Superfoods Omanitus™ 350mg, 30caps Ganoderma Lucidum

Omanitus™ Ganoderma Lucidum 350mg oil/ Characteristics
Omanitus™ contains 50 soft capsules of Ganoderma Lucidum oil (350mg). It can be preserved outside the fridge when the temperature is up to 25o C. The dosage frequency is indicated on the package.

In the analyses the oil appears to be up to 70 times more powerful than the powder which comes from the flesh, while at the same time it seems that it contains more than 400 micro-nutrients.

Lastly, it is worth knowing that the name of this herb is of Greek origin (ganos=shiny and derma=skin). It is ranked at the top of natural products/nutritional supplements which are simply cultivated.

Omanitus™ is available in all pharmacies.

Marketing Authorisation Number of the Hellenic Organisation for Medicines: 58443/6/8/09

Omanitus™, the mushroom of the gods
Omanitus contains Ganoderma Lucidum, known in China as LingZhil (which means spiritual power). It is an edible mushroom known for its miracle-working effects on our health. It is a kind of fungus that belongs to the family of polyporacea fungi. It has been used in Japan for more than 2000 years and it is considered to be the oldest mushroom with pharmaceutical qualities. In ancient years it was used by emperors and kings. It is regarded as the rarest and most beneficial herb of nature, while it is ranked at the top of the most ancient list of Asian Herbal Medicine. Three hundred and sixty-five kinds of herbs have been classified and analysed in it. The medicines are classified into 3 categories: 120 of them are declared to be "superior" medicines, another 120 are classified as "average" medicines, and the remaining 125 are placed in the "fair" category. The "superior" medicines are called "The Herbs of the gods" and they are used for longevity and eternal youth. The "average" category medicines are those which can be taken as a tonic, and those in the "fair" category are taken to remedy specific ailments. One must be careful about the volume taken of the "average" and "fair" category medicines and should never take them continuously. However, the book states that for "superior" medicines, any amount can be taken on a continuous basis with no undesirable side effects. Of the superior medicines listed, Ganoderma Lucidum is rated number one. Centuries ago it was considered to be the medicine that could bring longevity and eternal youth. Today, 2000 years later, in China and in many Asian countries, Ganoderma Lucidum is regarded as the medicine that can be used in the treatment of cancer.
According to the international bibliography, it presents the following advantages:
1. It is nontoxic and can be used daily without side effects.
2. When used regularly, it can restore the body in its natural state, helping all the organs to function properly.
3. It can regulate the immune system.

The Ganoderma Lucidum of Omanitus ™ as an adjustment herb.
One of the mysteries of nature is the adjustment herbs. These are herbs that provide the body with exactly what it needs at a specific moment. For example, an adjustment herb which regulates blood pressure can reduce the levels of the blood pressure of hypertensive people, but at the same time it can increase the levels of the blood pressure of hypotensive people. Similarly, an adjustment herb which can control the levels of cholesterol can increase the levels of “good” cholesterol without raising the levels of the “bad” one. Only 300 herbs have been recognized as adjustment herbs, the best of which being Ganoderma Lucidum Omanitus ™, which helps the immune, the nervous and the cardiovascular system. In addition, it reduces the levels of “bad” cholesterol and blood sugar and helps in cases of obesity, menopause, arthritis, hypertension and hypotension, allergies and asthma. Lastly, it reinforces and strengthens the body so that it will be able to cope with everyday life. A lot of research has been carried out about it and its positive effects are mentioned analytically in international bibliography.

Active ingredients.
It consists mainly of complex carbohydrates (water soluble polysaccharides) triterpenes, proteins and amino acids. Studies have shown that 3D-glucan is a water soluble polysaccharides and especially b-8-(a more active ingredient to which anticancer properties are attributed. Beta-glucans are polymers of glucose joined with beta-1,3 and b-1,6 glycosidic bonds, which have demonstrated in in vitro experiments a direct cytotoxic effect against cancer cells, while in in vivo animal tests they showed anticancer activity through the reinforcement of the immune system (Smith et al., 2002). Through their capacity to absorb dangerous carcinogens, they prevent their absorption by the small intestine and accelerate their elimination from the body preventing in this way colon cancer.
Another valuable ingredient is the triterpenes, a category of which includes the ganoderic acids. Ganoderic acids reduce blood pressure and LDL-cholesterol. Studies have shown that these acids alleviate the symptoms of common allergies by preventing the release of histamine and improve the availability of oxygen as well as the function of the liver. Triterpenes are very bitter and this fact is used to determine the amount of triterpenes that the product contains. Ganoderma Lucidum also contains sterols, coumarin, mannitol, alkaloids, organic germanium, nucleotides, ergosterol, integrated protein molecules, unsaturated fatty acids, vitamins and minerals.

