Ganoderma lucidum L. (GL) is a traditional oriental medicine that has been widely used as anti-inflammatory, antitumor and anti-oxidant in Korea and other Asian countries. In this study, we investigated the ethanol extract of GL has neuroprotective effects in murine hippocampal HT22 cells. GL ethanol extract has the potent neuroprotective effects on glutamate-intoxicated cells by inducing the expression of heme oxygenase (HO)-1 in HT22 cells. GL ethanol extract increased JNK phosphorylation. Obviously, When we treated the GL extract with c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) inhibitor (SP600125), HO-1 expression was reduced. Moreover, we found that GL treatment caused the nuclear accumulation of Nrf2. In conclusion, the ethanol extract of GL significantly protects glutamate-induced oxidative damage by induction of HO-1 via Nrf2, JNK pathway in mouse hippocampal HT22. These results suggest that GL ethanol extract would be a good source for taking active compounds and may be a potential pharmaceutical products for brain disorder induced by neuronal damage and oxidative stress.