Meroterpenoids from Ganoderma Species: A Review of Last Five Years

Ganoderma is a ganodermataceae (basidiomycete) white rot fungus, normally growing on woody plants and wood logs [ 1 ], and is used for medicinal purposes in China, Japan, and South Korea (Chinese Higher Fungi: 18 volumes). It was first recorded in the Shennong’s Classic of Meteria Medica , and classified as an upper-grade medicine in medical books [ 2 ]. About 78 species of Ganoderma are recorded in Chinese Higher Fungi, of which, G. lucidum and G. sinense , were found to be edible and medicinally-beneficial fungi, and were registered in Chinese Pharmacopoeia (2010 and 2015 edition). However, other species, such as G. capense , G. cochlear, and G. tsuage , also play an important part in traditional folk medicines. In addition, pharmacological studies have also involved the extract and chemical constituents of other species [ 3 , 4 , 5 ]. Until now, the chemical constituents and biological activities of 22 species of Ganoderma have been studied.