A herb for the nervous system
The mushroom Ganoderma Lucidum is recommended by Chinese and Japanese herbalists for insomnia (it contains a substance that helps people sleep). Its long-term use helps people who suffer from sleeping disorders. Moreover, in China it is used to treat a large number of psychiatric and neurological disorders, including diseases of the muscles, anorexia, and the weakness that follows a long illness. In Japan, it has been discovered that the dry mycelium of Ganoderma Lucidum is very effective in the treatment of a kind of neurosis caused by environmental stress. In addition, according to an 8-month study concerning Alzheimer disease, the patients who were treated with a product from the mycelium of Ganoderma Lucidum showed significant improvement. In China Ganoderma Lucidum is also used to alleviate pain and relax muscles. In another research, Ganoderma Lucidum relieved the symptoms of anxiety in 18 out of 20 patients after 4 months of use. They concluded that it contains a soothing substance which is neither a sedative nor a hypnotic drug.

Recent scientific studies outcomes
Omanitus ™ capsules contain 350 mg Ganoderma lucidum oil (TD No 67-09). Its oil is found to be up to 70 times more potent than the powder derived from the flesh, while it contains more than 400 micro-nutrients. Ganoderma Lucidum (Ling Zhi) of Polyporacea fungi family, is a basidiomycete white rot macrofungus which has been used extensively as "the mushroom of immortality" in China, Japan, Korea and other Asian countries for 2000 years.

Adaptogenic herb
Adaptogenic herbs provide exactly what is needed at the moment. For example, an adaptogenic herb suitable for blood pressure reduces blood pressure levels in hypertensive individuals, while it can also increase low blood pressure. Similarly, an adaptogenic herb suited to cope with cholesterol levels, is likely to increase good (HDL-C) cholesterol, without raising the poor (LDL-C) one. Only 300 herbs have been recognized as adaptogenic; Ganoderma Lucidum is on top of the list.

Active ingredients
It consists mainly of triterpenoids (ganoderic acid, lucidemic acid, methyl-ganoderate), polysaccharides (GLP-(L)1, GLP-(L)2), nucleotides, sterols (ergosterol, stella sterol, ergosterol peroxide), steroids, fatty acids, proteins/peptides and trace elements. Research has shown that water-soluble polysaccharides and especially b-D-glucans are the most active ingredients.

Cardiovascular system
Ganoderic acids, found in Ganoderma lucidum, reduce blood pressure and cholesterol, and impede blood clotting. In anesthetized rabbits and rats given Ganoderma lucidum extract (GLE), both systolic and diastolic blood pressures were decreased; renal efferent sympathetic nerve activity was inhibited. The extract did not decrease heart rate in these animals, although there was clear hypotension in the extract dose dependent manner. The mechanism of hypotensive action of Ganoderma lucidum was due to its central inhibition of sympathetic nerve activity.

Immune system
A number of reports have demonstrated that G. lucidum polysaccharides modulate immune function both in vivo and in vitro. The immuno-modulating effects of G. lucidum polysaccharides were extensive, including promoting the function of antigen-presenting cells, mononuclear phagocyte system, humoral immunity, and cellular immunity. Thus, they may be used for asthma, dermatitis, bronchitis, rheumatism, and conjunctivitis.
G. lucidum in vivo was able to increase interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) concentration but reduced CD3(+) and CD8(+) spleen lymphocytes. Ex vivo, IFN-γ; and interleukin-10 levels were increased and the tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) level was reduced by peritoneal macrophages from mice fed with G. lucidum. In an in vitro study the triterpene extract from G. lucidum (GLT) markedly suppressed the secretion of inflammatory cytokine TNF-α, IL-6, inflammatory mediator nitric oxide (NO), and prostaglandin E(2) from lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated murine RAW264.7 cells. The anti-inflammatory and anti-proliferative effects of GLT on macrophages seem to be mediated through the inhibition of NF-κΒ and AP-1 signaling pathways.
Administration of herbal mixture containing G. lucidum to patients suffering from Herpes genitalis and labialis appears to shorten the time required to obtain symptom relief.

Liver function and blood glucose levels
G. lucidum exerts hepatoprotective activity (in vivo) and anti-hepatitis B virus activity (in vitro) when administrated to mice, as liquid fermentation broth. Ganoderic acids inhibit cholesterol synthesis in a human hepatic cell line in vitro, and so it can be used to decrease blood cholesterol levels.
As shown in an animal model, G. lucidum extract consumption can provide beneficial effects in treating type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) by lowering the serum glucose levels through the suppression of the hepatic phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) gene expression. In a recent study, oral route of transgenic G. lucidum significantly reduced blood glucose in streptozocin-induced diabetic rats, as compared to rats fed with saline (P<0.0002) or non-transgenic G. lucidum (P<0.0002). Blood glucose was reduced ~64% in 80% of diabetic rats; it can be used to control blood glucose in diabetes and to improve pancreatic cell function. In addition, G.
lusidum polysaccharides exert hypoglycemic effect on normal mice; one mechanism is through their insulin-releasing activity due to a facilitation of Ca2+ inflow to the pancreatic beta-cells.

