This article reviewed the antioxidative effect and free radical scavenging activity of Ganoderma lucidum (G. lucidum, Lingzhi). G. lucidum has apparent protective effects against the lipid peroxidation caused by a variety of factors in the brain, heart, pancreas, liver, gastrointestinal, kidney, and other vital organs. G. lucidum can significantly reduce the content of lipid peroxidation product such as malondialdehyde (MDA) and lipofuscin and can enhance the activities of antioxidative enzymes, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-P), and other antioxidative enzymes. In macrophages (mouse), islet cells (mouse), cerebral cortex cells (rat), pheochromocytoma cells (PC12 cells, rat), vascular endothelial cells (rat, human), and keratinocytes (human), G. lucidum has significant protective effect against the oxidant-induced oxidative damage. Antioxidative effect and free radical scavenging activity of G. lucidum on different animal models in vivo and in vitro may be related to its pharmacological mechanism of immunomodulating, antitumor, antihypertensive, hypoglycemic, brain-protective, liver-protective, cardiovascular-protective, renal-protective, and antiaging effects.
Keywords: Antioxidative; Free radical scavenging; Ganoderma lucidum; Lingzhi; Mechanism.