Ganoderma lucidum has a long history for traditional medicine in Asian countries. However, taxonomy of Ganoderma species remains controversial, since it was initially classified on the basis of morphological characteristics. Recently, Ganoderma sichuanense was proposed as a re-proposed name for Ganoderma lucidum in China. Likewise, all of the Korean G. lucidum were clustered into 1 group together with G. sichuanense from China, when a phylogenetic analysis was undertaken based on the ITS rDNA sequences of the Ganoderma species. Furthermore, G. lucidum from Europe and North America were clustered into different group. Based on these results, re-consideration of naming Korean cultivated G. lucidum is needed.

In the present study, the genetic diversity of 69 Ganoderma species from various regions was determined by different molecular markers, including the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) rRNA, a partial β-tubulin gene, and mitochondrial small-subunit ribosomal (SSU) rDNA gene as well as randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis. The size of the ITS rDNA regions and mitochondrial SSU rDNA gene from different Ganoderma species varied from 625 to 673 bp and 656 to 2,040bp, respectively, and those of the partial β-tubulin gene sequence were 419 bp. Phylogenetic analysis based on the ITS region, the partial β-tubulin gene, and the mitochondrial SSU rDNA gene reveal that Ganoderma species are largely divided into two groups. Interestingly, most of the Ganoderma lucidum strains could be classified into 1 group, while other Ganoderma species divided into several groups (4 or 5 groups) in phylogenetic tree. One fragment unique to G. lucidum was selected from the RAPD profile and then sequenced. One primer pair (designated as KGS-F and KGS-R) based on this specific fragment was designed to amplify a 559 bp DNA fragment within the sequenced region. A single band with the expected size of 559 bp was observed from G. lucidum, except for G. lucidum strains from China, Canada, and Taiwan. This specific marker for G. lucidum from RAPD analysis, also supported by the phylogenetic analysis of the ITS, partial β-tubulin gene, and mitochondrial SSU rDNA sequences, will be useful for the PCR-based identification of G. lucidum in research applications as well as in the market.

본 연구는 다양한 영지버섯 균주의 균사체 메탄올추출물을 이용한 항염, 항산화 및 항알러지 효능을비교 분석하기 위해 수행되었다. G. species ASI-7150 (흑영지), G. lucidum ATCC46755 (Canada), G.species ASI-7151 (흑룡), G. lucidum ATCC64251(Taiwan), G. neo-japonicum ASI-7032, 및 G. lucidumASI-7071 (영지2호)의 균사체 추출물 항산화 효과를 분석한 결과 G. species ASI-7150 (흑영지) 의 균사체 추출물에서 DPPH radical scavenging 활성이 가장 높았다.항염활성 분석에서는 G. lucidum ATCC64251 (Taiwan)의 균사체 추출물을 처리하였때 NO 생성 저해능이 가장 좋았다. 또한 G. lucidum ATCC64251 (Taiwan)의 균사체 추출물을 처리하였을 때, -hexosaminidase생성억제율이 가장 좋았다. MTT assay를 통하여 각 영지버섯 균사체 추출물은 세포 생존율에는 영향이 없는것으로 확인 되었다. 이러한 선행 연구결과는 추후에국내 및 국외 품종 등 다양한 영지버섯 균사체의 약리효과 분석에 기초자료로 사용될 것이다.

This study was carried out to optimize the conditions for a chemotaxonomic classification of Ganoderma species. The mycelia of Ganoderma species were extracted with 100% MeOH, and the concentrated extracts were further purified and partitioned with column chromatography (HP20) and n-BuOH, respectively. From the result of high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), the constituents of the samples were efficiently separated with a Chemco Pak C18 column (250 mmX4.6 mm) by linear gradient elution using water and acetonitrile as mobile phase components at a flow rate of 0.8 ml/min and detector wavelength at 210 nm. However, the samples without purification or partition were not detected the characteristic peaks. This profile could be used to classify and identify the various Ganoderma species.

Ganoderma have been used in traditional medicine for thousands of years in Korea, China and Japan as well as in other regions of the world. Ganoderma species is known to grow on hardwoods, conifers, palms, old and declining trees, decay dead wood and stumps. Several species is cause serious diseases of plantation and other economically important tropical crops. It also has been reported to prevent and treat immunological diseases, including tumorigenesis, control of blood glucose levels, modulation of the immune system, hepatoprotection, bacteriostasis, and more. In the present study, we examined the effects of various Ganoderma species, including Ganoderma lucidum and Ganoderma neo-japonicum on nitric oxide inhibition activities, β-hexosaminidase secretions, and DPPH free radical scavenging capacities to compare the anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, and antioxidant effects.