Bioactive Compounds of the Wonder Medicinal Mushroom “Ganoderma lucidum”

Abstract

Ganoderma lucidum is a highly praised medicinal mushroom having high demand worldwide. Intense research activities are being carried out on the medicinal applications of this mushroom that include anticancer, antiallergic, antioxidant potential, etc. This wonder mushroom contains many bioactive compounds such as polysaccharides, triterpenes, polyphenols, proteins, amino acids, and organic germanium. Ancient Chinese use this mushroom in their medicinal preparations and declared good health and longevity. Health benefits of this mushroom are highly praised in ancient manuscripts. Many pharmaceutical and beauty products made from this mushroom are available in the markets and demands high price. Cultivation and production of this mushroom are limited to certain countries, which leads to an increase in its market value. This chapter describes the details of this special mushroom, including its taxonomy, morphology, ecological and economic status, cultivation, bioactive molecules, and its medicinal applications.