Alzheimer's information and Organizations

In clinical studies chang (1994) at sloan-kettering cancer center reported that applications of ganoderma should be studied and considered for (1) chemoprophylaxis of cancer in individuals at high risk for developing cancer (2) adjuvant use in the prevention of metastasis or recurrence of cancer (3) palliation of cancer related cachexia and pain and (4) adjunctive use with concurrent chemotherapy to reduce side-effects, maintain leukoeyte counts and allow a more optimal dosing of chemo or radiotherapeuties. In a very interesting report chang (1993) addressed the question of proper dose of ganoderma for therapy. Since studies of human dosage were traditional and empiric a dose range was calculated using this data and pharmacokinetic principals. The calculations suggested that a (1) ganoderma dried fruit body dose of 0.5 to 1 g per day for health maintenance (2) 2 to 5 g per day if there is chronic fatigue, stress, autoimmune, or other chronic health problems (3) 5 to 10 g per day for serious illness.

Of great interest has been the recent reports from the united states indicating a possible central role for inflammation in the development of such diverse diseases as alzheimer's disease and cardiovascular disease. This research has the possibility of linking some of the historical uses of ganoderma in promoting longevity with contemporary western scientific theory. The provocative connections are: (1) ganoderma was used to prevent memory loss in old age (2) ganoderma is anti-inflammatory, (3) inflammation is involved in the development of alzheimer's disease (4) alzheimer's disease appears to be ameliorated by chronic anti-inflammatory use.

(1) ganoderma and old age: the ancient chinese text shen nong ben jing volume 1 from about the year 500 states that ganoderma lucidum is useful for enhancing vital energy, increasing thinking faculty and preventing forgetfulness. It can refresh the body and mind, delay aging and enable one to live long. It stabilizes one's mental condition (mizuno 1996). The importance of retaining memory into old age probably lies in the taoist belief that sickness was caused by past transgressions and that the patient had to remember the transgressions, record them and then destroy the record. This belief placed a strong emphasis on memory in the maintenance of health and longevity.

(2) anti-inflammatory : in research in mice stavinoha et al. (1991, 1996) found ganoderma lucidum to be potent anti-inflammatory agent. The water extract of the fruiting body was active orally against both carrageenan induced inflammation and croton oil induced inflammation. The ethyl acetate extract was active as an anti-inflammatory agent both orally and topically. The active compound was isolated and identified. This compound is equivalent in anti-inflammatory activity to hydrocortisone. It does not show the typical side effects of steroids such as thymic involution nor appear to cause gastropathy which is the major side effect of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin.

(3) inflammation and alzheimer's disease: a number of indicators of active inflammation have been found in the alzheimer's diseased brain. Unless inflammation is present there is no notable neurodegeneration or alzheimer's signs and symptoms even in the presence of extensive neurofibrillary tangles and amyloid b-peptide plaque deposition (rogers 1995).

(4) nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in alzheimer's disease: researchers in the united states and canada have found that ingestion of non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can slow the progress of the disease (megeer and rogers 1992). In a report by corrida et al. (1996) reported on findings on 1417 man and 648 women from the baltmore longitudinal study of aging which is a 37 year multidisciplinary study of normal aging. The preliminary results suggest that use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs is associated with a decreased incidence of alzheimer's disease.

In studying incidence of cardiovascular disease, ridker et al. (1997) measured c-reactive protein, an acute phase reactant used as a marker for systemic inflammation, in plasma. They found that baseline plasma concentration of c-reactive protein predicts the risk of future myocardial infraction and stroke. The reduction of risk associated with aspirin appears to be directly related to the level c-reactive protein, suggesting that anti-inflammatory agents may have benefits preventing cardiovascular disease. The increase risk was independent of lipid related and non-lipid related cardiovascular factors. Masari (1997) felt that the has come to re-examine that pathogenetic components of these disease to identify patients who would benefit from particular therapies. Considering these recent findings, research on ganoderma as a potential useful anti-inflammatory for long term use as a prevention of disease appears warranted.