, stimulating the production of non-specific antibodies of the host, or inhibiting the proliferation of HL-60 cells and inducing apoptosis of HL-60 cells.
B.Antioxidant
Ganoderma lucidum sugars, polysaccharide protein complexes and phenolic substances are all components of antioxidants in Ganoderma lucidum. Studies have shown that Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharide peptides have antioxidant effects in vivo and in vitro by scavenging free radicals produced by tert-butyl hydroperoxide (IBOOH) in macrophages. In in vitro cell experiments, Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides can increase the survival rate of human epidermal cells after hydrogen peroxide treatment; at the animal level, Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides can increase the activity of SOD in the skin tissue of aged mice, increase the level of hydroxyproline, and reduce the level of oxidation product MDA, showing anti-aging effects. In addition, in a clinical trial of 37 high-risk angina patients and 34 stable angina patients, Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides can significantly increase the serum SOD level of patients with stable angina.
C.Immunomodulation
Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides can not only enhance the cellular and humoral immune functions of normal mice, but also restore the immune function suppression of mice caused by various factors. Ganoderma lucidum can counteract the immunosuppressive drug hydrocortisone and the anti-tumor drugs cyclosporine A, fluorouracil and cyclophosphamide, and can restore the immune function suppression caused by stress stimulation and aging to normal or near normal levels. Regarding the mechanism of Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharide in enhancing immunity, studies have confirmed that Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharide has a wide range of effects on immune cells, can effectively promote the production of interleukin-2 (IL-2) by spleen cells, increase the number of antibody-forming cells, directly stimulate lymphocyte proliferation, and antagonize the immunosuppressive effect of cyclophosphamide.
D.Hypoglycemia
It is reported that Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharide can significantly reduce blood glucose concentration, promote insulin secretion, improve glucose tolerance, and regulate blood lipid concentration. The improvement of diabetic lipid metabolism by Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharide may be related to the activation of FAM3C-HSF1-CaM signaling pathway. In the zebrafish model, both exo-β-glucan and endo-β-glucan extracted from Malaysian Ganoderma lucidum showed inhibitory effects on α-glucosidase. And a study found that Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharide F31 alleviates hyperglycemia symptoms by protecting the kidneys and promoting apoptosis of epididymal adipocytes.
2. Regulatory dynamics
In November 2023, China's National Health Commission and the State Administration for Market Regulation jointly issued a document, in which Lingzhi was included as a substance that is both a food and a Chinese medicinal material in the "Announcement on 9 New Substances That Are Traditionally Both Food and Chinese Medicinal Materials, Including Codonopsis".
On April 30, 2024, China's State Administration for Market Regulation officially announced the "Technical Requirements for Health Food Raw Materials Ginseng, American Ginseng, and Lingzhi Registration Products (No. 18, 2024)". It stipulates the technical requirements for excipients, dosage forms, processes, etc. that can be used for Lingzhi when registering products, and clarifies that product quality and safety indicators such as signature ingredients and pollutant indicators must comply with relevant Chinese food safety national standards.
3. Market application and product dynamics
Ganoderma lucidum has rich nutrients and unique pharmacological effects. It can improve human immunity, enhance disease resistance, and delay aging, and is deeply loved by consumers. With people's understanding and recognition of Ganoderma lucidum, its market demand has increased year by year, and it has become a star in the food and health care product market. Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides are also widely used in the field of food and health care products due to their rich biological activity and pharmacological effects. Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides can be used as food additives and added to beverages, cakes, oral liquids and other foods to increase the nutritional value and health benefits of food. In the application field of functional factor medicines and health care products, functional foods compounded with Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides, concanavalin, matsutake, sheep placenta, and propolis have achieved significant clinical effects and economic benefits. Combining Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides with Ashwagandha and Rhodiola can be made into supplements such as tablets and capsules.
Here are examples of how Reishi polysaccharides are applied in capsules and tablets:
A.Capsules
- Immune Support Capsules: These capsules contain Reishi polysaccharides along with other immune-boosting ingredients like Vitamin C and Zinc. They are designed to enhance overall immune function.
- Anti-aging Capsules: These capsules combine Reishi polysaccharides with antioxidants such as Vitamin E and Resveratrol. They are marketed for their anti-aging benefits and support for overall health and vitality.
- Stress Relief Capsules: These include Reishi polysaccharides and adaptogenic herbs like Ashwagandha and Rhodiola. They are aimed at reducing stress and promoting relaxation.
B.Tablets
- Energy Boost Tablets: These tablets mix Reishi polysaccharides with B vitamins and Ginseng extract. They are intended to enhance energy levels and reduce fatigue.
- Cognitive Support Tablets: These tablets feature Reishi polysaccharides alongside Ginkgo Biloba and Omega-3 fatty acids. They are marketed to support brain health and cognitive function.
- Digestive Health Tablets: These tablets contain Reishi polysaccharides and probiotics. They are designed to improve digestive health and support gut flora balance.
In both forms, the precise dosage and stability of Reishi polysaccharides are maintained, ensuring that consumers receive the intended health benefits.
With the continuous deepening of research on the pharmacological effects of Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides, its market application areas are expected to expand further, especially in precision medicine and personalized health products Development aspect.
4. Current status of production technology
At present, the extraction methods of Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharide include hot water extraction, microwave-assisted extraction, enzymatic hydrolysis, ultrasonic extraction and other methods, but they generally have limitations such as high impurity content, cumbersome operation, easy destruction of extract activity affecting the efficacy of the drug, large loss, and incomplete wall breaking resulting in limited extraction. Microbial transformation has a milder effect on the extraction of bioactive substances, can retain the natural active ingredients in the extract to the greatest extent, reduce toxic side effects, and at the same time, the various active enzymes produced by microorganisms during the metabolic process can achieve a synergistic effect. Therefore, the extraction of Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides using microbial fermentation technology has the advantages of high raw material utilization and mild technology, and has become a hot spot for the research and development of cosmetic raw materials from plants. However, the microbial fermentation technology disclosed in the prior art mostly uses a single strain of bacteria for fermentation, in which the fermentation metabolites of a single strain are not rich enough and the raw material utilization rate is not high.
5. Introduction to the technical achievements of scientists
In order to solve the above problems, our technology provides a fermentation extraction method for Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides and a Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharide composition and its application. The Ganoderma lucidum fruiting body is treated by a step-by-step fermentation method, and three probiotics, Bacillus subtilis, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Lactobacillus plantarum, are selected. First, the enzyme production characteristics of Bacillus subtilis are used to fully disintegrate the cell wall, and then the Saccharomyces cerevisiae is used to degrade macromolecular polysaccharides, and finally the acid production characteristics of Lactobacillus plantarum are used to improve the biological activity. The fermentation conditions of each step are easy to control and adjust, and the substrate is fermented sequentially for multiple times, which helps to obtain more small molecular polysaccharides. The fermentation and extraction method of ganoderma lucidum polysaccharide in this technology combines the advantages of existing single strain fermentation and mixed strain fermentation. Each step of fermentation is single strain fermentation, the fermentation conditions are easy to control, different bacteria are used for step-by-step fermentation, the fermentation substrate is treated multiple times, the raw material utilization rate is high, the total content of the extracted polysaccharide components is high, the types are rich, and it is conducive to obtaining more small molecular weight polysaccharides. The ganoderma lucidum polysaccharide composition obtained by the above extraction method has a smaller molecular weight of ganoderma lucidum polysaccharide obtained by step-by-step fermentation and degradation of macromolecular polysaccharides, and the types of polysaccharide components are richer and the biological activity is better.
