Yuen John W M, Gohel Mayur Danny I
Department of Health Technology and Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, SAR, China.
Nutr Cancer. 2005;53(1):11-7. doi: 10.1207/s15327914nc5301_2.
"Lingzhi" (Ganoderma lucidum), a popular medicinal mushroom, has been used in China for longevity and health promotion since ancient times. Investigations into the anticancer activity of lingzhi have been performed in both in vitro and in vivo studies, supporting its application for cancer treatment and prevention. The proposed anticancer activity of lingzhi has prompted its usage by cancer patients. It remains debatable as to whether lingzhi is a food supplement for health maintenance or actually a therapeutic "drug" for medical proposes. Thus far there has been no report of human trials using lingzhi as a direct anticancer agent, despite some evidence showing the usage of lingzhi as a potential supplement to cancer patients. Cellular immune responses and mitogenic reactivity of cancer patients have been enhanced by lingzhi, as reported in two randomized and one nonrandomized trials, and the quality of life of 65% of lung cancer patients improved in one study. The direct cytotoxic and anti-angiogenesis mechanisms of lingzhi have been established by in vitro studies; however, clinical studies should not be neglected to define the applicable dosage in vivo. At present, lingzhi is a health food supplement to support cancer patients, yet the evidence supporting the potential of direct in vivo anticancer effects should not be underestimated. Lingzhi or its products can be classified as an anticancer agent when current and more direct scientific evidence becomes available.
“灵芝”（赤芝）是一种广为人知的药用菌，自古以来就在中国被用于延年益寿和促进健康。对灵芝抗癌活性的研究已在体外和体内实验中展开，这支持了其在癌症治疗和预防方面的应用。灵芝所具有的抗癌活性促使癌症患者使用它。灵芝究竟是一种用于维持健康的食品补充剂，还是实际上一种用于医疗目的的治疗“药物”，仍存在争议。尽管有一些证据表明灵芝可作为癌症患者的潜在补充剂，但迄今为止尚无使用灵芝作为直接抗癌药物的人体试验报告。两项随机试验和一项非随机试验报告称，灵芝可增强癌症患者的细胞免疫反应和有丝分裂反应性，并且在一项研究中，65%的肺癌患者的生活质量得到了改善。体外研究已证实了灵芝的直接细胞毒性和抗血管生成机制；然而，为确定其体内适用剂量，临床研究也不容忽视。目前，灵芝是一种用于辅助癌症患者的健康食品补充剂，但支持其直接体内抗癌作用潜力的证据不应被低估。当有更多直接的科学证据出现时，灵芝或其产品可被归类为抗癌药物。
