A chinese traditional herbal drug, 'Ling Zhi Cao' is prepared from rare fungi, Ganoderma spp. The use of Ling Zhi Cao for various ailment (e.g., treatment and prevention of malignant tumors, chronic hepatitis, arthritis, bronchitis, and asthma) is well documented and practiced in China, Korea, and Japan. One of the proposed modes of Ganoderma's efficacy is the stimulation of the host immune system. Isolation and identification of the principal immunostimulant agents from Ganoderma could lead to potentially valuable prophylaxes and/or chemotherapeutic agents for treating not only certain types of malignant tumors but also host-mediated immunological disorders (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis and AIDS). Ganoderma Lucidum, one of the most treasured mushrooms in the Orient, is chosen for a thorough phytochemical study in respect to immunostimulation potential. Three research areas are proposed: 1. Phytochemical fractionation of G. lucidum fruiting bodies and mycelia 2. In vivo and in vitro analysis of the host immunoresponse to G. lucidum 3. Cultivation of G. lucidum
Thesaurus Terms: Antineoplastic Agents, Biological Response Modifiers, Biological Preparations And Standardization, Natural Products Produced Without Genetic Manipulation, Drugs Synthesis, Design And Production, Fungi, Basidiomycetes, Agaricales, Immunology, Immunomodulating Agents, Plants Extracts, Biotechnology
Blood Cells, Killer Cells (Antibody-Dependent), Neoplasms Characteristics, Host-Neoplasm, Neoplasms Immunization (Immunotherapy), Plants Growth And Development, Therapy Evaluation, Non-Human, Neoplastic Growth Animals, Chordates, Mammals, Rodents, Myomorpha, Mice (Laboratory), Cell Sorting, Laser, Growth Microorganisms, Microbial Culture, Models, Disease Models, Neoplasms Transplantation, Physical Separation, Chromatography, Tissue (Cell) Culture
