Hedgehog (lion's mane) Hericium erinaceus
Improved brain function
In Japanese men and women aged 50 to 80 years with mild cognitive impairment, cognitive function was improved when taking crested hedgehog. However, there was a decline in cognitive performance again after discontinuation of treatment.
Alzheimer's disease
Hedgehog has anti-dementia activity in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease and in humans with mild cognitive impairment.
Levels of acetylcholine (ACh), a chemical that helps nerve cells communicate, typically decline with age. However, in diseases such as Alzheimer's, acetylcholine levels can drop by as much as 90 percent. Many of the medications currently used to treat this disease work to increase acetylcholine levels.
Hedgehog improved cognitive function and the function of the brain's cholinergic system. It increased concentrations of both acetylcholine and choline acetyltransferase (ChAT, the enzyme that produces acetylcholine) in the blood and in the hypothalamus.
Hedgehog components have been shown to protect neurons from amyloid beta-induced neurotoxicity.
Mood
In a four-week study, menopausal symptoms such as loss of concentration, irritability, palpitations, and anxiety were significantly reduced by treatment with hedgerow extract. This symptom relief also improved sleep quality.
Nerve Tissue Regeneration
Lion's mane enhanced the growth and regeneration of nerve tissue in animal models, both in the brain and the rest of the body.
Lion's mane also promotes nerve regeneration after limb injury in rats.
In a cell culture study, hedgerow promoted the production of nerve growth factor (NGF).
Immunity
Compounds found in hedgehog mushroom improved immune function in mice. A polysaccharide from the mushroom enhanced cellular and humoral immunity; the authors hypothesized that the polysaccharide may regulate the activity of immune cells in the intestinal wall.
Polysaccharides from lion's mane also increased T-cell and macrophage levels. In a 2001 study in ICR mice, a polysaccharide from Hericium erinaceus increased T cells and macrophages and showed significant effects against artificially induced pulmonary metastatic tumours [1].
Bacterial infection
Lion's mane may support an antibacterial immune response. In mice infected with a lethal dose of Salmonella typhimurium, lion's mane prolonged life and protected against liver damage.
Researchers have yet to conduct clinical trials examining the effects of lion's mane on the human immune system.
Oncology:
Hericium extracts and polysaccharides have been studied for antitumour activity in mice [1][2]. This is not evidence of an effect in humans.
In a mouse colon tumour model (CT-26), hot-water and microwave-assisted Hericium extracts increased NK-cell cytotoxicity and restored macrophage phagocytosis and nitric oxide production; tumour weights fell by 38–41% [2].
In the same mouse study, tumours had about 56–60% fewer internal blood vessels, consistent with reduced tumour angiogenesis [2]. Polysaccharides from Hericium erinaceus also showed significant effects against artificially induced lung metastasis in mice [1].
Doses of hedgerow use: 1,000 to 4,000 g of aqueous extract. Take 1 to 4 capsules twice daily in the morning and evening on an empty stomach.
Sources
- Wang JC, Hu SH, Su CH, Lee TM. Antitumor and immunoenhancing activities of polysaccharide from culture broth of Hericium spp. Kaohsiung J Med Sci. 2001;17(9):461-7. PubMed 11842649
- Kim SP, Kang MY, Kim JH, Nam SH, Friedman M. Composition and mechanism of antitumor effects of Hericium erinaceus mushroom extracts in tumor-bearing mice. J Agric Food Chem. 2011;59(18):9861-9. PubMed 21846141 · doi:10.1021/jf201944n