Bearded Tooth, Hedgehog Fungus, Lion's Mane, Monkey Head, Monkey's Head, Pom Pom, Pompom, Satyr's Beard, Tree Hedgehog, Yamabushitake.
Hericium erinaceus is a mushroom that grows on trunks of hardwood tress.
Hericium erinaceus is taken by mouth for age-related mental decline, Alzheimer's disease and dementia, depression, anxiety, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, and to improve overall mental function and memory. It is also taken by mouth for long-term inflammation of the stomach lining (chronic atrophic gastritis), stomach ulcers, H. pylori infection, diabetes, cancer, high cholesterol, and weight loss.
Hericium erinaceus is applied to the skin for wound healing.
As food, the fruiting body of Hericium erinaceus is consumed in Chinese and Japanese dishes.
How does it work?
Hericium erinaceus may improve the development and function of nerves. It might also protect nerves from becoming damaged. This might help prevent conditions such as Alzheimer's disease or Parkinson's disease. Hericium erinaceus also seems to help protect the mucous membrane layer of the stomach. This might help improve symptoms related to long-term swelling of the stomach lining (chronic atrophic gastritis) or stomach ulcers.
Insufficient Evidence to Rate Effectiveness for...
- Age-related mental decline. Taking four capsules containing a total of 1 gram of Hericium erinaceus powder three times per day for 16 weeks seems to improve mental function in elderly Japanese men and women with mild mental decline. However, within four weeks of stopping supplementation, mental function appears to decrease.
- Swelling of the stomach lining (chronic atrophic gastritis). Early research suggests that taking Hericium erinaceus (dose unknown) before meals for 3 months improves pain in the upper portion of the stomach in more people with long-term swelling of the stomach lining compared to placebo. It also seems to reduce the development of precancerous cells in the stomach of people with this condition.
- Anxiety.
- Cancer.
- Dementia.
- Depression.
- Diabetes.
- Gastric ulcers.
- H. pylori infections.
- High cholesterol.
- Multiple sclerosis.
- Parkinson's disease.
- Weight loss.
- Wound healing.
Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database rates effectiveness based on scientific evidence according to the following scale: Effective, Likely Effective, Possibly Effective, Possibly Ineffective, Likely Ineffective, and Insufficient Evidence to Rate (detailed description of each of the ratings).
SLIDESHOW
Vitamin D Deficiency: How Much Vitamin D Is Enough? See SlideshowBleeding conditions: Hericium erinaceus might slow blood clotting. This might increase the chances of bruising and bleeding in people with bleeding conditions. However, there are no reports of this occurring in humans.
Diabetes: Hericium erinaceus might lower blood sugar. Watch for signs of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) and monitor your blood sugar carefully if you have diabetes and use Hericium erinaceus.
Surgery: Hericium erinaceus might slow blood clotting. This might cause extra bleeding during and after surgery. Stop using Hericium erinaceus at least 2 weeks before a scheduled surgery.
Medications for diabetes (Antidiabetes drugs)Interaction Rating: Moderate Be cautious with this combination.Talk with your health provider.
Hericium erinaceus might lower blood sugar. Diabetes medications are also used to lower blood sugar. Taking Hericium erinaceus along with diabetes medications might cause your blood sugar to go too low. Monitor your blood sugar closely. The dose of your diabetes medication might need to be changed.
Some medications used for diabetes include glimepiride (Amaryl), glyburide (DiaBeta, Glynase PresTab, Micronase), insulin, metformin (Glucophage), pioglitazone (Actos), rosiglitazone (Avandia), chlorpropamide (Diabinese), glipizide (Glucotrol), tolbutamide (Orinase), and others.
Medications that slow blood clotting (Anticoagulant / Antiplatelet drugs)Interaction Rating: Moderate Be cautious with this combination.Talk with your health provider.
Hericium erinaceus might slow blood clotting. Taking Hericium erinaceus along with medications that also slow clotting might increase the chances of bruising and bleeding.
Some medications that slow blood clotting include aspirin, clopidogrel (Plavix), prasugrel (Effient), dipyridamole (Persantine), ticlopidine (Ticlid), and others.
The appropriate dose of Hericium erinaceus depends on several factors such as the user's age, health, and several other conditions. At this time there is not enough scientific information to determine an appropriate range of doses for Hericium erinaceus. Keep in mind that natural products are not always necessarily safe and dosages can be important. Be sure to follow relevant directions on product labels and consult your pharmacist or physician or other healthcare professional before using.
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Abdulla MA, Fard AA, Sabaratnam V, et al. Potential activity of aqueous extract of culinary-medicinal Lion's Mane mushroom, Hericium erinaceus (Bull.: Fr.) Pers. (Aphyllophoromycetideae) in accelerating wound healing in rats. Int J Med Mushrooms. 2011;13(1):33-9. View abstract.
Abdullah N, Ismail SM, Aminudin N, Shuib AS, Lau BF. Evaluation of Selected Culinary-Medicinal Mushrooms for Antioxidant and ACE Inhibitory Activities. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2012;2012:464238. View abstract.
