Reishi Mushroom Benefits

Reishi mushrooms are a type of fungus whose stems and caps are used in herbal medicine to treat a number of conditions. Also known by the scientific name Ganoderma lucidum, reishi mushrooms have been used in Korea, Japan, China and other parts of Asia for centuries.

Triterpenes

• Compounds inside the reishi known as triterpenes are believed to lower blood pressure and allergen levels and slow the growth of tumors, according to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.

Applications of Triterpenes

• Because of triterpenes, reishi mushrooms are used to treat conditions like hypertension, high cholesterol, prostate cancers, hay fever and asthma.

Polysaccharides

• Another compound found in reishi are polysaccharides, which seem to hasten the production of disease-fighting white blood cells and inhibit viral reproduction and tumor growth, reports the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.

Application of Polysaccharides

• Polysaccharides present in reishi lend to use in slowing the progression of HIV, treating shingles and other viral disorders, reducing the effects of kidney and liver disease, eliminating the symptoms of altitude sickness and reducing the pain caused by herpes infections.

Time Frame

• Reishi mushrooms are more likely to cause side effects like dizziness, dry mouth, nosebleeds and stomachaches when used for long periods of time (many months or years), according to the Physicians' Desktop Reference.

Warning

• Some patients develop severe and potentially life-threatening allergic reactions to reishi. When taken with blood thinners like warfarin, reishi increases your risk of developing uncontrollable bleeding, according to RxList.