The inhibitory effect on aldose reductase by an extract of <i>Ganoderma lucidum</i>

Abstract The human aldose reductase inhibitory effects of the methanol extracts of 17 medicinal and edible mushrooms were examined. Ganoderma lucidum showed the highest aldose reductase inhibitory activity compared with the other mushrooms. The effect of an ethanol extract of G. lucidum on the galactitol level in the eye lens was studied in a galactosemic rat model in vivo . This mushroom significantly decreased the galactitol accumulation. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley &amp; Sons, Ltd.