Lion's Mane Mushroom
Scientific Name(s): Hericium erinaceus
Common Name(s): Bear's head mushroom, Bearded hedgehog mushroom, Bearded tooth fungus/mushroom, Hog head fungus, Hou tou gu (Chinese), Lion's mane mushroom, Monkey head mushroom, Old man's beard mushroom, Pom pom mushroom, Satyr's beard fungus, White beard mushroom, Yamabushitake (Japanese)
Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Nov 21, 2023.
Clinical Overview
Use
Lion's mane mushroom may possess neuroprotective effects, suggesting benefit in neurodegenerative disease as well as in the management of nerve injury. Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities have been demonstrated. However, clinical trials are lacking to support use of lion's mane mushroom for any indication.
Dosing
Few clinical studies have been reported in the literature. Lion's mane mushrooms have been consumed in traditional folk medicine and medicinal cuisine. In clinical studies evaluating effects on cognitive function, the following dosages have been used: 750 mg/day of Yamabushitake (administered as a 250 mg tablet [containing 96% Yamabushitake dry powder] 3 times a day) for 16 weeks; H. erinaceus in tablet form was administered as 3 g/day for 16 weeks; and 5 g/day of the fruiting body was consumed in soup.
Contraindications
Information is lacking.
Pregnancy/Lactation
Avoid use. Information regarding safety and efficacy in pregnancy and lactation is lacking.
Interactions
None well documented.
Adverse Reactions
Information is limited. GI disturbances have been reported.
Toxicology
No data.
Scientific Family
- Hericiaceae (teeth fungus)
Botany
H. erinaceus is an edible fungus native to North America, Europe, and Asia. It is characterized by its long spines and beard-like appearance. The whitish mushroom spines lack a distinct cap, and the fleshy body grows in a semi-spherical shape, gradually changing to a yellowish-brown color over time. Devoid of chlorophyll, the mushroom is a saprotroph living mostly on dead wood. It can be found during late summer, particularly on American beech hardwood trees.Friedman 2015, He 2017 Synonyms of H. erinaceus include Clavaria erinaceus, Dryodon erinaceus, and Hydnum erinaceus.
Artificial cultivation has been described. The fungus is able to absorb minerals from the cultivation media, including heavy metals.Jiang 2014
History
Lion's mane mushroom is widely consumed in Asian countries (China, India, Japan, and Korea) both for culinary and medicinal purposes. H. erinaceus has been named "hou tou gu" and is listed as one of the "four famous cuisines" of China, together with bear's paws, trepang, and shark's fin. While the health benefits of H. erinaceus have been known, scientific studies regarding physiological and pharmacological functions only started appearing in the literature in the 1990s, mostly from Chinese researchers.Jiang 2014, Wang 2014 It is believed to have multiple health-promoting properties, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immune-stimulating properties. According to a traditional Chinese medicine text, lion's mane mushroom is capable of "fortifying the spleen, nourishing the stomach, and tranquilizing the mind."Friedman 2015, He 2017, Khan 2013 H. erinaceus has also been used as a fermentation substrate for production of mushroom wine and vinegar.Friedman 2015
Chemistry
Bioactive organic compounds have been identified in H. erinaceus fruiting bodies and mycelia, and include erinacines, other aromatic compounds (such as hericerin compounds), steroids, alkaloids, and lactones.Friedman 2015, Li 2015 Aromatic compounds produce the characteristic flavor and odor of H. erinaceus mushrooms, which have been described as seafood-like.Jiang 2014
The main polysaccharides identified include beta-glucans, alpha-glucans, and glucan-protein complexes. Medicinal properties have been attributed to these bioactive compounds.Friedman 2015, Jiang 2014, Wang 2014
Although some mushrooms contain vitamin B12, H. erinaceus contains a biologically inactive lactone form of the vitamin, and therefore is not a suitable dietary source for vegetarians.Friedman 2015 Similarly, low concentrations of ergosterol have been identified in H. erinaceus. Ergosterol is transformed to vitamin D when exposed to UV-B light, a process used in commercially marketed vitamin D–containing mushrooms.Friedman 2015
Uses and Pharmacology
Antimicrobial activity
In vitro data
