The Ganoderma
International Research Institute (GIRI) was
established in 1993 by an appeal made by Raymond
Y. Chang (USA), but the present condition
is that the institute activities are only
made occasionally and irregularly by Ganoderma
researchers in each country.
In Korea
, Ganoderma International Symposiums have
been held as many as seven times. However,
even in Korea , to say nothing of other countries,
the authorized organization consisting of
Ganoderma Institute for the single purpose
of studying Ganoderma has not established
yet. In Japan, the cultivation of Ganoderma
and studied results on its medicinal value
have been stored from the early days, but
in recent years, the number of successors
studying Ganoderma has begun to decrease.
In view of the study development in other
countries, am I the only one that is anxious
about the status quo in Japan ?
Taking the
opportunity of the GIRI meeting being held
for the first time in Japan , we would like
to call young researchers in Japan for their
interest in this matter, to appeal to the
associated industries for the establishment
of the Japan Ganoderma Research Institute,
and to ask them for the support for this study.
With its
actual results from the early days as herbal
medicine together with the recent health food
booms, Ganoderma has become a mushroom (Ganoderma
lucidum) which is the most noteworthy one
not only in Japan but also in the whole world
including China and Korea , as functional
food and medicine development materials.
As the artificial
cultivation of Ganoderma lucidum
has been established and biochemical studies
on Ganoderma developed, terpenoid which indicates
anticancer property and lowering operation
of blood pressure, and b -8-D-glucan, polysaccharide,
with immunity activator property, have been
discovered. Furthermore, it is being proved
that in Ganoderma there exist operating materials
normalizing the homeostasis in living bodies,
which are useful in the wide range applications.
They are lowering blood pressure, the level
of blood sugar, and cholesterol levels, antithrombotic
operation (activating blood platelet condensation
control), hepatitis remedy, countermeasures
against HIV (AIDS), robustness and beauty
culture . From the viewpoint of such Ganoderma
applications, making an occasion in which
exchanges of information on Ganoderma cultivation
techniques obtained in each country and its
biochemical study results, that is, holding
an institute meeting on the international
level is being desired.
The Ganoderma
International Research Institute meeting held
this time for the first time in Japan is to
be attended by U.S.A., Korea, China, Taiwan,
Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and
Japan, composed of what are called the Pacific
Rim countries, and is to be held for two days,
on Nov. 17-18th, at Tobu Hotel in Tokyo, which
is the greatest pleasure for us all.
On the opportunity
of holding the meeting, we would like to express
our sincere gratitude for the cooperation
and supports provided by each country and
persons concerned.
