BOTANICAL NAME: Gonaderma lucidum PARTS USED AND HABITAT: Reishi mushrooms grow wild on decaying logs and tree stumps in the coastal provinces of China. The fruiting body of the mushroom is employed medicinally. Reishi grows in six different colors, but the red variety is most commonly used and commercially cultivated in North America, China, Taiwan, Japan, and Korea. INDICATIONS AND USAGE:Other uses: Altitude sickness; Cancer; Diabetes; Fatigue; Hepatitis; HIV support; Hypertension HISTORICAL OR TRADITIONAL USE (may or may not be supported by scientific studies): Reishi has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for at least 2,000 years. The Chinese name ling zhi translates as the ?herb of spiritual potency? and was highly prized as an elixir of immortality. Its traditional Chinese medicine indications include treatment of general fatigue and weakness, asthma, insomnia, and cough. ACTIONS AND PHARMACOLOGY: Reishi contains several constituents, including sterols, coumarin, mannitol, polysaccharides, and triterpenoids called ganoderic acids. Ganoderic acids may lower blood pressure as well as decrease LDL ("bad") cholesterol. These specific triterpenoids also help reduce blood platelets from sticking together?an important factor in lowering the risk for coronary artery disease. While human research demonstrates some efficacy for the herb in treating altitude sickness and chronic hepatitis B, these uses still need to be confirmed. Animal studies and some very preliminary studies in humans suggest reishi may have some beneficial action in persons with diabetes mellitus and cancer Two controlled clinical studies have investigated the effects of reishi on high blood pressure in humans and both found it could lower it significantly compared to placebo or controls. The people with hypertension in the second study had previously not responded to medications, though these were continued during the study. Specification: 5% Triterpenes,10-20% Polysaccharides