EXPERIMENTAL STUDY ON THE EFFECT OF LING-CHIH (GANODERMA) ON CORONARY CIRCULATION

The total alkaloids of Ghih-ling-zhih Ganoderma lucidum (Leyss. ex Fr.)Karst obtained by submerged fermentation, when infused into the femoral vein of open-chest dogs, caused a marked increase of coronary blood flow (about 62%),a decrease of coronary vascular resistance and a decrease of oxygen consumption of the myocardium. The experiments demonstrated that Chih-ling-zhih changed the coronary hemodynamics and myocardial metabolism. The total extract of Ghih-ling-zhih was also found. to increase markedly the coronary flow and the cerebral blood flow after intravenous injection in cats, Ligation of the left circumflex artery in guinea pigs induced an acute myocardial infarction as indicated by elevated S-T segment and reversed T wave in EKG. The EKG changes were corrected by intravenous injection of the total extract of Ghih-ling-zhih of fermentation product. This is probably the result of the decrease of oxygen consumption of the myocardium and, possibly also, the increase Of collateral flow to ischemic areas.When Ling-zhih was perfused through the coronary arteries of the isolated guinea pig heart, the coronary artery was dilated and the coronary vasoconstrictive action of pituitrin was antagonized.Ling-zhih decreased the oxygen consumption of mice and significantly prolonged the survival time of the animals at low-pressure hypoxia.It was found that the Ghih-ling-zhih of fermentation product, wild Ghih-ling-zhih and wild Tzyy-ling-zhih G, japonicum (fr.) Lloyd showed the same pharmacologic effects, but their water extracts were not as effective as the alcohol extracts and the total alkaloid.