Popular question
What are lingzhi’s active components?
Lingzhi’s main active components are (often bound to protein, also called polysaccharide peptides) and , along with immunomodulatory proteins, nucleosides, sterols and others. Lingzhi polysaccharides were first discovered by Japanese researchers in 1971 and are closely tied to immune regulation; lingzhi triterpenes were discovered in 1982, give lingzhi its bitter taste, and nearly 300 are known. Triterpenes are fat-soluble, so boiling in water extracts only a small portion; extraction with ethanol is needed to obtain them in quantity. In 1989, Japanese researchers also discovered an immunomodulatory protein in lingzhi called LZ-8.
The main effects found by research so far are listed below by component.
This topic includes 3 studies and reports, each linked to its source.
Terms explained on this page (3)
- polysaccharides
- Large molecules in lingzhi made of linked sugar units; one of lingzhi’s main active components and closely tied to research on immune regulation.
- triterpenes
- A group of bitter-tasting compounds in lingzhi, found mainly in the fruiting body; one of lingzhi’s main active components.
- liquid chromatography (HPLC)
- The components in the sample are first separated one by one, each “appearing” at a fixed time, and then each is matched and weighed against a known reference standard. It is like taking attendance from a class list: only the people actually present are counted, with no mix-ups and no one missed.