The Biologically Active Constituents of Ganoderma lucidum (FR..) KARST. Histamine Release-Inhibitory Triterpenes
HIROSHI KOHDA,a WAKAKO TOKUMOTO,a KIYOE SAKAMOTO,a MICHIKO FUJII,a YUKO HIRAI,a KAZUO YAMASAKI,*’ a YASUO KOMODA,bHIDEO NAKAMURA,` SHIGEMASA ISHIHARA`and MASARU UCHIDA`
Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Medicine, Hiroshima University,’1-2-3, Kaszoni, Minami-ku, Hiroshima 734, Japan, Institute for Medical andDental Engineering, Tokyo Medical and Dental University,’ 2-3-10,Surugadai, Kanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101, Japan and Research Laboratories, Tokiwa Phytochemical Co., Ltd.,’158, Kinoko, Sakura, Chiba 285-01, Japan
The MeOH extract of Ganoderma lucidum ( Reishi ) has an inhibitory action on histamine release from rat mast cells. From the physiologically active fraction of the extract, along with the known triterpenes ganoderic acids A and B, two new triterpenes were isolated and named ganoderic acids C and D. The structures of ganoderic acids C and D were determined to be 3β,7β,15α-trihydroxy 11, 23-dioxo-5α-lanost-8-en-26-oic acid and 7β-hydroxy-3,11,15,23-tetraoxo-5α lanost-8-en-26-oic acid respectively. Ganoderic acids C and D were shown to inhibit histamine release from rat mast cells. Quantitative analysis of these triterpenes was performed for the purpose of crude drug quality control.