Armillaria mellea exhibits anti-convulsant activity and it, as well as Gastrodia elata, a herb with which it grows symbiotically, has traditionally been used in cases of epilepsy1,2.
In-vivo and in vitro studies also indicate possible benefit of Ganoderma lucidum with polysaccharides showing anti-convulsant activity in rats and the spores showing inhibition of epileptiform discharge in hippocampal neurons3-5.
CLINICAL NOTE
Armillaria mellea tablets used clinically in China (3-5g/day) combine mycelium with culture medium extract and can be combined with G. lucidum shell-broken spore powder (3-5g/day).
REFERENCES
1. Tian ma, an ancient Chinese herb, offers new options for the treatment of epilepsy and other conditions. Ojemann LM, Nelson WL, Shin DS, Rowe AO, Buchanan RA. Epilepsy Behav. 2006;8(2):376–383.
2. The cultivation, bioactive components and pharmacological effects of Armillaria mellea. Gao LW, Li WY, Zhao YL, Wang JW. Afr J Biotech. 2009;8(25):7383–7390.
3. Intervention effects of Ganoderma lucidum spores on epileptiform discharge hippocampal neurons and expression of neurotrophin-4 and N-cadherin. Wang SQ, Li XJ, Zhou S, Sun DX, Wang H, Cheng PF, Ma XR, Liu L, Liu JX, Wang FF, Liang YF, Wu JM. PLoS One. 2013;8(4):e61687.
4. Anticonvulsant and neuroprotective effects of oligosaccharides from Lingzhi or Reishi medicinal mushroom, Ganoderma lucidum (higher Basidiomycetes). Tello I, Campos-Pena V, Montiel E, Rodriguez V, Aguirre-Moreno A, Leon-Rivera I, Del Rio-Portilla F, Herrera-Ruiz M, Villeda-Hernandez J. Int J Med Mushrooms. 2013;15(6):555–568.
5. Anti-epileptic effect of Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides
by inhibition of intracellular calcium accumulation and stimulation of expression of CaMKII α in epileptic hippocampal neurons. Wang SQ, Li XJ, Qiu HB, Jiang ZM, Simon M, Ma XR, Liu L, Liu JX, Wang FF, Liang YF, Wu JM, Di WH, Zhou S. PLoS One. 2014;9(7):e102161.