Absolute Bioavailability, Tissue Distribution, and Excretion of Erinacine S in Hericium erinaceus Mycelia

Erinacine S, a small active component derived from Hericium erinaceus, protects oligodendrocytes and alleviates mood abnormalities in cuprizone-exposed rodents

Hericium erinaceus mycelium extract (HEM), containing erinacine A (HeA) and erinacine S (HeS), has shown promise in promoting the differentiation of oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) into mature oligodendrocytes (OLs), crucial for myelin production in the central nervous system (CNS). The main aim of this study was to characterize the protective effects of HEM and its components on OLs and myelin in demyelinating rodents by exposure to cuprizone (CPZ), a copper chelating agent commonly used to induce demyelination in the corpus callosum of the brain. Rats were fed by CPZ-containing diet and simultaneously orally administered HEM, HeA, or HeS on a daily basis for three weeks. We found that HEM and HeS preserved myelin and OLs in the corpus callosum of CPZ-fed rats, along with reduced microglia and astrocyte activation, and downregulated IL-1β expression. Furthermore, post-treatment with HeS, in mouse models with acute (6 weeks) or chronic (12 weeks) CPZ-induced demyelination demonstrated oral administration during the final 4 weeks (HeS4/6 or HeS4/12) effectively preserved myelin in the corpus callosum. Additionally, HeS4/6 and HeS4/12 inhibited anxious and depressive-like behaviors in CPZ-fed mice. In summary, simultaneous administration of HEM and HeS in rats during short-term CPZ intoxication preserved OLs and myelin. Furthermore, post-administration of HeS not only inhibited demyelination and gliosis but also alleviated anxiety and depression in both acute and chronic CPZ-fed mice. This study presents compelling evidence supporting the potential of HeS as a promising small active compound for protecting OLs and preserving myelin in demyelinating diseases associated with emotional disorders.

The Acute and Chronic Effects of Lion's Mane Mushroom Supplementation on Cognitive Function, Stress and Mood in Young Adults: A Double-Blind, Parallel Groups, Pilot Study

BACKGROUND

Given the bioactive properties and limited work to date, Hericium erinaceus (Lion's mane) shows promise in improving cognitive function and mood. However, much of the human research has concentrated on chronic supplementation in cognitively compromised cohorts.

OBJECTIVE

The current pilot study investigated the acute and chronic (28-day) cognitive and mood-enhancing effects of Hericium erinaceus in a healthy, young adult cohort.

DESIGN

This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-groups design investigated the acute (60 min post dose) and chronic (28-day intervention) effects of 1.8 g Hericium erinaceus in 41 healthy adults aged 18-45 years.

RESULTS

Analysis revealed that following a single dose of Hericium erinaceus, participants performed quicker on the Stroop task (p = 0.005) at 60 min post dose. A trend towards reduced subjective stress was observed following 28-day supplementation (p = 0.051).

CONCLUSIONS

The findings tentatively suggest that Hericium erinaceus may improve speed of performance and reduce subjective stress in healthy, young adults. However, null and limited negative findings were also observed. Given the small sample size, these findings should be interpreted with caution. Further investigation in larger sample sizes is crucial, however the findings of this trial offer a promising avenue of interest.

Neurotrophic and Neuroprotective Effects of Hericium erinaceus

Hericium erinaceus is a valuable mushroom known for its strong bioactive properties. It shows promising potential as an excellent neuroprotective agent, capable of stimulating nerve growth factor release, regulating inflammatory processes, reducing oxidative stress, and safeguarding nerve cells from apoptosis. The active compounds in the mushroom, such as erinacines and hericenones, have been the subject of research, providing evidence of their neuroprotective effects. Further research and standardization processes for dietary supplements focused on H. erinaceus are essential to ensuring effectiveness and safety in protecting the nervous system. Advancements in isolation and characterization techniques, along with improved access to pure analytical standards, will play a critical role in achieving standardized, high-quality dietary supplements based on H. erinaceus. The aim of this study is to analyze the protective and nourishing effects of H. erinaceus on the nervous system and present the most up-to-date research findings related to this topic.

