title: Immuno-potentiating effects of the antler-shaped fruiting body of Ganoderma lucidum (Rokkaku-Reishi).
abstract: The immuno-potentiating effects of the antler-shaped fruiting body of Ganoderma lucidum (Rokkaku-Reishi, RR), which has been used as a traditional supplement for human health, were investigated in mice. BALB/c mice were administered orally with RR for 3 days at a dose of 50 mg/kg or 500 mg/kg, and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) production by splenocytes in response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was examined on day 4. The oral administration of 500 mg/kg of RR resulted in a significant increase (p<0.05) in IFN-gamma production. Stimulation of splenic adherent cells from these mice with LPS also resulted in a significant increase (p<0.05) in interleukin-12 (IL-12) production compared with that from the control mice, suggesting that splenic macrophages were activated by RR administration. Furthermore, 500 mg/kg of RR administered for 14 days resulted in a significant increase (p<0.05) in IFN-gamma production by splenocytes in response to both LPS and concanavalin A (Con A). These results suggest that not only splenic macrophages but also T cells were activated by the long-term treatment with RR in vivo. On the other hand, the production of interleukin-4 (IL-4), which is known as an allergic disease-related cytokine, was not affected by the long-term treatment with RR. Our results suggest that the oral administration of RR resulted in Th1-associated immuno-potentiating activities in vivo.
authors.affiliation: Fujisaki Institute, Hayashibara Biochemical Laboratories, Inc., Okayama, Japan. fujisaki@hayashibara.co.jp
authors.forename: Michihiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kohguchi
authors.forename: Toshio
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kunikata
authors.forename: Hikaru
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Naoki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kudo
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shibuya
authors.forename: Tatsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ishihara
authors.forename: Kanso
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Iwaki
authors.forename: Masao
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ikeda
authors.forename: Shigeharu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fukuda
authors.forename: Masashi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kurimoto
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003208:Concanavalin A / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D005936:Glucans / Q000378:metabolism; D007109:Immunity / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020940:Reishi / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000254:growth & development*; D013154:Spleen / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D005936:Glucans; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D010936:Plant Extracts; D003208:Concanavalin A; D018664:Interleukin-12; D007371:Interferon-gamma