Ganoderma lucidum (Lingzhi) has been used as a traditional medicine in Asian countries to maintain health and to treat diseases for more than two thousand years. Recently, its value has been demonstrated in preventing and treating certain diseases, such as tumors, liver disorders, renal injury, hypercholesterolemia, obesity, cerebral ischemia reperfusion, bronchitis etc. In addition, laboratory and clinical studies have confirmed that the chemical components of Ganoderma, such as Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharide peptides and triterpenes isolated from the fruiting body of Ganoderma lucidum, produce diverse pharmacological effects. Ganoderma and its components play an important part in antioxidant stress, radical-scavenging, immunomodulation, and intracellular signaling regulation, and accordingly warrant further study. This book systematically reviews the latest advances in our understanding of Ganoderma’s basic knowledge, history of modern research, species, cultivation, components, spore polysaccharide and industry of Ganoderma, and offers researchers and graduate students valuable new insights into the development and clinical applications of Ganoderma and related products. weiterlesen