In vitro, extracts of H. erinaceus have shown activity against human pathogenic bacteria, including some antibiotic-resistant strains,Friedman 2015 and against Helicobacter pylori.Friedman 2015, Liu 2016
Cancer
Animal and in vitro data
Enhanced apoptosis and antiproliferative effects, including inhibition of angiogenic factors, have been demonstrated using human cancer cell lines and rodent models.Friedman 2015, He 2017, Jiang 2014, Li 2014
Cardiovascular effects
Animal data
Antioxidant effects have been described.Friedman 2015, He 2017, Jiang 2014, Wang 2017 Studies in rodents suggest anti-ischemic effects of an H. erinaceus polysaccharide, with a decrease in serum urea nitrogen and serum creatinine compared with the control.Friedman 2015 Extracts of a mycelial culture of H. erinaceus positively influenced the lipid profile of dietary-induced hyperlipidemic and streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.He 2017, Hiraki 2017, Jiang 2014, Khan 2013, Liang 2013 The chemical constituent hericenone B has demonstrated antiplatelet aggregation in vitro (in human and rabbit platelets) via inhibition of arachidonic acid release.Friedman 2015, Jiang 2014, Khan 2013 Lion's mane mushroom extract has also demonstrated angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitory activity in vitro.Khan 2013
CNS effects
Animal data
Neuroprotective effects of lion's mane mushroom have been demonstrated in vitro and in animal studies.Friedman 2015, He 2017, Khan 2013, Li 2018 In studies in mouse models of Alzheimer disease, dietary administration of H. erinaceus powder reduced spatial short-term and visual recognition memory impairment; inhibition of plaque growth, diminished activation of glial cells, and hippocampal neurogenesis have also been demonstrated.Brandalise 2017, Cheng 2016, Khan 2013, Tsai-Teng 2016, Tzeng 2018, Zhang 2016
In studies using mouse models of Parkinson disease, protective effects of H. erinaceus on neuronal cell cytotoxicity and apoptosis were reported to reverse motor deficits.Kuo 2016, Trovato 2016
The ethanol extract of H. erinaceus promoted nerve growth factor in vitro,Khan 2013, Zhang 2017, Zhang 2018 and in one study, peripheral nerve regeneration after injury was enhanced in rats.Wong 2016 When an extract of H. erinaceus was used in cultivated cerebellar cells, a regulatory effect on myelin genesis was reported.Jiang 2014, Khan 2013 Inhibition of cell senescence and accelerated wound healing in rats has also been demonstrated.Friedman 2015
Stress testing in mice has demonstrated antidepressant effects, including changes in proinflammatory cytokines and decreased levels of the neurotransmitters norepinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin.Chiu 2018 Decreased wakefulness occurred in a study of behavioral rhythm in mice.Furuta 2016 In a study using the forced swimming test in mice, H. erinaceus extract was protective, as evidenced by biochemical parameters related to fatigue.Liu 2015
Clinical data
Limited clinical studies have been conducted. Reductions in depressive symptoms and anxiety occurred in a study of perimenopausal women (N=30) consuming 2 g/day of powdered fruiting body over 4 weeks.Nagano 2010
In a clinical study conducted in Japanese men and women with mild cognitive impairment (N=30), oral administration of 1 g of lion's mane mushroom 3 times a day over 16 weeks increased cognitive function scores. There were no adverse effects according to laboratory tests.Khan 2013, Mori 2009 A case series of 10 patients provided limited data regarding effects in patients with schizophrenia.Inanaga 2014
Diabetes
Animal data
Limited studies have been conducted in rodents with induced diabetes. Decreased serum glucose and increased insulin have been demonstrated with aqueous extracts of H. erinaceus.Friedman 2015, Lakshmanan 2016, Liang 2013 Other studies have shown an improved lipid profileHiraki 2017 and relief from diabetic neuropathic pain.Yi 2015
GI effects
Animal data
Lion's mane mushroom polysaccharides diminished induced colitis and gastric mucosal lesions in rodents due to a combination of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity, as well as alteration in gut microbes.Diling 2017, Qin 2016, Ren 2018, Wang 2018, Wang 2018 In a study of ducklings infected with a retrovirus, H. erinaceus extract enhanced small intestinal mucosa repair and restored intestinal mucosal barrier functions.Wu 2018
Clinical data
