Ganoderma lucidum spore oil synergistically enhances the function of cyclophosphamide in the prevention of breast cancer metastasis.

BACKGROUND: Ganoderma lucidum ( G . lucidum ) is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine that has shown potential as an alternative adjuvant therapy for cancer patients. However, the mechanisms and adjuvant therapeutic effects of G . lucidum in cancer treatment remain unclear. METHODS: In this work, G . lucidum spore oil (GanoOil), a newly developed oily G . lucidum spore extract was used to investigate the mechanisms and adjuvant therapeutic effects of GanoOil in conjunction with the chemotherapeutic drug cyclophosphamide (CTX) for preventing breast cancer metastasis. RESULTS: In the model of lung metastasis, orally administered GanoOil increased the population of CD8 + T cells and interleukin (IL)-6 cytokine levels in mouse blood, whereas also enhancing the activity of natural killer cells in the spleen. Furthermore, the combination of GanoOil and CTX effectively suppressed the lung metastasis of circulating breast cancer cells, alleviated CTX-induced weight loss, and reduced the ratio of lung and spleen weight to body weight in mice. Moreover, high concentrations of GanoOil exhibited no significant toxicity or side effects in both in vitro and in vivo experiments. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, GanoOil is a safe drug that can enhance immune activity in mice to achieve therapeutic effects on cancer, and can also synergistically inhibit tumor metastasis with CTX.

Quality control of Ganoderma lucidum by using C, H, O, and N stable isotopes and C and N contents for geographical traceability.

Rationale: Ganoderma lucidum (G. lucidum) is a popular medicinal fungus that has been used in traditional medicine for decades, with its provenance influencing its medicinal and commercial worth. The amount of active ingredients and the price of G. lucidum from different origins vary significantly; hence, fraudulent labeling is common. Reliable techniques for G. lucidum geographic verification are urgently required to safeguard the interests of consumers, producers, and honest dealers. A stable isotope is widely acknowledged as a useful traceability technique and could be developed to confirm the geographical origin of G. lucidum. Methods: G. lucidum samples from various sources and in varying stages were identified by using δ 13C, δD, δ 18O, δ 15N, C, and N contents combined with chemometric tools. Chemometric approaches, including PCA, OPLS-DA, PLS, and FLDA models, were applied to the obtained data. The established models were used to trace the origin of G. lucidum from various sources or track various stages of G. lucidum. Results: In the stage model, the δ 13C, δD, δ 18O, δ 15N, C, and N contents were considered meaningful variables to identify various stages of G. lucidum (bud development, growth, and maturing) using PCA and OPLS-DA and the findings were validated by the PLS model rather than by only four variables (δ 13C, δD, δ 18O, and δ 15N). In the origin model, only four variables, namely δ 13C, δD, δ 18O, and δ 15N, were used. PCA divided G. lucidum samples into four clusters: A (Zhejiang), B (Anhui), C (Jilin), and D (Fujian). The OPLS-DA model could be used to classify the origin of G. lucidum. The model was validated by other test samples (Pseudostellaria heterophylla), and the external test (G. lucidum) by PLS and FLDA models demonstrated external verification accuracy of up to 100%. Conclusion: C, H, O, and N stable isotopes and C and N contents combined with chemometric techniques demonstrated considerable potential in the geographic authentication of G. lucidum, providing a promising method to identify stages of G. lucidum.

Clinical features and multidisciplinary treatment outcome of COVID-19 pneumonia: A report of three cases.

The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused a pandemic threatening global public health. In the current paper, we describe our successful treatment of three COVID-19 pneumonia patients cases including severe cases and cases with mortality risk factors. One 32-year-old male COVID-19 patient was diagnosed with severe COVID-19 pneumonia and moderate ARDS. The second COVID-19 pneumonia patient had a history of diabetes and chronic bronchitis. The third case of COVID-19 pneumonia was an 82-year old female patient. All three cases had severe COVID pneumonia and therefore were aggressively managed with a multidisciplinary and personalized therapeutic approach that included nutritional support, antiviral pharmacotherapy, active control of comorbidities, prevention of complication development and psychological intervention. Our experience highlights the importance of the use of a multidisciplinary therapeutic approach that tailors to the specific condition of the patient in achieving a favorable clinical outcome.

[Triterpenoids from Ganoderma theaecolum].

Fifteenlanostane triterpenoids were isolated from the ethanol extract of Ganoderma theaecolum by means of preparative HPLC,column chromatography over silica gel,ODS and were identified as lucidone C(1),lucidone D(2),7-oxo-ganoderic acid Z2(3),7-oxo-ganoderic acid Z(4),ganoderenicacid H(5),ganoderenic acid B(6),3ß,7ß-dihydroyl-11,15,23-trioxo-lanost-8,16-dien-26-oic acid(7),3ß,7ß-dihydroyl-11,15,23-trioxo-lanost-8,16-dien-26-oic acid methyl ester(8),ganolucidic acid B(9),ganolucidate F(10),methyl ganoderate C2(11),ganoderic acid ζ(12),ganoderic acid AP3(13),methyl ganoderate B(14),and ganoderol B(15). Compounds 1-15 were isolated from this specie for the first time.

[Determination of nine triterpenoid acids from Ganoderma lucidum of different producting areas by HPLC].

OBJECTIVE: To establish an HPLC method for determining nine triterpenes contained in Ganoderma lucidum. METHOD: Chromatography conditions: Alltima C18 (4.6 mm x 150 mm, 5 microm) was adopted as the chromatographic column, with acetonitrile-0.04% formic acid solution as the mobile phase. The detective wavelength was set at 254 nm, and the column temperature was 15 degrees C. RESULT: The linearities of ganoderic acid C2, ganoderic acid G, ganoderenic acid B, ganoderic acid B, ganoderenic acid A, ganoderic acid A, lucideric acid A, ganoderenic acid D, and ganoderic acid C1 ranged between 6.81-40.88, 6.38-38.25, 6.75-40.50, 6.38-38.25, 5.95-35.65, 5.90-35.25, 7.00-42.00, 6.20-37.15 and 6.05-36.4 mg x L(-1) (r = 0.999 4, 0.999 2, 0.999 4, 0.999 2, 0.999 2, 0.994 5, 0.999 0, 0.999 2 and 0.998 4). Their recoveries were 102.1%, 102.3%, 100.6%, 103.3%, 104.1%, 103.2%, 96.42%, 102.5% and 101.5%, with RSD being 1.5%, 0.96%, 1.9%, 1.3%, 1.7%, 2.5%, 0.62%, 2.9% and 1.3%. The content of triterpenes contained in G. lucidum samples from 31 different areas and under different cultivation conditions. CONCLUSION: The method is so feasible and highly reproducible that it can be used for quantitatie determination of the content of triterpenoid acid contained in G. lucidum.