Reishi Mushroom

[roy100]

Before knowing of this forum, I did order on eBay some Reishi Mushroom capsules.

After reading some previous post , I came to realize that some of the so called boosting immune system supplements also boost the viral load for HIV.

This is the case for Equinacea, and some other herbs.
Actually a study of this Reishi Mushrooms was done with some HIV people in Tailland , with inconclusive results.

Does anybody has experience with this supplement?
Any ideas on it?

[mecch]

http://www.catie.ca/supple-e.nsf/supplement+sheets

Catie a Canadian site, has good info on a long list of supplements for HIV+ people.

Glad to hear you are taking a critical thinking and active role for what you might take and how it might help or hurt.  

Don't know about reishi.

[Nestor]

Before knowing of this forum, I did order on eBay some Reishi Mushroom capsules.

After reading some previous post , I came to realize that some of the so called boosting immune system supplements also boost the viral load for HIV.

This is the case for Equinacea, and some other herbs.
Actually a study of this Reishi Mushrooms was done with some HIV people in Tailland , with inconclusive results.

Does anybody has experience with this supplement?
Any ideas on it?

First of all, I have heard it said that Echinacea boosts the VL for HIV, but I have never seen very strong proof of the idea; if anyone has any I'd love to see it.  Reishi and the other medicinal mushrooms (shiitake, maitake, enoki etc.) are not really known for "boosting" the immune system anyway, so I do not think they would be subject to that idea anyway. 

Reishi has a supreme place in traditional Chinese medicine as a general tonic and promoter of longevity.  In modern times there appears to be very good reason to believe that it is a powerful cancer-preventing mechanism, with also some anti-viral properties.  Here is what wikipedia has to say (they are using sometimes the Chinese name, Lingzhi, and sometimes the Latin, Ganoderma): 

Lingzhi may possess anti-tumor, immunomodulatory and immunotherapeutic  activities, supported by studies on polysaccharides, terpenes, and other bioactive compounds isolated from fruiting bodies and mycelia of this fungus (reviewed by R. R. Paterson[4]  and Lindequist et al.[7]). It has also been found to inhibit platelet  aggregation, and to lower blood pressure (via inhibition of angiotensin-converting enzyme[8]), cholesterol, and blood sugar.[9]

Laboratory studies have shown anti-neoplastic effects of fungal extracts or isolated compounds against some types of cancer. In an animal model, Ganoderma has been reported to prevent cancer metastasis,[10] with potency comparable to Lentinan from Shiitake mushrooms.[11]

The mechanisms by which G. lucidum may affect cancer are unknown and they may target different stages of cancer development: inhibition of angiogenesis (formation of new, tumor-induced blood vessels, created to supply nutrients to the tumor) mediated by cytokines, cytoxicity, inhibiting migration of the cancer cells and metastasis, and inducing and enhancing apoptosis of tumor cells.[4] Nevertheless, G. lucidum extracts are already used in commercial pharmaceuticals such as MC-S for suppressing cancer cell proliferation and migration.

Additional studies indicate that ganoderic acid can help to strengthen the liver against liver injury by viruses and other toxic agents in mice, suggesting a potential benefit of this compound in the prevention of liver diseases in humans,[12] and Ganoderma-derived sterols inhibit lanosterol 14α-demethylase activity in the biosynthesis of cholesterol .[13] Ganoderma compounds inhibit 5-alpha reductase activity in the biosynthesis of dihydrotestosterone.[8]

Besides effects on mammalian physiology, Ganoderma is reported to have anti-bacterial and anti-viral activities.[14][15] Ganoderma is reported to exhibit direct anti-viral with the following viruses; HSV-1, HSV-2, influenza virus, vesicular stomatitis. Ganoderma mushrooms are reported to exhibit direct anti-microbial properties with the following organisms: Aspergillus niger, Bacillus cereus, Candida albicans, and Escherichia coli.

I don't think reishi is going to have an immediate impact on HIV, but it seems likely that it's a good idea for someone concerned about avoiding cancer, and about over-all well-being.