Comprehensive Review of Nutraceuticals against Cognitive Decline Associated with Alzheimer's Disease

Nowadays, nutraceuticals are being incorporated into functional foods or used as supplements with nonpharmacological approaches in the prevention and management of several illnesses, including age-related conditions and chronic neurodegenerative diseases. Nutraceuticals are apt for preventing and treating such disorders because of their nontoxic, non-habit-forming, and efficient bioactivities for promoting neurological well-being due to their ability to influence cellular processes such as neurogenesis, synaptogenesis, synaptic transmission, neuro-inflammation, oxidative stress, cell death modulation, and neuronal survival. The capacity of nutraceuticals to modify all of these processes reveals the potential to develop food-based strategies to aid brain development and enhance brain function, prevent and ameliorate neurodegeneration, and possibly reverse the cognitive impairment observed in Alzheimer's disease, the most predominant form of dementia in the elderly. The current review summarizes the experimental evidence of the neuroprotective capacity of nutraceuticals against Alzheimer's disease, describing their mechanisms of action and the in vitro and in vivo models applied to evaluate their neuroprotective potential.

Hericerin derivatives activates a pan-neurotrophic pathway in central hippocampal neurons converging to ERK1/2 signaling enhancing spatial memory

The traditional medicinal mushroom Hericium erinaceus is known for enhancing peripheral nerve regeneration through targeting nerve growth factor (NGF) neurotrophic activity. Here, we purified and identified biologically new active compounds from H. erinaceus, based on their ability to promote neurite outgrowth in hippocampal neurons. N-de phenylethyl isohericerin (NDPIH), an isoindoline compound from this mushroom, together with its hydrophobic derivative hericene A, were highly potent in promoting extensive axon outgrowth and neurite branching in cultured hippocampal neurons even in the absence of serum, demonstrating potent neurotrophic activity. Pharmacological inhibition of tropomyosin receptor kinase B (TrkB) by ANA-12 only partly prevented the NDPIH-induced neurotrophic activity, suggesting a potential link with BDNF signaling. However, we found that NDPIH activated ERK1/2 signaling in the absence of TrkB in HEK-293T cells, an effect that was not sensitive to ANA-12 in the presence of TrkB. Our results demonstrate that NDPIH acts via a complementary neurotrophic pathway independent of TrkB with converging downstream ERK1/2 activation. Mice fed with H. erinaceus crude extract and hericene A also exhibited increased neurotrophin expression and downstream signaling, resulting in significantly enhanced hippocampal memory. Hericene A therefore acts through a novel pan-neurotrophic signaling pathway, leading to improved cognitive performance.

Hericium erinaceus in Neurodegenerative Diseases: From Bench to Bedside and Beyond, How Far from the Shoreline?

A growing number of studies is focusing on the pharmacology and feasibility of bioactive compounds as a novel valuable approach to target a variety of human diseases related to neurological degeneration. Among the group of the so-called medicinal mushrooms (MMs), Hericium erinaceus has become one of the most promising candidates. In fact, some of the bioactive compounds extracted from H. erinaceus have been shown to recover, or at least ameliorate, a wide range of pathological brain conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, depression, Parkinson's disease, and spinal cord injury. In a large body of in vitro and in vivo preclinical studies on the central nervous system (CNS), the effects of erinacines have been correlated with a significant increase in the production of neurotrophic factors. Despite the promising outcome of preclinical investigations, only a limited number of clinical trials have been carried out so far in different neurological conditions. In this survey, we summarized the current state of knowledge on H. erinaceus dietary supplementation and its therapeutic potential in clinical settings. The bulk collected evidence underlies the urgent need to carry out further/wider clinical trials to prove the safety and efficacy of H. erinaceus supplementation, offering significant neuroprotective applications in brain pathologies.

Prolonging effects of Valeriana fauriei root extract on pentobarbital-induced sleep in caffeine-induced insomnia model mice and the pharmacokinetics of its active ingredients under conditions of glycerol fatty acid ester as emulsifiers

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Valeriana plant roots have traditionally been used to treat central nervous system-related disorders in European countries. Among this genus, the Japanese Pharmacopoeia registers the dried roots of V. fauriei Briq. (VF). However, insufficient pharmacological data are available for this species.

AIM OF THE STUDY

We investigated the sedative effects of VF extract in a murine caffeine-induced insomnia model as well as the active ingredients and their pharmacokinetics to determine its basic pharmacological action mechanisms under conditions glycerol fatty acid ester is used as emulsifiers.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A murine insomnia model was created by caffeine. Samples derived from the ethanol extract of VF were administered per oral (p.o.), and caffeine was injected intraperitoneally (i.p.). Pentobarbital was injected i.p. and the sleep latency and duration were measured. To confirm the mechanism of action of VF, flumazenil, a specific γ-aminobutyric acid receptor type A (GABA_A receptor) antagonist, was administered (i.p.) immediately prior to the sample administration. We examined the pharmacokinetic profiles of the active ingredients in the plasma, brain, urine, and feces of mice after the administration (p.o and intravenous (i.v.)) of VF samples.

