• Reishi has active ingredients that inhibit the production of cholesterol in the liver by blocking an important step in cholesterol biosynthesis. 
  

• Increase in circulating cholesterol has been linked to an increase blood pressure as well as an increase in the development of atherosclerotic plaques. Thus, one of the keys to healthy heart management is lowering the circulating cholesterol. While Statin drugs are the popular choice, the side effects they bring are unforgiveable.
  

• Nestle led a research investigating the ability of Reishi to reduce circulating cholesterol. The study showed that oxygenated sterols from G. lucidum inhibited cholesterol biosynthesis via conversion of lanosterol to lathosterol. Unlike statin drugs, this blocks the production process later in the chain sparing the production  of the more important Co-enzyme Q10.
  

• These 26-oxygenosterols could lead to novel therapeutic agents that lower blood cholesterol.

Appl Environ Microbiol 2005 Jul;71(7):3653-8. Effect of 26-oxygenosterols from Ganoderma lucidum and their activity as cholesterol synthesis inhibitors. Hajjaj H, Mace C, Roberts M, Neiderberger P, Fay LB. Nestle Research Centre, Nestec Ltd. Vers-chez-les-Blanc Lausanne Switzerland.

HELPS TOTAL CHOLESTEROL, TRIGLYCERIDES AND INCREASE GLUTATHIONE AND SOD

• Reishi polysaccharides could significantly decrease the serum contents of Total Cholesterol, Triglycerides, bad cholesterol (serum LDL-c) in the experimental hyperlipidemic rats, and markedly increase the good cholesterol levels (serum HDL-C). Oxidation of the lipids in the experimental groups treated by ganoderma lacidum polysaccharides at different dosages were much lower than that in hyper lipidema group. Furthermore the glutathione (GSH-Px) and Super oxide dismutase (SOD), two powerful anti-oxidants in the blood of the group of ganoderma were much higher than those in hyperlipidema group.
  

• CONCLUSION: Ganoderma can regulate lipid metabolism, enhance the antioxidation and reduce the lipid peroxidation in the rats with hyperlipidemia.

Zhingguo Zhing Yao Za Zhi 2005 Sep;30(17):1358-60. Effects of ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides on serum lipids and lipoperoxidation in experimental hyperlipidemic rats. Chen WQ, Luo SH, Li HZ, Yang H. Guangdong College of Pharmacy, Guangzhou China

• Reishi suppressed the endothelial cell cytoxicity in fourteen patients diagnosed with nephrosis with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). This indicates that Reishi helps improve the overall health of kidneys that are stressed already with inflammation.
  

• Reishi helped restore immunocirculatory balance and successfully suppressed proteinuria in all of these 14 patients. One of the mechanisms is prevention of inflammation as well as vasodilation.

Clin Hemorheol Microcirc 2004;31(4):267-72. Ganoderma lucidum suppresses endothelial cell cytotoxicity and proteinuria in persistent proteinuric focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) nephrosis. Furtakul N, Panichakul T, Butthep P, Furtakul P, Jetanalin P, Patumraj S, Siriviriyahkul P, Dept of Physiology King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital Bangkok Thailand.

• Reishi, in an experiment of isolated hearts of rats, was shown to attenuate the reperfusion of the heart during the diastolic phase preventing irreversible damage to the heart muscle during the experiment.
  

• The experiment used a model of total 45-min ischemia and 30-min reperfusion of isolated rat heart by the Langendorf technique. The course administration (15 days) of Ganoderma lucidum extract attenuated reperfusion contracture and decreased creatine kinase levels in the venous effluent from rat isolated heart during reperfusion.

Patol Fiziol Eksp Ter. 2008 Jan-Mar;(1):22-5. Ganoderma lucidum extract in cardiac diastolic dysfunction and irreversible cardiomyocytic damage in ischemia and reperfusion of the isolated heart. Lasukova TV, Arbizov AG, Maslov LN, Burkova VM