Ultra-Low Freezing to Preserve the Lingzhi or Reishi Medicinal Mushroom Ganoderma lucidum (Agaricomycetes)

Int J Med Mushrooms. 2018;20(7):677-683. doi: 10.1615/IntJMedMushrooms.2018026535.

Abstract

Ganoderma lucidum (Curtis) P. Karst., commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine, is characterized by strong genetic and phenotypic variability that reflects its active components. To preserve such a source of pharmacologically active metabolites, specimens must be collected from different geographic regions and their genetic integrity ensured during storage. To this aim, we tested the effect of ultra-low freezing (ULF) at -120°C on the vitality, mycelial growth rate, and fruiting ability of 3 Italian strains of G. lucidum. Results showed that all strains reacted positively to ULF, demonstrating an ability to recover after 3 months of storage without morphological or physiological changes occurring, regardless of treatment. The successful storage of G. lucidum at -120°C opens up the possibility to create a germplasm bank to collect strains of this medicinal fungus from throughout Europe, thereby contributing to the maintenance of its diversity.

Publication types

  • Evaluation Study

MeSH terms

  • Freezing
  • Fruiting Bodies, Fungal / chemistry
  • Fruiting Bodies, Fungal / growth & development
  • Mycelium / chemistry
  • Mycelium / growth & development
  • Plants, Medicinal / chemistry*
  • Plants, Medicinal / growth & development
  • Preservation, Biological / methods*
  • Reishi / chemistry*
  • Reishi / growth & development