Nutrients and Nutraceuticals Content and In Vitro Biological Activities of Reishi Mushroom (Ganoderma lucidum) Fruiting Bodies Mai A. Gharib 1 , Hanan A. Radwan 2 , and Yousif A. Elhassaneen 1* DOI: 10.21608/asejaiqjsae.2022.245271 1 Department of Nutrition and Food Science, Faculty of Home Economics, Minoufiya University, Shebin El-Kom, Egypt and 2 Department of Home Economics, Faculty of Specific Education, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt * Corresponding Author: yousif12@hotmail.com, ORCID ID: 0000 – 0002 – 4793 – 1115. https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1391-3653 Received May 15, 2022, Accepted, June20, 2022. ABSTRACT The present study aims to determine the nutrients and nutraceuticals content and in vitro biological activities of reishi mushroom (Ganoderma lucidum) fruiting bodies. Data of the nutrients composition of Ganoderma lucidum powder indicated that crude fiber and carbohydrates were the most largest compounds (50.19 and 37.33%, respectively) followed by total protein (8.54 %), ash (2.03 %) and crude fat (1.91%.). Also, Ganoderma lucidum powder is rich in different estimated elements (K, P, Ca, Mg, Na, Fe, Zn, Mn, Cu and Se) and vitamins (A, B1, B2, B3, B6, zb9, C and E). Furthermore, nutraceuticals (bioactive compounds) content of Ganoderma lucidum powder indicated that terpenoids were the most largest compound (2541 mg linalol.100 g -1 ) followed by polysaccharides (1635 mg starch equivalent. 100 g -1 ), phenolics (572.67 mg gallic acid equivalent. 100g -1 ), triterpenoids (495 mg ursolic acid.100 g -1 ), Flavonoids (279.34 mg catechin.100 g -1 ), and Lycopene (253.11 μg.100 g -1 ). The different extracts of Ganoderma lucidum samples particularly ethanolic and methanolic also recorded several very high biological activities which include antioxidant activity, scavenging of free radicals, inhibition of low density lipoprotein oxidation (anti-atherosclerotic) and as antibacterial and antifungal. Such important biological effects could play important roles in strategies to combat/ prevent/treat many diseases, especially those for which oxidative stress is one of the mechanisms for its occurrence i.e. diabetes, cancer, atherosclerosis, cardiovascular diseases etc. Therefore, the present study recommended like of that Ganoderma lucidum fruiting bodies powder and/or extracts to be included in our daily diets, drinks, food supplementation and pharmacological formulae. Keywords: Ganoderma lucidum, vitamins, minerals, bioactive compounds, anti-atherosclerotic, free radicals scavenging, antibacterial, antifungal. INTRODUCTION Various countries of the world, including Egypt, are currently suffering from a large food gap, which means the disproportion between the necessary food quantities and the number of the population (Madi, 2014). Such food gap leads the country to import food from abroad to compensate for this shortage in order to avoid the emergence of under/malnutrition diseases among some classes of society. Among the proposed solutions, which received great popularity locally and globally, to bridge the food gap is the search for new sources of food. On the top of these sources are the plant organisms known as algae, due to their rapid growth and reproduction in various climatic conditions, their lack of need for special care treatments, and their richness in important nutrient groups such as protein, high-quality fats, vitamins and minerals (Stojkovic et al., 2014a; Sumaira et al., 2016). On the other hand, it is rich in various groups of bioactive compounds with important biological activities, which play a major role as natural sources of medicine instead of costly chemically manufactured treatments/medicines, which may cause health complications and dangerous side effects that result from their use. All of these factors and others make algae an affordable and accessible source of nutritional ingredients, as well as a promising source of pharmaceutical compounds. The reishi mushroom (Ganoderma lucidum) is a whiteout, wood-decaying fungus that is classified within the family Ganodermaceae of Polyporales which shows hard fruiting bodies (Chang, 1995;Wasser and Weis, 1999). Ganoderma species are found all over the world, and different characteristics (Zhao and Zhang, 1994). They grow either as biotrophes on live trees, or necrotrophes on dead trees, logs and stumps. Ganoderma species can survive under hot and humid environments such as sub-tropical and tropical regions (Moncalvo and Ryvarden, 1997). Reishi mushroom (Ganoderma lucidum) fruiting bodies