The fruiting body of Ganoderma lucidum (Curt.: Fr.) P. Karst. has been considered as a panacea for all types of diseases as described 2000 years ago in Shen Nung's Herbal. The traditional medicinal properties of the fungus have been utilized as treatments for hepatopathy, nephritis, hypertension, hyperlipemia, arthritis, neurasthenia, insomnia, bronchitis, asthma, gastric ulcer, arteriosclerosis, and diabetes. Some of these efficacies, such as cytotoxicity on hepatoma cells; inhibition of platelet aggregation; inhibition of histamine release; and antihypertensive, hypocholesterolemic, and anti-HIV activities were scientifically proven by isolation of the corresponding components. Although various compounds such as polysaccharides, proteins, minerals, and sterols have been reported as components of this mushroom, triterpenoids are mainly responsible for the biological activities. As 119 triterpenoids were reported in this medicinal fungus during the last three decades, there is a need to review most of the structures reported and their medicinal activities. The lanostane-type triterpenoids have been divided into 10 groups according to their structural similarities and the known biological and medicinal activities are described.
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Kim et al. (1999) studied this question.