RESULTS

VF extract (5 g as VF/kg, p.o.) significantly shorten sleep latency and prolonged pentobarbital-induced sleep in caffeine-induced insomnia mice, partially mediated via the GABAergic nervous system, although a higher dose (10 g as VF/kg, p.o.) was required to exhibit the significant effects in normal mice. Kessyl glycol diacetate (KGD), the main constitutive compound in VF, did not shorten sleep latency but exhibited the same sleep prolonged effect at a dose related to VF extract. The concentration of kessyl glycol 8-acetate (KG8) in the plasma was higher than that of KGD in mice treated (p.o.) with VF extract. The profiles of brain concentrations of KGD and KG8 were similar to those in the plasma, and approximately 20% of those in the plasma were distributed throughout the brain. The excretions of KGD and KG8 in urine and feces was slightly detected, and an unknown large peak related to KG8 was detected in the urine of mice administered with VF extract by HPLC-MS/MS analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

VF exhibits more sedative effects under stressed conditions, such as insomnia, and the major active ingredients are KGD and its metabolite KG8, which are distributed from the blood circulation into the brain by simple diffusion. KG8 is further metabolized into other metabolites that are easily excreted in the urine.

The Phytochemical Potential for Brain Disease Therapy and the Possible Nanodelivery Solutions for Brain Access

Plant-derived phytochemicals have gifted humans with vast therapeutic potentials. Yet, the unique features of the blood–brain barrier significantly limit their accession to the target tissue and thus clinical translation in brain disease treatment. Herein, we explore the medicinal outcomes of both the rare examples of phytochemicals that can easily translocate across the blood–brain barrier and most of the phytochemicals that were reported with brain therapeutic effects, but a bizarre amount of dosage is required due to their chemical nature. Lastly, we offer the nanodelivery platform that is capable of optimizing the targeted delivery and application of the non-permeable phytochemicals as well as utilizing the permeable phytochemicals for boosting novel applications of nanodelivery toward brain therapies.

Edible Mushrooms as a Potential Component of Dietary Interventions for Major Depressive Disorder

Dietary interventions for people suffering from major depressive disorder (MDD) are an ongoing field of research. In this article, we present a comprehensive background for understanding the possibility of using edible medicinal mushrooms as an adjunctive treatment for MDD. We start with a brief history of MDD, its diagnosis, epidemiology and treatment, and the effects of diet on depression symptoms, followed by a review of neurobiological, behavioral, and clinical studies of medicinal mushrooms. We specifically highlight the results of preclinical and clinical studies on dietary supplementation with three selected mushroom species: Lion’s mane (Hericium erinaceus), Caterpillar mushroom (Cordyceps militaris), and Lingzhi/Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum). Preliminary small-sample clinical studies suggest that Lion’s mane can influence well-being of humans. In the case of Reishi, the results of clinical studies are equivocal, while in the case of Caterpillar Mushroom, such studies are underway. Edible mushrooms contain 5-hydroxy-L-tryptophan (5-HTP), which is a direct precursor of serotonin—a neurotransmitter targeted in pharmacotherapy of MDD. Therefore, in light of the well-recognized role of stress as a pathogenic factor of MDD, we also describe the neurobiological mechanisms of the interaction between stress and serotonergic neurotransmission; and summarize the current state of knowledge on dietary supplementation with 5-HTP in MDD.

Hericium erinaceus mycelium ameliorate anxiety induced by continuous sleep disturbance in vivo

BACKGROUND

Sleep disruption is a major public health issue and may increase the risk of mortality by ten-folds if an individual is sleeping less than 6 h per night. Sleep has changed dramatically during to the COVID-19 pandemic because COVID symptoms can lead to psychological distress including anxiety. Hericium erinaceus mycelium has been widely investigated in both the in vivo studies and clinical trials for its neuroprotective functions because the mycelium contains hericenones and erinacines, which synthesize the nerve growth factor and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). Recent in vivo reports have shown showed that erinacine A-enriched Hericium erinaceus mycelium can modulate BDNF/TrkB/PI3K/Akt/GSK-3β pathways to induce an antidepressant-like effect. A large body of evidence indicates that erinacine can pass the blood-brain barrier and suggests its neuroprotective function in both peripheral and central nervous systems. Thus, Hericium erinaceus mycelium may be a dual-function supplement for sleep disruption improvement while sustaining anxiolytic effects.

