Ling Zhi preparation

[Guest guest]

Hello folks,

 

I was wondering if anybody has an opinion on the preparation of ling zhi. I have a patient with cancer who has been going into Chinatown and buying ling zhi which she simmers twice, 30 minutes each time. I know that Mycoherb and other companies make water/alcohol extracts. Which is better or is there another way?

 

Thanks,

Kristin

[Guest guest]

ÿþ

[Guest guest]

I learned from a Thai doctor with a cancer practice, Santi Rosswong, to

make a water decoction of Ganoderma lucidum (Ling zhi) with 10%

cordycepes for stamina. But since the polysaccharides in ganoderma are

quite long, it has been shown to be more effective if the decoction is

taken with not less than 500 Mg. of Vit. C, and 5 Mg. of folic acid each

time, every three hours. (The vitamin C is based upon Japanese research

by Morishige and the folic acid is based upon Santi's clinical

experience.)

 

The Ling zhi is generally sold in thin slices that look like slices of

cork. Chop these up on a chopping block with a cleaver into pieces not

more than 1/2 inch in the longest dimension. Put them (with the

cordycepes) in a food blender or Vitamix with twice the volume of water.

Blend for about 5 minutes, until all the pieces are broken up into a

slurry. (If too hard to cut, partially simmer for a half hour, then

cut and blend and return to the pot.) Take this slurry and simmer it very

slowly for about one hour. I use a ceramic crock-pot. It is best to use

glass, ceramic, or earthenware if available. After the mixture is cool,

squeeze it out through a cloth, and throw away the pulp. Keep the golden

colored liquid under refrigeration until used. Take several tablespoons

(or more) every three hours. The most important dose is just before

retiring, which should be larger. Take the folic acid and vitamin c with

each dose.

 

There are two types of tinctures. One uses a concentrated decoction and

adds alcohol to stabilize it. When I make it I learned from Chris Hobbs

to shoot for 25% alcohol to protect the polysaccharides, to ensure that I

got between 22% and 28%, the lower number for spoilage and the upper

number being a maximum for the polysaccharide protection. This appears

to be the best formulation for immune system effects. The other way is to

use a high alcohol formation to get the triperetenes, but I understand

that this destroys the polysaccharides and differs significantly from the

constituents extracted in traditional uses or from powdered extracts. It

may have stronger CNS effects however. I know several herbalists who

make a high alcohol tincture and add it to the subsequently decocted marc

to get the best of both (and they understand that the high alcohol just

makes the polysaccharides clump together but doesn't destroy them.)

There isn't a consensus.

 

The ganodermas (black G. lucidum,red G. lucidum, G. oregonense, G. tsuga,

G. adspersum and G. applanatum) are tonic, immune strengthening, protect

against cancer, have anti-tumor properties, calm the spirit, protect and

clear heat from the central nervous system, open the heart, lower serum

cholesterol and are good for adrenal fatigue and for depression and

anxiety. They enter all five zhang organs. They have anti-allergic

effects, inhibiting histamine production and stabilizing immunoglobulin

levels.They lower blood pressure, are antioxidant, antiviral and

antibacterial. Combining with astragalus, atractylodes and Ren shen

increase phagocytosis, promote immune globulin formation, promote

lymphocyte transformation, and induce the generation of interferon.

Chinese mountain climbers use G. lucidum to alleviate altitude sickness

by oxygenating the blood. Ling zhi has various steroidal compounds, long

chain polysaccharides, bitter triperetenes such as ganodermic acid and

some volatile oils.

 

Unlike echinicea which activates macrophages, ganoderma is not believed

to stimulate the immune system directly. It is probably an immune

regulator rather than an immune stimulant. Ling zhi mushrooms get to the

bone marrow and induce the marrow to put on more nucleated marrow cell

mass, according to Jia. The marrow then increases B-cell production,

which in turn increases antibodies. The DNA and RNA made in the bone

marrow increases production of lymphocytes. This very deep immune

nourishing means that it may be appropriate for AIDS patients although

the patient should not suffer from undue Dampness. For cancer therapy,

combined with other fu zheng herbs, Ling zhi can be quite useful, even

for patients undergoing chemo and radiation.

 

Hobbs recommends low dose decocted ganoderma with cinnamon bark and

orange peel as a tonic drink (for those not suffering from undue

dampness) and I find that preparation, with roasted dandelion or chicory,

combines well with coffee, helping neutralize coffee's negative effects.

 

Karen Vaughan (decocting some from the country as we speak)

CreationsGarden

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what kind of a disease a person has. " -Francis Scott Smyth

 

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[Guest guest]

Heiko Lade wrote:

 

" When I was at uni doing my masters in TCM a group of students

experimented with ling zhi and we all found that after a while we sort of

felt more " happy " ,a sort of taoist at peace with the world state,we

could all function with less sleep ,in my case 1 hour less,but I did find

it a bit " hot " , taking it consistently started to give me night sweats

which in my case tonics often do. "

 

Interesting. I know several herbalists who find that it makes them

sleepier. One considers it normalizing from her usual wired state.

