Potential Active Compounds of Ganoderma lucidum and Their Anticancer Effects: A Comprehensive Review

The incidence and mortality rates of cancer patients continue to rise. Although many physical and chemical therapies, such as targeted tumor treatments, are effective against cancer, they are often associated with varying degrees of side effects. Chinese herbal medicine, as an alternative therapy, can effectively alleviate clinical symptoms of cancer patients by preventing or stabilizing tumor growth. Ganoderma lucidum is a medicinal fungus that contains a variety of bioactive compounds in its fruiting body and mycelia. The importance of G. lucidum as a source of functional ingredients has been well recognized. As a result, the isolation and investigation of novel bioactive ingredients from G. lucidum have attracted considerable attention. Functional ingredients identified from this fungus, such as natural polysaccharides, triterpenoids, alkaloids, nucleosides, and amino acids, exhibit various beneficial biological activities, including antioxidant, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory effects. However, the medicinal properties of these bioactive compounds remain subject to controversy and ongoing challenges. This review outlines research on various active ingredients in G. lucidum and their anticancer effects, which may benefit immunocompromised individuals and biopharmaceutical developers, while providing fundamental knowledge on G. lucidum and its derived products.