METHOD

To simulate the condition of sleep disruption, the mice were subjected to the tail suspension test (TST) for 15 min every day during the same period for nine consecutive days. Two different doses (75 and 150 mg/kg) of Hericium erinaceus mycelium were administered orally 20 min prior to the TSTs before entering the light period of 12:12 h L:D cycle. All sleep-wake recording was recorded for 24 h using electroencephalogram and electromyogram. The elevated-plus-maze and open-field tests were conducted to record the behavior activities.

RESULTS

Consecutive TSTs prior to the light period could cause significant sleep disturbance and anxiety behavior in the elevated-plus-maze experiments. Results showed that administration with Hericium erinaceus mycelium at 150 mg/kg ameliorated the rodent anxiety (p < 0.05) and reversed the TST-induced NREM sleep disturbance in the dark period.

CONCLUSION

This is the first in vivo study suggesting that Hericium erinaceus mycelium has a dual potential role for anxiety relief through improving sleep disruptions.

Preclinical Bioavailability, Tissue Distribution, and Protein Binding Studies of Erinacine A, a Bioactive Compound from Hericium erinaceus Mycelia Using Validated LC-MS/MS Method

Erinacine A, derived from the mycelia of Hericium erinaceus, has attracted much attention due to its neuroprotective properties. However, very few studies have been conducted on the bioavailability, tissue distribution, and protein binding of erinacine A. This study aimed to investigate the bioavailability, tissue distribution, and protein binding of erinacine A in Sprague-Dawley rats. After oral administration (po) and intravenous administration (iv) of 2.381 g/kg BW of the H. erinaceus mycelia extract (equivalent to 50 mg/kg BW of erinacine A) and 5 mg/kg BW of erinacine A, respectively, the absolute bioavailability of erinacine A was estimated as 24.39%. Erinacine A was detected in brain at 1 h after oral dosing and reached the peak at 8 h. Protein binding assay showed unbound erinacine A fractions in brain to blood ratio is close to unity, supporting passive diffusion as the dominating transport. Feces was the major route for the elimination of erinacine A. This study is the first to show that erinacine A can penetrate the blood-brain barrier of rats by the means of passive diffusion and thus support the development of H. erinaceus mycelia for the improvement of neurohealth.

Hericium erinaceus mycelium and its small bioactive compounds promote oligodendrocyte maturation with an increase in myelin basic protein

Oligodendrocytes (OLs), myelin-producing glia in the central nervous system (CNS), produce a myelin extension that enwraps axons to facilitate action potential propagation. An effective approach to induce oligodendrogenesis and myelination is important to foster CNS development and promote myelin repair in neurological diseases. Hericium (H.) erinaceus, an edible and culinary-medicinal mushroom, has been characterized as having neuroprotective activities. However, its effect on OL differentiation has not yet been uncovered. In this study using oligodendrocyte precursor cell (OPC) cultures and an ex vivo cerebellar slice system, we found that the extract from H. erinaceus mycelium (HEM) not only promoted the differentiation of OPCs to OLs in the differentiation medium, but also increased the level of myelin basic protein (MBP) on neuronal fibers. Moreover, daily oral administration of HEM into neonatal rat pups for 7 days enhanced MBP expression and OLs in the corpus callosum of the postnatal rat brain. The effect of HEM-derived bioactive compounds, the diterpenoid xylosides erinacine A (HeA) and HeC and a sesterterpene with 5 isoprene units called HeS, were further evaluated. The results showed that HeA and HeS more potently stimulated MBP expression in OLs and increased the number of OLs. Moreover, overlap between MBP immunoreactivity and neuronal fibers in cultured cerebellar tissue slices was significantly increased in the presence of HeA and HeS. In summary, our findings indicate that HEM extract and its ingredients HeA and HeS display promising functional effects and promote OL maturation, providing insights into their potential for myelination in neurodevelopmental disorders.

Prevention of Early Alzheimer's Disease by Erinacine A-Enriched Hericium erinaceus Mycelia Pilot Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Study

Objective

To investigate the efficacy and safety of three H. erinaceus mycelia (EAHE) capsules (350 mg/capsule; containing 5 mg/g erinacine A active ingredient) per day for the treatment of patients with mild Alzheimer’s Disease (AD).

Methods

This study comprised a 3-week no-drug screening period, followed by a 49-week double-blind treatment period with 2-parallel groups in which eligible patients were randomized to either three 5 mg/g EAHE mycelia capsules per day or identical appearing placebo capsules. Cognitive assessments, ophthalmic examinations, biomarker collection, and neuroimaging were followed throughout the study period.

