Abstract
A short-term clinical experiment for ten HIV patients in Thailand was conducted in order to examine the effects of "Micronized Lingzhi", a Ganoderma lucidum extract preparation from a Japanese supplier, as an immunological drug that can be oral administered. The results showed that Lingzhi mushroom at the present formulation does not have appreciable benefits for HIV patients. Although the crude Lingzhi extracts are ineffective in the medical treatment of HIV patients, the medical effects of the individual active ingredients of this mushroom should be tested. In Vitro studies demonstrated that an extracts from G. lucidum was an effective immnorestorer in mild to moderately immuno-suppressed individuals. This might be due to the way it changes T cell phenotypes or enhances T cell activity. Proper selection of patients for medical tests is therefore essential in order to guarantee favorable clinical studies.
