Daily administration of aqueous extract of Hericium erinaceus fresh fruiting bodies showed a beneficial effect on the recovery of injured rat peroneal nerve in the early stages of regeneration with faster recovery in the treated group than the untreated group1.
Ganoderma lucidum spores have also shown beneficial activity in a mouse nerve damage model while Tremella fuciformis and Grifola frondosa polysaccharides and Cordyceps militaris ethanolic extract increased neurite outgrowth in PC12 and N2a cells indicating potential to promote nerve repair2-4.
CLINICAL NOTE
H. erinaceus 3-5g/day dried fruit body can be combined with T. fuciformis or G. frondosa polysaccharides or G. lucidum sporoderm-broken spores.
REFERENCES
1. Functional recovery enhancement following injury to rodent peroneal nerve by Lion’s Mane mushroom, Hericium erinaceus (Bull.: Fr.) Pers. (Aphyllophoromycetideae). Wong KH, Naidu M, David RP, Abdulla MA, Abdullah N, Kuppusamy UR, Vikineswary S. Int J Med Mushrooms. 2009;11(3):225–236.
2. Primary study on proteomics about Ganoderma lucidium spores promoting survival and axon regeneration of injured spinal motor neurons in rats. Zhang W, Zeng YS, Wang Y, Liu W, Cheng JJ, Chen SJ. Zhong Xi Yi Jie He Xue Bao. 2006;4(3):298–302.
3. Neuronal health – can culinary and medicinal mushrooms help? Vikineswary S, Wong KH, Naidu M, David P. J Tradit Complement Med. 2013;3(1):62–68.
4. Neurite outgrowth stimulatory effects of culinary-medicinal mushrooms and their toxicity assessment using differentiating Neuro-2a and embryonic fibroblast BALB/3T3. Phan CW, David P, Naidu M, Wong KH, Vikineswary S. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2013;13:261.
5. Therapeutic potential of culinary-medicinal mushrooms for the management of neurodegenerative diseases: diversity, metabolite, and mechanism. Phan CW, David P, Naidu M, Wong KH, Vikineswary S. Crit Rev Biotechnol. 2015:35(3):355–368.