Results

After 49 weeks of EAHE intervention, a significant decrease in Cognitive Abilities Screening Instrument score was noted in the placebo group, a significant improvement in Mini-Mental State Examination score was observed in the EAHE group and a significant Instrumental Activities of Daily Living score difference were found between the two groups. In addition, EAHE group achieved a significantly better contrast sensitivity when compared to the placebo group. Moreover, only the placebo group observed significantly lowered biomarkers such as calcium, albumin, apolipoprotein E4, hemoglobin, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor and significantly elevated alpha1-antichymotrypsin and amyloid-beta peptide 1–40 over the study period. Using diffusion tensor imaging, the mean apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values from the arcuate fasciculus region in the dominant hemisphere significantly increased in the placebo group while no significant difference was found in the EAHE group in comparison to their baselines. Moreover, ADC values from the parahippocampal cingulum region in the dominant hemisphere significantly decreased in the EAHE group whereas no significant difference was found in the placebo group when compared to their baselines. Lastly, except for four subjects who dropped out of the study due to abdominal discomfort, nausea, and skin rash, no other adverse events were reported.

Conclusion

Three 350 mg/g EAHE capsules intervention for 49 weeks demonstrated higher CASI, MMSE, and IADL scores and achieved a better contrast sensitivity in patients with mild AD when compared to the placebo group, suggesting that EAHE is safe, well-tolerated, and may be important in achieving neurocognitive benefits.

Clinical Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier NCT04065061.

Effects of Hericium erinaceus Mycelium Extracts on the Functional Activity of Purinoceptors and Neuropathic Pain in Mice with L5 Spinal Nerve Ligation

Neuropathic pain is a serious clinical problem that is difficult to treat. Purinoceptors (P2Rs) transduce pain perception from the peripheral to the central nervous system and play an important role in the transmission of neuropathic pain signals. We previously found that the crude extracts of Hericium erinaceus mycelium (HE-CE) inhibited P2R-mediated signaling in cells and reduced heat-induced pain in mice. The present study explored the effects of HE-CE on neuropathic pain. We used adenosine triphosphate (ATP) as a P2R agonist to generate Ca²⁺ signaling and neuronal damage in a cell line. We also established a neuropathic mouse model of L5 spinal nerve ligation (L5-SNL) to examine neuropathic pain and neuroinflammation. Neuropathic pain was recorded using the von Frey test. Neuroinflammation was evaluated based on immunohistofluorescence observation of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) levels in astrocytes, ionized calcium-binding adaptor molecule1 (iba1) levels in microglia, and IL-6 levels in plasma. The results show that HE-CE and erinacine-S, but not erinacine-A, totally counteracted Ca²⁺ signaling and cytotoxic effects upon P2R stimulation by ATP in human osteosarcoma HOS cells and human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells, respectively. SNL induced a decrease in the withdrawal pressure of the ipsilateral hind paw, indicating neuropathic pain. It also raised the GFAP level in astrocytes, the iba1 level in microglia, and the IL-6 level in plasma, indicating neuroinflammation. HE-CE significantly counteracted the SNL-induced decrease in withdrawal pressure, illustrating that it could relieve neuropathic pain. It also reduced SNL-induced increases in astrocyte GFAP levels, microglial iba1 levels, and plasma IL-6 levels, suggesting that HE-CE reduces neuroinflammation. Erinacine-S relieved neuropathic pain better than HE-CE. The present study demonstrated that HE inhibits P2R and, thus, that it can relieve neuropathic pain and neuroinflammation.

Potential Antidepressant Effects of Scutellaria baicalensis, Hericium erinaceus and Rhodiola rosea

Recent studies focused on the pharmacology and feasibility of herbal compounds as a potential strategy to target a variety of human diseases ranging from metabolic to brain disorders. Accordingly, bioactive ingredients which are found within a variety of herbal compounds are reported to produce both neuroprotective and psychotropic activities which may help to combat mental disorders such as depression, anxiety, sleep disturbances and cognitive alterations. In the present manuscript, we focus on three herbs which appear effective in mitigating anxiety or depression with favourable risk-benefit profiles, namely Scutellaria baicalensis (S. baicalensis), Hericium erinaceus (H. erinaceus) and Rhodiola rosea (R. rosea). These three traditional folk medicinal herbs target the main biochemical events that are implicated in mental disorders, mimicking, to some extent, the mechanisms of action of conventional antidepressants and mood stabilizers with a wide margin of tolerability. In detail, they rescue alterations in neurotransmitter and neuro-endocrine systems, stimulate neurogenesis and the synthesis of neurotrophic factors, and they counteract oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction and inflammation. Albeit the encouraging results that emerge from both experimental and clinical evidence, further studies are needed to confirm and better understand the mental-health promoting, and specifically, the antidepressant effects of these herbs.