A 1985 clinical study evaluated H. erinaceus extract in 50 patients with chronic atrophic gastritis over 3 months. Upper abdominal pain and inflammatory indices were reduced in the treatment group.Xu 1985
Hepatoprotective effects
Animal data
Antioxidant activity of H. erinaceus polysaccharides may explain hepatoprotective effects observed in rodent studies.Cui 2016, Hao 2015
Immunomodulatory effects
Animal and in vitro data
Lion's mane mushroom polysaccharides and H. erinaceus extracts have demonstrated immune-enhancing effects in vitro.Friedman 2015, Ren 2017 Immune function is theorized to increase via activation of macrophages, with a resulting increase in release of proinflammatory cytokines and interleukins, as well as by regulation of intestinal microbiota.Diling 2017, He 2017, Jiang 2014, Khan 2013, Sheng 2017
Dosing
Few clinical studies have been reported in the literature. Lion's mane mushrooms have been consumed in traditional folk medicine and medicinal cuisine. In clinical studies evaluating effects on cognitive function, the following dosages have been used: 750 mg/day of Yamabushitake (administered as a 250 mg tablet [containing 96% Yamabushitake dry powder] 3 times a day) for 16 weeksMori 2009; H. erinaceus in tablet form was administered as 3 g/day for 16 weeksWang 2014; and 5 g/day of the fruiting body was consumed in soup.Wang 2014
Pregnancy / Lactation
Avoid use. Information regarding safety and efficacy in pregnancy and lactation is lacking.
Interactions
Information is lacking. Antiplatelet aggregation has been demonstrated in vitroFriedman 2015; however, no clinical data regarding any potential implications are available in the literature.
Adverse Reactions
Few clinical studies have been reported in the literature.
In one clinical study in which lion's mane mushroom 1 g was taken 3 times a day over 16 weeks, mild stomach discomfort and diarrhea were reported.Mori 2009 One case of hypomenorrhea was reported in another clinical study in which participants consumed 2 g of powdered fruiting body per day over 4 weeks; no other adverse reactions were reported.Nagano 2010
Toxicology
Information is limited. The few studies conducted report no adverse hematological or morphological changes based on subchronic rodent toxicity tests, and no mutagenicity or genotoxicity based on standard reverse mutation, chromosomal aberration, and micronuclei tests.Lakshmanan 2016, Li 2014, Li 2014
Studies in rodents have reported "no-observed-adverse-effect levels" of greater than 1 g/kg and greater than 3 g/kg body weight per day of erinacine A–enriched H. erinaceusLakshmanan 2016, Li 2014; the no-observed-adverse-effect level of greater than 1 g/kg equates to approximately 11.3 g/day for a 70 kg adult.Lakshmanan 2016
Index Terms
- Clavaria erinaceus
- Dryodon erinaceus
- Hydnum erinaceus
References
Disclaimer
This information relates to an herbal, vitamin, mineral or other dietary supplement. This product has not been reviewed by the FDA to determine whether it is safe or effective and is not subject to the quality standards and safety information collection standards that are applicable to most prescription drugs. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to take this product. This information does not endorse this product as safe, effective, or approved for treating any patient or health condition. This is only a brief summary of general information about this product. It does NOT include all information about the possible uses, directions, warnings, precautions, interactions, adverse effects, or risks that may apply to this product. This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. You should talk with your health care provider for complete information about the risks and benefits of using this product.
This product may adversely interact with certain health and medical conditions, other prescription and over-the-counter drugs, foods, or other dietary supplements. This product may be unsafe when used before surgery or other medical procedures. It is important to fully inform your doctor about the herbal, vitamins, mineral or any other supplements you are taking before any kind of surgery or medical procedure. With the exception of certain products that are generally recognized as safe in normal quantities, including use of folic acid and prenatal vitamins during pregnancy, this product has not been sufficiently studied to determine whether it is safe to use during pregnancy or nursing or by persons younger than 2 years of age.
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