Medicinal Plant Research 2025, Vol.15, No.3, 110-118 http://hortherbpublisher.com/index.php/mpr 115 Figure 2 Bioactive compounds in lentinan and their biological effects related to antitumor activity (Adopted from Cadar et al., 2023) 7 Safety and Quality Control 7.1 Safety assessment of combined use of Ganoderma lucidum with other herbs Recent studies have shown that Ganoderma lucidum, whether used alone or in combination with other traditional Chinese medicines, usually has good safety. In long-term toxicity experiments on animals, no significant systemic toxicity was observed even when high-dose despore layer Ganoderma lucidum spores were used, and the no-observed-adverse-effect level (NOAEL) was much higher than the conventional human dose (Xia et al., 2023). The comprehensive review, also pointed out that the products based on Ganoderma lucidum had good tolerance, and there were few reports of serious adverse reactions in vitro, animal experiments and clinical studies (Swallah et al., 2023). 7.2 Potential herb-drug interactions and adverse effects Ganoderma lucidum is considered safe, but potential drug-herbal interactions and mild adverse reactions still need attention, especially when used in combination with other herbs or drugs. It has been reported that, adverse events such as mild gastrointestinal discomfort may occur, but severe toxicity is rare (Swallah et al., 2023; Wu et al., 2023). The complexity of multiple herbal compound prescriptions increases the risk of unpredictable interactions. When Ganoderma lucidum is used in combination with other traditional Chinese medicines, the pharmacokinetics of the active ingredients may change. So, especially for patients who are taking other medications, careful monitoring should be conducted and professional medical personnel should be consulted. 7.3 Quality control and standardization challenges of herbal formulae The quality control and standardization of Ganoderma lucidum and its compound preparations remain major challenges. The efficacy and safety depend on the consistency of the active ingredients. But, due to species differences, cultivation conditions, extraction methods and processing techniques, there may be fluctuations in the active ingredients (Plosca et al., 2025). The application of advanced technologies such as ultrasonic and microwave-assisted extraction, has increased the yield and bioavailability of active ingredients, but the standardized operation procedures are still not perfect. To ensure the safety, efficacy and reproducibility of G. lucidum and its compound products, it is crucial to establish a sound regulatory framework, and adopt drug-grade quality assurance methods (Swallah et al., 2023).
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