Lion's Mane: Benefits, Dosage, Contraindications

Neurological

Lion's Mane shows promising neuroprotective and neurotrophic properties, mainly due to its active compounds such as erinacines and hericenones. These components participate in various key brain mechanisms, positively influencing neuronal and cognitive health. The erinacines, particularly erinacine A present in Lion's Mane, have demonstrated their ability to inhibit the production of beta amyloid protein, involved in the development of Alzheimer's disease. This action reduces amyloid-induced cytotoxicity, thus offering protective effects against the neurodegeneration observed in this disease. Research has also shown that Lion's Mane can improve recognition memory, although it has no notable effect on working spatial memory. Lion's Mane stimulates the synthesis of the nerve growth factor (NGF) in astrocytic cells and the hippocampus in rats, thereby promoting neurite growth. It was believed that the hericenones C, D, and E were responsible for these effects, but researchers discovered that the mushroom acts synergistically in its entirety directly on the gene expression of NGF. These effects, combined with anti-inflammatory properties and the reduction of oxidative stress, make Lion’s Mane a potential candidate for the prevention and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases and neuronal injuries.

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Anticancer

Lion's Mane exhibits notable anticancer effects, mainly observed in in vitro studies and animal models. These studies have shown that the extract of this mushroom is cytotoxic against several types of cancer, including liver, colon, and stomach cancers. It acts by stimulating the immune system, inhibiting angiogenesis (formation of new blood vessels that feed tumors), and inducing apoptosis (programmed death of cancer cells). The effectiveness of Lion's Mane against cancer is also attributed to its ability to downregulate the activation of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kB) and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), molecules involved in angiogenesis and tumor progression. Furthermore, this extract can reduce metastasis by suppressing the expression of enzymes that degrade the extracellular matrix, contributing to the dissemination of cancer cells. Research also suggests that Lion's Mane could enhance the effectiveness of standard chemotherapy treatments or mitigate their undesirable effects. For instance, the cerebroside E component of Lion's Mane could reduce the nephrotoxicity caused by cisplatin while increasing the efficacy of doxorubicin-induced apoptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma cells.

Gastroprotector

Lion's Mane possesses significant gastroprotective properties, supported by preliminary clinical and animal research. It has interesting potential in the treatment of chronic atrophic gastritis, where an improvement in symptoms and a reduction in inflammation in patients have been observed. In vitro studies have shown that polysaccharides extracted from Lion’s Mane mycelium can interrupt the proliferation of precancerous gastric epithelial cells by inducing cell cycle arrest. This suggests potential in preventing progression into more severe states such as gastric cancer. Moreover, Lion's Mane demonstrates notable antibacterial activity against Helicobacter pylori, a pathogen associated with several gastrointestinal diseases, including gastric ulcers. This activity is attributed to specific components of the mushroom that inhibit the growth of H. pylori. Additionally, animal studies indicate that the aqueous extract of Lion's Mane, administered before ethanol exposure, can reduce the area of ethanol-induced gastric ulcers in rats by protecting the gastric mucosa and inhibiting the infiltration of leucocytes in gastric walls. These studies also suggest that Lion's Mane could regulate gut microbiota, offering a promising therapeutic approach for various gastrointestinal disorders.

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Cardiovascular

Lion's Mane mushroom extract, when administered with a high-fat diet, moderates the increase of serum and hepatic triglyceride levels in rats. In fact, Lion's Mane contains components that specifically activate PPAR alpha, a type of nuclear receptor in cells. These PPAR alpha receptors play an important role in regulating lipid and carbohydrate metabolism in the body. Furthermore, studies show that polysaccharides from Lion’s Mane can significantly reduce total cholesterol and LDL while increasing HDL through modest inhibition of HMG-CoA reductase and a possible reduction of cholesterol absorption.