Nervous system
Ganoderma lucidum extract (GLE) significantly decreased sleep latency, increased sleeping time, non-REM sleep time and light sleep time in pentobarbital-treated rats. It seems that GLE exerts a benzodiazepine-like hypnotic activity, at least in part.
It is also used for a large number of psychiatric and neurological disorders, including diseases of the muscles, anorexia, and weakness followed after a long illness. Aqueous extract of G. lucidum significantly attenuated beta amyloid-induced neurodegeneration by preserving the synaptic density protein, synaptophysin; thus, it prevented harmful effects of beta amyloid in Alzheimer’s disease. Likewise, GLE significantly prevent the production of microglia-derived proinflammatory and cytotoxic factors [nitric oxide, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin 1b (IL-1b)] in a dose-dependent manner and down-regulate the TNF-α and IL-1b expressions on mRNA level as well. Thus, G. lucidum may be a promising agent for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease through anti-inflammation. In addition, polysaccharide extract isolated from Ganoderma lucidum (Gl-PS) might be useful in treating Hypoxia/Reoxygenation-induced oxidative stress, by increasing manganese superoxide dismutase (Mn-SOD) activity.

Cancer
Ganoderma lucidum, in aggressive forms of cancer, strengthens the surface of the cancer cell by preventing its spread; it prevents clot formation, helping the local action, combination drug therapy; reduces side effects and increases effectiveness in combination with other cancer drugs and chemotherapy; it normalizes the other body functions, reducing chances of other systemic complications.
In vitro studies reveal that GLE inhibits proliferation of human colorectal cancer cells; inhibits proliferation of human umbilical endothelial vein cells and MDA_MB231 human breast cancer cells; induces apoptosis and alterations in signal transduction kinases (Akt and Erk) on human leukemia cells and acts like a chemopreventive agent for the tumorgenesis and metastasis of highly invasive hepatoma cells. Treatment with GLE significantly inhibited the testosterone-induced growth of the ventral prostate in castrated rats. Thus, G. lucidum might be a useful ingredient in the treatment of androgen-induced diseases, such as benign prostatic hyperplasia or prostate cancer.
In two clinical trials, ganopoly, the polysaccharides fractions extracted from G. lucidum, enhances immune responces in patients with advanced stage cancer. Likewise, oral G. lucidum modulates immune function in patients with advanced colorectal cancer.

Ganoderma Lucidum as a cardiotonic
For centuries Ganoderma Lucidum, which is included in Omanitus ™, is used as a cardiotonic herb. Japanese scientists have found that thanks to the ganoderic acids (triterpenes) it contains, it reduces blood pressure and cholesterol and prevents blood clotting, which can lead to a heart attack. In fact, triterpenes are so important that they are used to determine the quality and authenticity of Ganoderma Lucidum.
In a six-month clinical study conducted in a University Hospital in Tokyo, in almost 50% out of 53 hypertensive patients the levels of blood pressure decreased by 10-19mm Hg and in 10% by 20-29mm Hg, after the use of 1 to 4 months. Recently, Russian researchers have shown interest in Ganoderma Lucidum. They found that in addition to the cardiovascular benefits, it has a significant preventive and therapeutic effect against plaque, a type of fat that consists of a combination of oxidised cholesterol, calcium, and degenerated white blood cells. Plaque is deposited on artery walls and blocks them.

Omanitus ™, Ganoderma Lucidum against cancer
In Japan, after researches that were also conducted in China and Korea, it was proved that Ganoderma Lucidum is effective against cancerous tumors. Dr Ito & Ike Kawa (1968) first reported the positive effect of Ganoderma Lucidum in the prevention of the metastasis of cancer. In other studies and experiments on different kinds of stages of tumors this anti-cancer property was confirmed. This property has been discovered in in vitro and in animal experiments. Moreover, Israeli researchers from the University of Haifa claim that Ganoderma can cure prostate cancer. They discovered that some of its molecules contribute to the suppression of mechanisms associated with the development of prostate cancer and even directly attack cancer cells. However, research on the relationship between Ganoderma and cancer is still in early stages and does not allow us to draw final conclusions. Nevertheless, the following conclusions refer to the cases of the use of Ganoderma Lucidum in aggressive forms of cancer:
1. It strengthens the skin of the cancer cell preventing the spread of it.
2. It prevents clot formation helping the local action combined with drug therapy.
3. It is used in combination with other cancer drugs and chemotherapy to reduce side effects and increase effectiveness.
4. It regulates and normalises the other functions of the body, thus reducing the chances of the occurrence of other complications. The positive effects of Ganoderma Lucidum have been published in a large number of research papers, mainly pharmacological ones, many of which were published in the most reputable academic journals in western countries (over 300 references in the British Library have been made in the last 2 years).

Antiallergic-anti-inflammatory effects
Research has shown that the extract of Ganoderma Lucidum significantly reduced 4 types of allergic reactions, including asthma and dermatitis. Furthermore, researchers have shown that it is effective in problems of inflexibility of the neck and the shoulders, conjunctivitis, bronchitis and rheumatism.
A part of its anti-inflammatory action is probably due to its action against free radicals. The decomposition of free hydroxyl radicals is so effective that it continues even after the absorption and the metabolism of Ganoderma Lucidum.