Hypolipidaemic and anti-lipidperoxidant activities of Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharide.

Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharide (GLP) was prepared by hot water extraction and partly characterised by high-performance gel filtration chromatography and its monosaccharide composition. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups: one group received a high-fat diet (control group) and the three other groups received a high-fat diet containing 100, 300 and 500 mg/kg of GLP. GLP administration reduced the body weight gain, food efficiency ratio, levels of plasma triacylglycerol (TG), plasma total cholesterol (TC) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and liver weight, TC and TG levels and malondialdehyde values, improved the levels of faecal fat, cholesterol and plasma high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and enhanced the activities of serum superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase in rats compared with the control group. The appropriate dose of GLP was 300 mg/kg. Results indicate that GLP exhibits hypolipidaemic and lipid antioxidant activities and may be used as a drug for hyperlipidaemia treatment.