Summaries of the 1st International Symposium on Ganoderma Lucidum (Reishi/LingZhi) (held in Japan from November 17th-18th, 1997)
Chairman of the Preparatory Committee
Takashi Mizuno
(Professor Emeritus of Shizuoka University)
 
The Ganoderma International Research Institute (GIRI) was established in 1993 by an appeal made by Raymond Y. Chang (USA), but the present condition is that the institute activities are only made occasionally and irregularly by Ganoderma researchers in each country.

In Korea, Ganoderma International Symposiums have been held as many as seven times. However, even in Korea, to say nothing of other countries, the authorized organization consisting of Ganoderma Institute for the single purpose of studying Ganoderma has not established yet. In Japan, the cultivation of Ganoderma and studied results on its medicinal value have been stored from the early days, but in recent years, the number of successors studying Ganoderma has begun to decrease. In view of the study development in other countries, am I the only one that is anxious about the status quo in Japan ?

Taking the opportunity of the GIRI meeting being held for the first time in Japan, we would like to call young researchers in Japan for their interest in this matter, to appeal to the associated industries for the establishment of the Japan Ganoderma Research Institute, and to ask them for the support for this study.

With its actual results from the early days as herbal medicine together with the recent health food booms, Ganoderma has become a mushroom (Ganoderma lucidum) which is the most noteworthy one not only in Japan but also in the whole world including China and Korea, as functional food and medicine development materials.

As the artificial cultivation of Ganoderma lucidum has been established and biochemical studies on Ganoderma developed, terpenoid which indicates anticancer property and lowering operation of blood pressure, and b -8-D-glucan, polysaccharide, with immunity activator property, have been discovered. Furthermore, it is being proved that in Ganoderma there exist operating materials normalizing the homeostasis in living bodies, which are useful in the wide range applications. They are lowering blood pressure, the level of blood sugar, and cholesterol levels, antithrombotic operation (activating blood platelet condensation control), hepatitis remedy, countermeasures against HIV (AIDS), robustness and beauty culture. From the viewpoint of such Ganoderma applications, making an occasion in which exchanges of information on Ganoderma cultivation techniques obtained in each country and its biochemical study results, that is, holding an institute meeting on the international level is being desired.

The Ganoderma International Research Institute meeting held this time for the first time in Japan is to be attended by U.S.A., Korea, China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Japan, composed of what are called the Pacific Rim countries, and is to be held for two days, on Nov. 17-18th, at Tobu Hotel in Tokyo, which is the greatest pleasure for us all.

On the opportunity of holding the meeting, we would like to express our sincere gratitude for the cooperation and supports provided by each country and persons concerned.

Thank you very much.


      Reishi


Page developed by Network Global Publishing ©1997-2000  All rights reserved.