Another attributes sleepiness to the idea herbs that stimulate immunity

by boosting the body's

interferon production sometimes result in flu-like lethargy, as well as

achiness. I don't find it affects my sleepiness either way.

 

Were you taking red or black Ling zhi? My experience is that neither has

a particularly strong energetic temperature, although I believe that the

red is supposed to be warmer. Haven't found a strong energetic

difference in the other American ganodermas either.

 

Karen Vaughan

CreationsGarden

***************************************

Email advice is not a substitute for medical treatment.

" To know what kind of person has a disease is as essential as to know

what kind of a disease a person has. " -Francis Scott Smyth

 

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[Guest guest]

Karen

I was taking the red ling zhi and I also found with HIV patients it triggerd

night sweats .I am going to experiment and take it with something like tu

fu ling (smilax) to see if it cools it down for me.

 

Heiko Lade

Registered Acupuncturist / Chinese Herbalist

2 Jenkins St.

Green Island, Dunedin

New Zealand

Tel: (03) 488 4086, Fax: (03) 488 4012

http://www.lade.com/heiko

Email: heiko

[Guest guest]

I am strongly in favor of the water/alcohol extract from Mycoherb, because they use FRESH ling zhi mycelium, not the dried mushroom, whose bioavailability is quite limited, even with double boiling. Low heat simmering in closed containers of 50/50 alcohol/water medium and fresh mushroom makes a much more potent product, in my opinion.

 

 

 

 

 

on 8/26/00 12:01 PM, kwisgirda at kwisgirda wrote:

 

 

 

 

Hello folks,

 

I was wondering if anybody has an opinion on the preparation of ling zhi. I have a patient with cancer who has been going into Chinatown and buying ling zhi which she simmers twice, 30 minutes each time. I know that Mycoherb and other companies make water/alcohol extracts. Which is better or is there another way?

 

Thanks,

Kristin

[Guest guest]

, " " <

zrosenberg@e...> wrote:

> I am strongly in favor of the water/alcohol extract from Mycoherb,

because

> they use FRESH ling zhi mycelium, not the dried mushroom, whose

> bioavailability is quite limited, even with double boiling. Low

heat

> simmering in closed containers of 50/50 alcohol/water medium and

fresh

> mushroom makes a much more potent product, in my opinion.

>

>

>

>

>

> on 8/26/00 12:01 PM, kwisgirda@n... at kwisgirda@n... wrote:

>

>

>

>

I prefer a powdered standardized extract available from NF Formulas.

It is my understanding that the amount of polysaccharides used in

chinese and japanese cancer research necessitates an extremely high

dose of Ling zhi, which cannot be achieved from decoction. Ling zhi

does enter the heart channel, thus it is not surprising that it

affects

mood and sleep in some folks.

 

BTW, Karen thanks for all the detailed monographs you always provide.

 

As for alcohol and polysaccharides, while there may not be a

consensus

among herbalists, I believe there is among biochemists. Alcohol

precipitates long chain polysaccharides, causing them to leave

solution, clump and stick to the vessel. If you have ever witnessed

such precipitation, even vigorous shaking will not return the

precipitate to solution. So while the polysaccharides are not

destroyed, their assimilation and efficacy in liquid form is highly

variable. If one dries the liquid, alcohol is evaporated first,

bringing the polys back into solution. Then grinding the residue

produces a finished product with uniform poly distribution. The

actual

level of polys is then documented by chromatography, etc.

 

BTW, this product is a perfect example of what standardized really

means. A whole product that has not been manipulated or spiked with

isolated constituents. One that maintains its natural synergy, yet

is

merely tested to establish that the chosen MARKER (not active)

compound

is present in certain amounts. All the active constituents maintain

their same proportional relationship to the MARKER in this type of

extract. I actually doubt the type of spiking I have alluded to

actually occurs at all, as it is easier and no more expensive to use

the procedure I have described. It reminds me of the facile drug war

propaganda when I was in high school that marijuana sellers were

lacing

their cheap mexican pot with the much more expensive heroin. It just

doesn't make economic sense and thats always the bottom line.

 

[Guest guest]

Take 56 grams of Ling Zhi , run it through a coffee grinder and you will get a

material with a woolly consistency. Put it in a large mason jar and add 520 ml

of 70 % ethanol. Put it in an incubator for week, then percolate. You will

have the terpenes.

 

Take the residue and extract with hot water in a reflux apparatus. for 2-4

hours. Separate liquid from marc and cook sublimate the water off till you get

a thick liquid. These are your polysachs. Add that liquid to the tincture

obtained before hand.

 

>>> <kwisgirda 26/08/2000 3:01:27 PM >>>

Hello folks,

 

I was wondering if anybody has an opinion on the preparation of ling zhi. I have

a patient with cancer who has been going into Chinatown and buying ling zhi

which she simmers twice, 30 minutes each time. I know that Mycoherb and other

companies make water/alcohol extracts. Which is better or is there another way?

 

Thanks,

Kristin