Ling Zhi - 靈芝 - Ganoderma

Pharmaceutical Latin:	Ganoderma
Common English:	Ganoderma Lucid Ganoderma Reishi Mushroom

Category

Substances that Calm the Spirit: Herbs that Nourish the Heart and Calm the Spirit

Properties

Taste	Temperature	Entering Meridians	Dosage
Sweet (Slightly Bitter)	Neutral (Slightly Warm)	Heart Liver Lung (Kidney) (Spleen) (Pericardium)	3-15g Powder: 1-3g Serious disorders: 4-5g Tincture: 0.5-2.5ml

Actions And Indications

Actions	Indications/Syndromes
Tonifies Heart Qi, nourishes Heart Blood and calms the Spirit	Heart Blood and Heart Qi Deficiency failing to nourish the Spirit with insomnia, fright, palpitations and forgetfulness (can be used as a stand-alone herb)
Tonifies the Lung Qi, transforms Phlegm and stops cough and wheezing	Cough and wheezing in patients with Deficiency Cold or Phlegm Dampness (can be used as a stand-alone herb) Wheezing due to Lung and Kidney Deficiencies
Tonifies Qi and nourishes Blood	Deficiency consumption with shortness of breath, lack of appetite and either icy extremities or irritability with a dry mouth

Contraindications, Incompatibilities And Herb/Drug Interactions

Major Combinations

Rx. Angelicae Sinensis Dang Gui Sm. Zizyphi Spinosae Suan Zao Ren Sm Platycladi Bai Zi Ren	Rx. Codonopsis Dang Shen Fr. Schisandrae Wu Wei Zi Rz. Zingiberis Gan Jiang (Rz. Pinelliae Preparatum) (Zhi Ban Xia)	Fr. Corni Shan Zhu Yu Rx. Ginseng Ren Shen Rx. Rehmanniae Sheng Di Huang
Insomnia, palpitations and forgetfulness.	Coughs and wheezing due to Deficiency Cold or Phlegm-Dampness Affecting the Lungs.	Deficiency consumption.
Rx. Angelicae Sinensis Dang Gui Rx. Paeoniae Alba Bai Shao Sm. Zizyphi Spinosae Suan Zao Ren Arillus Longan Long Yan Rou	Rx. Astragali Huang Qi Or Rx. Ginseng Ren Shen Rx. Astragali Huang Qi Rz. Atractylodis Macrocephalae Bai Zhu	Rx. Glehniae/Adenophorae Sha Shen Rx. Ophiopogonis Mai Men Dong Fr. Ligustri Lucidi Nu Zhen Zi Fr. Lycii Gou Qi Zi
Insomnia.	Qi Deficiency.	Yin Deficiency.
Rx. Polygoni Multiflori He Shou Wu Rx. Angelicae Sinensis Dang Gui	Rz. Coptidis Huang Lian Rx. Scutellariae Huang Qin Hb. Taraxaci Pu Gong Ying Rx. Bupleuri Chai Hu Rx. Isatidis Ban Lan Gen Cx. Acanthopanacis Wu Jia Pi Rx. Actinidiae Teng Li Gen
Blood Deficiency.	Heat.

Notes

1. According to some sources, this herb strengthens the Middle Jiao, tonifies Jing, improves vision and intelligence, inhibits tumor growth, detoxifies and clears accumulations.
2. Typically this herb is used on its own, prepared as slices, tincture, syrup or injection fluids.
3. It is known as “the food of the immortals”.
4. Certain sources place this herb among the Qi Tonics.
5. According to one source, this herb removes toxins.
6. Because this fungus is very woody, it must be sliced before cooking so its constituents can be extracted. Soaking it in warm water before boiling also helps.
7. Purple Ganoderma is Warm, sweet and non-toxic. It governs deafness, eases movement of the joints, calms the Spirit, augments Yuan Qi, fortifies the bones and sinews and improves the complexion.
8. Crimson Ganoderma is neutral, bitter and non-toxic. It governs clumping in the chest, tonifies the Middle and boosts intelligence to prevent forgetfulness.
9. Taken over the long term, it lightens the body and prevents aging.
10. It provides both immediate immune stimulation and long-term immune enhancement, helping to prevent cancer and treat cancers in their early stages.
11. It is the leading, if not the only, anti-allergic remedy that can address the full range of hypersensitivity disorders types I-V.
12. It offers protection against unproductive stress.
13. It was used to support meditation and journeying.
14. On its own it can tonify Blood and Qi.
15. In recent times it has been used for chronic fatigue, angina pectoris, hepatitis, high cholesterol, hypertension, bronchitis, altitude sickness, forgetfulness, immunodeficiency and leukopenia.
16. For chronic Stomach diseases, cut 1.5g of this herb into pieces, soak it in wine and take it each day.
17. Rz. Dioscoreae Shan Yao is said to act as a conductor herb for Ling Zhi.