ABSTRACT
Mushrooms are well-known as a rich source of polysaccharides with great functionality and structure diversity. Ganoderma lucidum, known as Lingzhi in Chinese and Reishi in Japanese, is a species of basidomycetes belonging to Ganodermaceae of Aphyllophorales, and is a famous traditional Chinese medicinal mushroom. Mushroom polysaccharides have been recognized as among the list of the most potent antitumor and immune-stimulating compounds. The structure of Ganoderma polysaccharide determines its bioactivities. The chemical structures and properties of Ganoderma polysaccharides, such as the monosaccharide composition, type of glycosyl linkage, molecule weight and chain conformation, have been investigated by spectrum analysis, chemical analysis and chromatography technology. Ganoderma has been extensively used in Chinese traditional medicine to promote human health, because of the contribution from its polysaccharide and other metabolites. Spontaneous generation of reactive oxygen species has widely been accepted as an unavoidable phenomenon that occurs in the progress of the energy metabolism of aerobic organisms.
