ling zhi

灵芝·Ganoderma

Ganoderma

About ling zhi

Ling Zhi (灵芝) is the reishi mushroom, a bracket fungus, recorded as Ganoderma. It is sweet in flavour and neutral in temperature, entering the Heart, Liver and Lung channels. The catalogue files it among the substances that nourish the Heart and calm the Spirit.

Names

Pinyin	ling zhi
Chinese	灵芝
Latin Name	Ganoderma
English Name	Ganoderma·glossy ganoderma·reishi mushroom·reishi mushroom; glossy ganoderma
Japanese	reishi
Korean	yeongji

Classification

Category: Nourish Heart, Calm Spirit
Channels: Lung, Heart, Liver
Flavour: Sweet
Temperature: Neutral
Part used: Mushroom
Family: Polyporaceae
Species: ganoderma lucidum
Tags: Chinese Herbs, Common

Actions and indications

Tonifies Heart Qi, nourishes Heart Blood and calms the Shen

Heart Qi and Blood too weak to nourish the Shen: insomnia, fright, palpitations and forgetfulness; can be given alone
Sleeplessness, tiredness, forgetfulness and low appetite when Heart Blood and Spleen Qi are weak

Tonifies Lung Qi, transforms Phlegm and stops cough and wheezing

Cough and wheezing with Deficiency Cold or Phlegm-Damp; can be given alone
Wheezing when the Lungs and Kidneys are both deficient
Cold-type cough bringing up plenty of sputum
Long-standing asthma and difficult breathing

Tonifies Qi and nourishes Blood

Consumptive deficiency with shortness of breath and poor appetite, and either cold hands and feet or irritability with a dry mouth
Weak Qi and Blood showing as dizziness, tiredness, low back pain, sluggish digestion and loose stools

Combinations

dang gui + suan zao ren + bai zi ren
Insomnia, palpitations and forgetfulness.
dang shen + wu wei zi + gan jiang + zhi ban xia
Deficiency Cold or Phlegm-Damp affecting the Lungs, causing cough and wheezing
shan zhu yu + ren shen + sheng di huang
Deficiency consumption.
dang gui + bai shao + suan zao ren + long yan rou
Insomnia.
huang qi + ren shen + bai zhu
Qi Deficiency.
sha shen + mai men dong + nu zhen zi + gou qi zi
Yin Deficiency.
he shou wu + dang gui
Blood Deficiency.
huang lian + huang qin + pu gong ying + chai hu + ban lan gen + wu jia pi + teng li gen
Heat.

Dosage

Age	Raw	Granule	Tincture	Concentrate	Frequency
Any 3-15g; Powder: 1-3g; Serious disorders: 4-5g; Tincture: 0.5-2.5ml	3-15 g	—	0.5-2.5 ml	—	—

Cautions

caution Excess conditions
caution May cause a skin rash, diarrhea or facial flushing
caution Taking concentrated extracts at high doses or for long periods has been linked with dry mouth, throat irritation, nausea and loose stools, and rarely with liver toxicity
pregnancy Use in pregnancy only with practitioner guidance
caution Before surgery, or with a bleeding disorder, use only with practitioner guidance

Interactions

Caution with

chang shan Traditionally not combined with Chang Shan (Dichroa root)
yin chen hao Traditionally not combined with Yin Chen Hao (Artemisia capillaris)

Drug interactions

Anticoagulant and antiplatelet medicines (warfarin, aspirin, clopidogrel): take care, given its association with effects on the blood and circulation; flagged in a clinical interaction review, but not shown in controlled trials
Immunosuppressants, as after transplant: its immune-stimulating activity may work against them; precautionary
Blood pressure medicines: some caution is reasonable, though clinical data are limited