Hericium erinaceus, an amazing medicinal mushroom

Abstract

Medicinal mushrooms have become a compelling topic because the bioactive compounds they contain promise a plethora of therapeutic properties. Hericium erinaceus commonly known as "Houtou" or "Shishigashira" in China and "Yamabushitake" in Japan, has commonly been prescribed in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), because its consumption has been shown to be beneficial to human health. The species is found throughout the northern hemisphere in Europe, Asia, and North America. Hericium erinaceus has been firmly established as an important medicinal mushroom and its numerous bioactive compounds have been developed into food supplements and alternative medicines. However, the correspondence of the active components that cause the observed effects is often not clear. The mushroom as well as the fermented mycelia have been reported to produce several classes of bioactive molecules, including polysaccharides, proteins, lectins, phenols, and terpenoids. Most interestingly, two classes of terpenoid compounds, hericenones and erinacines, from fruiting bodies and cultured mycelia, respectively, have been found to stimulate nerve growth factor (NGF) synthesis. In this review we examine the scientific literature to explore and highlight the scientific facts concerning medicinal properties of H. erinaceus. We provide up-to-date information on this mushroom, including its taxonomy and a summary of bioactive compounds that appear related to the therapeutic potential of H. erinaceus.

Two new records of hydnoid fungi from the Western Ghats of India

“…are also known for their therapeutic potential especially in stimulation or synthesis of nerve growth factor (NGF) and several health-promoting principles including those used in treatment of dementia (e.g. metabolites of H. erinaceus: Kawagishi and Zhuang 2008, Ma et al 2010, Friedman 2015, Thongbai et al 2015. It is also known that H. erinaceus possess polysaccharide belonging to -glucan group showing potent antitumor activities (Seok et al 2009).…”

Taxonomical and chorological notes 8 (85–93)

“…Á. Folcz and A. Koszka Th e familiar medicinal mushroom, Hericium erinaceus can be easily identifi ed macroscopically by the conspicuous basidiomes consisting of numerous, typically long, dangling, fl eshy simple spines, which are at fi rst white, and becoming yellowish, then brownish with age (Thongbai et al 2015). In Europe it grows predominantly in old-growth forests, on living, weakened trees or dead trunks of oak and beech trees (Boddy et al 2011, Kunca andČiliak 2015).…”

Therapeutic Potential of Hericium erinaceus for Depressive Disorder

“…Mushrooms are functional foods with high nutritional values and are great sources for novel therapeutic compounds [13,16]. Hericium erinaceus is a medicinal-culinary mushroom widely found in East Asian countries and is commonly known as lion's mane mushroom, Yamabushitake, or monkey's head mushroom [17]. Hericium erinaceus has a long history as a medicine [17] and has been found to promote positive nerve and brain health.…”

“…Hericium erinaceus is a medicinal-culinary mushroom widely found in East Asian countries and is commonly known as lion's mane mushroom, Yamabushitake, or monkey's head mushroom [17]. Hericium erinaceus has a long history as a medicine [17] and has been found to promote positive nerve and brain health. It has great potential in treating neurological disorders as it contains neurotrophic compounds that can pass through the blood-brain barrier [18,19].…”