Sun Yat-sen University Licenses Novel Ganoderma Spore Compound Extraction Technology for RMB 30,000 to Guizhou Huahong Biotech

Recently, the Academy of Advanced Technology at Sun Yat-sen University released a public notice on the transformation of scientific and technological achievements, proposing to transfer an invention patent co-owned with Guangzhou Zhongda Nansha Science and Technology Innovation Industrial Park Co., Ltd.“A Novel Component in Ganoderma lucidum Spores and Its Extraction and Isolation Method”, transferred to Guizhou Huahong Biotechnology Co., Ltd., with a transfer amount of RMBRMB 30,000. The inventors of this patented technology areProf. Ge Fahuan and His Team。

The invention proposed for transfer herein successfully extracted and isolated a novel compound from Ganoderma lucidum spore oil. The extraction and isolation method employed a multi-step purification process integrating extraction, defatting, gradient elution, reversed-phase column chromatography, and recrystallization.

Ganoderma lucidum, scientifically known as *Ganoderma lucidum* Karst, is a traditional medicinal fungus. Within the framework of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), it is commonly used to treat deficiency-related conditions such as dizziness and insomnia, palpitations and shortness of breath, as well as chronic cough and asthma associated with consumptive diseases. Modern research indicates that *Ganoderma lucidum* and its derivatives hold significant potential in adjunctive cancer therapy, primarily by enhancing the body’s immune function to combat cancer and mitigate side effects arising during treatment.

Ganoderma lucidum spore powder consists of the microscopic reproductive cells released by Ganoderma lucidum during its maturity stage—essentially the seeds of the mushroom—measuring only 4 to 6 micrometers in size. Each spore features a double-walled structure, with the outer layer encased in rigid chitin-cellulose, a complex polysaccharide that is difficult for the human body to digest and absorb, thereby hindering the release of the active constituents within the spores.

Therefore, cell wall disruption is typically required to break through this outer layer, making the spore contents more readily absorbable by the gastrointestinal tract, thereby fully unleashing the complete genetic material and health benefits of Ganoderma lucidum.

Ganoderma Lucidum Spore OilIt is a concentrated extract derived from Ganoderma lucidum spores, with main components including ganoderic acids, unsaturated fatty acids, and Ganoderma polysaccharides, among other bioactive substances. These components can induce or enhance the phagocytic activity of macrophages. As crucial defensive cells in the human immune system, macrophages are responsible for identifying, engulfing, and eliminating pathogens and abnormal cells, thereby directly or indirectly exerting cytotoxic effects on tumor cells.

In clinical practice, Ganoderma lucidum spore oil is commonly used as an adjunctive therapy to enhance immunity in cancer patients and alleviate a range of adverse effects associated with radiotherapy and chemotherapy, such as fatigue, loss of appetite, vomiting, and hair loss.

However, existing clinical protocols have significant limitations. Although Ganoderma lucidum spore oil has demonstrated certain therapeutic effects, its chemical constituents have not been fully characterized, indicating that clinical research still lacks a comprehensive understanding of its specific active ingredients and mechanisms of action. This lack of clarity regarding its composition may hinder product standardization, thereby affecting the stability and reproducibility of its efficacy.

Meanwhile, although the cell-wall breaking process of Ganoderma lucidum spore powder improves absorption, it may degrade certain heat-sensitive or structurally sensitive active ingredients, thereby reducing overall efficacy. Existing approaches rely on mixed extracts and lack precise isolation and application of specific active constituents, which not only limits the optimization of therapeutic effects but also makes it difficult to precisely control side effects, hindering its further development in the field of precision medicine.

Addressing the bottlenecks of unclear composition, crude extraction processes, and ambiguous mechanisms of action, the team’s invention, “A Novel Component from Ganoderma lucidum Spores and Its Extraction and Separation Method,” has achieved a key breakthrough.

The core advantage of this patented technology is first reflected in itsFirst Successful Isolation and Precise Identification of a Novel Compound with a Well-Defined Structure from Ganoderma Lucidum Spore Oil, breaking the previous "black box" limitation on the composition of Ganoderma lucidum spore oil. In other words, while it was previously known that the mixture had efficacy, it was unclear which specific single molecules were responsible for the effect.

With the help ofNuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy...and other precision instruments, the complete chemical structure of this novel component was successfully determined. This lays a crucial material foundation for subsequent in-depth exploration of its precise pharmacological mechanisms and structure-activity relationships, as well as for its development into a defined active pharmaceutical ingredient. The identification of a new structural monomer from a mixture marks a transition in our understanding of the bioactive constituents of *Ganoderma lucidum* from ambiguity to precision and clarity.

In terms of extraction and separation purification processes, this invention has meticulously designed and optimized a multi-step, highly selective systematic approach, demonstrating significant technological advancement. The process begins withSupercritical Carbon Dioxide Extraction Technology, this technology leverages the unique state of carbon dioxide under high pressure and low temperature to efficiently and gently extract spore oil, thereby avoiding the thermal degradation and harmful residues associated with traditional organic solvent extraction.

Subsequently, an innovative approach was adopted“Silica Gel Column Chromatography – Reversed-Phase Column Chromatography – High-Performance Liquid Chromatography”A Three-Step Progressive Strategy for Refined Separation.Silica Gel Column ChromatographyInitial fractionation was performed by gradient elution with petroleum ether–acetone, leveraging differences in the adsorption affinities of various components on silica gel.Reverse-Phase Column ChromatographyThe reverse-phase characteristics of ODS packing material (octadecylsilane-bonded silica gel) are utilized, with methanol–formic acid as the mobile phase, to further separate substances with similar polarities.

Finally, with the help ofHigh-Performance Liquid ChromatographyThis high-resolution separation technique, employing isocratic elution under specific conditions, successfully achieved the final capture and purification of the target novel constituent. This tandem purification strategy ensured the efficient, high-purity isolation of milligram quantities of this new compound from the highly complex spore oil mixture.

Furthermore, the extraction and separation method established by this invention demonstrates high reproducibility and potential for standardization. The patent provides detailed optimal ranges for a series of critical process parameters, including extraction pressure, temperature, and duration, as well as the solvent ratios used in each elution stage. For instance, the supercritical fluid extraction step specifies precise pressure and temperature intervals for each of the three reaction vessels, while the chromatographic separation step optimizes the proportions and sequence of the elution gradient.

This precise control over production parameters enables stable reproducibility of the process, overcoming the industry-wide challenge of inconsistent batch-to-batch quality commonly encountered in traditional natural product extraction.

In response to the core pain points prevalent in the natural products sector—such as unclear composition, ill-defined mechanisms of action, and poor product uniformity—relevant enterprises and research institutions both domestically and internationally are increasingly focusing on the systematic development of single, high-purity active ingredients derived from specific plants or fungi.

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These reference standards exhibit exceptionally high purity (typically ≥95%, with some, such as β-carotene, reaching up to 97%) and are subject to rigorous quality control, serving as critical references for the qualitative and quantitative analysis of carotenoids in both academic and industrial settings. Their products have been adopted by numerous leading research teams worldwide as authoritative standards for analytical methods such as high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).

Therefore, CaroteNature effectively serves as a “cornerstone” supplier for global carotenoid research and development, supporting the industry’s basic research and quality control of natural pigments, nutritional ingredients, and bioactive substances by providing “measurement standards.”

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