Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 13, 2026

Isolation and Purification of Fungal β-Glucan as an Immunotherapy Strategy for Glioblastoma
10:02

Isolation and Purification of Fungal β-Glucan as an Immunotherapy Strategy for Glioblastoma

Published on: June 2, 2023

Naturally occurring medicinal mushroom-derived antimicrobials: a case-study using Lingzhi or Reishi Ganoderma lucidum

Alka S Karwa1, Mahendra K Rai

  • 1Department of Biotechnology, Amravati University, Amravati 444602, India.

International Journal of Medicinal Mushrooms
|March 21, 2013
PubMed

Insights

The Lingzhi mushroom (Ganoderma lucidum) shows antibacterial properties against common pathogens. Combining Ganoderma lucidum extracts with antibiotics significantly boosts their effectiveness.

Area of Science:

  • Mycology
  • Pharmacology
  • Microbiology

Background:

  • Ganoderma lucidum, known as Lingzhi or Reishi mushroom, is a widely used medicinal fungus.
  • There is growing interest in natural products for their potential therapeutic benefits, including antimicrobial properties.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the antibacterial activity of Ganoderma lucidum extracts against key bacterial pathogens.
  • To investigate the synergistic effect of Ganoderma lucidum extracts combined with conventional antibiotics.

Main Methods:

  • Fruit body powder of Ganoderma lucidum was extracted using ethyl alcohol and water.
  • Antibacterial activity was assessed using the disc diffusion method against Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Bacillus cereus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
  • The efficacy of Ganoderma lucidum extracts was tested both independently and in combination with synthetic antibiotic discs.

Main Results:

  • The aqueous extract of Ganoderma lucidum demonstrated inhibitory effects on the growth of tested pathogenic bacteria.
  • Combining Ganoderma lucidum fruit body extract with commercial antibiotic discs resulted in a significant enhancement of antibacterial activity compared to antibiotics used alone.
  • The study confirmed that Ganoderma lucidum enhances the antibacterial potency of existing antibiotics.

Conclusions:

  • Ganoderma lucidum possesses notable antibacterial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogens.
  • The combination of Ganoderma lucidum extracts with antibiotics offers a promising strategy for augmenting antimicrobial therapy.
  • Further research into Ganoderma lucidum as a natural antibacterial agent and potentiator is warranted.

Related Concept Videos

Fungal Phylum Basidiomycota01:26

Fungal Phylum Basidiomycota

Basidiomycota is a diverse phylum of fungi that includes ecologically significant decomposers such as white rot fungi, symbionts like mycorrhizal fungi, plant pathogens such as rusts and smuts, and edible species like Agaricus bisporus (the common button mushroom). These fungi play crucial roles in nutrient cycling, symbiotic relationships, and even human health. Their defining feature is the basidium, a microscopic club-shaped structure responsible for producing basidiospores.Fruiting Bodies...
Antifungal Agents01:15

Antifungal Agents

Amphotericin B is a broad-spectrum antifungal agent that exploits structural differences between fungal and mammalian cell membranes. Its amphipathic structure—featuring a hydrophobic polyene-lactone ring and a hydrophilic region containing mycosamine and carboxylic acid groups—enables selective binding to ergosterol, a sterol predominantly found in fungal plasma membranes. This selective interaction underlies the drug’s antifungal activity, although weak binding to cholesterol contributes to...
Fungal Group Zygomycota01:29

Fungal Group Zygomycota

Zygomycota, previously classified as a distinct fungal group, are primarily terrestrial, saprophytic molds that play a crucial role as decomposers. Recent phylogenetic studies have revealed that these fungi are now divided into two major clades — Mucoromycota, which includes many symbiotic species, and Zoopagomycota, which primarily consists of parasitic and pathogenic fungi. These groups exhibit distinct ecological roles and reproductive strategies while sharing key structural and...
Microorganisms in Medicine and Therapeutics01:29

Microorganisms in Medicine and Therapeutics

Microorganisms play a fundamental role in vaccine development, gene therapy, and therapeutic production. Their biological properties are harnessed to advance medicine and public health. Beyond immunization, microorganisms contribute to gut health, antibiotic synthesis, and genetic disease treatment.Live Attenuated and Inactivated VaccinesLive attenuated vaccines, such as the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, utilize weakened forms of pathogens to closely resemble natural infections.
Fungal Phylum Microsporidia01:28

Fungal Phylum Microsporidia

Microsporidia are a group of obligate intracellular fungi that were initially classified as protists but were later reclassified based on phylogenetic, molecular, and structural evidence linking them to the Chytridiomycota. These unicellular, non-motile organisms are highly specialized parasites that infect a wide range of animal hosts, including humans. They have evolved extensive genomic and metabolic reductions, making them highly dependent on their hosts for survival.Morphology and Genomic...
iChip01:24

iChip

The cultivation of environmental microorganisms has long been hindered by the inability to replicate complex native conditions in vitro. The isolation chip (iChip) addresses this limitation by facilitating the growth of previously uncultivable microorganisms through in situ incubation. Designed for high-throughput microbial cultivation, the iChip comprises hundreds of microchambers, each capable of housing a single microbial cell. These microchambers are loaded with a mixture of molten agar and...