Chang HC, Yang HL, Pan JH, et al. Hericium erinaceus Inhibits TNF-a-Induced Angiogenesis and ROS Generation through Suppression of MMP-9/NF-?B Signaling and Activation of Nrf2-Mediated Antioxidant Genes in Human EA.hy926 Endothelial Cells. Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2016;2016:8257238. View abstract.
Cheng JH, Tsai CL, Lien YY, Lee MS, Sheu SC. High molecular weight of polysaccharides from Hericium erinaceus against amyloid beta-induced neurotoxicity. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2016;16(1):170. View abstract.
Cui F, Gao X, Zhang J, et al. Protective Effects of Extracellular and Intracellular Polysaccharides on Hepatotoxicity by Hericium erinaceus SG-02. Curr Microbiol. 2016 Jun 4. [Epub ahead of print] View abstract.
Han ZH, Ye JM, Wang GF. Evaluation of in vivo antioxidant activity of Hericium erinaceus polysaccharides. Int J Biol Macromol. 2013;52:66-71. View abstract.
Hao L, Xie Y, Wu G, et al. Protective Effect of Hericium erinaceus on Alcohol Induced Hepatotoxicity in Mice. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2015;2015:418023. View abstract.
Hiwatashi K, Kosaka Y, Suzuki N, et al. Yamabushitake mushroom (Hericium erinaceus) improved lipid metabolism in mice fed a high-fat diet. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem. 2010;74(7):1447-51. View abstract.
Hou Y, Ding X, Hou W. Composition and antioxidant activity of water-soluble oligosaccharides from Hericium erinaceus. Mol Med Rep. 2015;11(5):3794-9. View abstract.
Kim SP, Kang MY, Choi YH, et al. Mechanism of Hericium erinaceus (Yamabushitake) mushroom-induced apoptosis of U937 human monocytic leukemia cells. Food Funct. 2011;2(6):348-56. View abstract.
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. View abstract.
Kim SP, Moon E, Nam SH, Friedman M. Hericium erinaceus mushroom extracts protect infected mice against Salmonella Typhimurium-Induced liver damage and mortality by stimulation of innate immune cells. J Agric Food Chem. 2012;60(22):5590-6. View abstract.
Kim SP, Nam SH, Friedman M. Hericium erinaceus (Lion's Mane) mushroom extracts inhibit metastasis of cancer cells to the lung in CT-26 colon cancer-tansplanted mice. J Agric Food Chem. 2013;61(20):4898-904. View abstract.
Kuo HC, Lu CC, Shen CH, et al. Hericium erinaceus mycelium and its isolated erinacine A protection from MPTP-induced neurotoxicity through the ER stress, triggering an apoptosis cascade. J Transl Med. 2016;14:78. View abstract.
Lai PL, Naidu M, Sabaratnam V, et al. Neurotrophic properties of the Lion's mane medicinal mushroom, Hericium erinaceus (Higher Basidiomycetes) from Malaysia. Int J Med Mushrooms. 2013;15(6):539-54. View abstract.
Lee JS, Hong EK. Hericium erinaceus enhances doxorubicin-induced apoptosis in human hepatocellular carcinoma cells. Cancer Lett. 2010;297(2):144-54. View abstract.
Lee JS, Min KM, Cho JY, Hong EK. Study of macrophage activation and structural characteristics of purified polysaccharides from the fruiting body of Hericium erinaceus. J Microbiol Biotechnol. 2009;19(9):951-9. View abstract.
Lee KF, Chen JH, Teng CC, et al. Protective effects of Hericium erinaceus mycelium and its isolated erinacine A against ischemia-injury-induced neuronal cell death via the inhibition of iNOS/p38 MAPK and nitrotyrosine. Int J Mol Sci. 2014;15(9):15073-89. View abstract.
Lee SR, Jung K, Noh HJ, et al. A new cerebroside from the fruiting bodies of Hericium erinaceus and its applicability to cancer treatment. Bioorg Med Chem Lett. 2015;25(24):5712-5. View abstract.
Li G, Yu K, Li F, et al. Anticancer potential of Hericium erinaceus extracts against human gastrointestinal cancers. J Ethnopharmacol. 2014;153(2):521-30. View abstract.
Li IC, Chen YL, Lee LY, et al. Evaluation of the toxicological safety of erinacine A-enriched Hericium erinaceus in a 28-day oral feeding study in Sprague-Dawley rats. Food Chem Toxicol. 2014;70:61-7. View abstract.
Liang B, Guo Z, Xie F, Zhao A. Antihyperglycemic and antihyperlipidemic activities of aqueous extract of Hericium erinaceus in experimental diabetic rats. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2013;13:253. View abstract.
Liu J, DU C, Wang Y, Yu Z. Anti-fatigue activities of polysaccharides extracted from Hericium erinaceus. Exp Ther Med. 2015;9(2):483-487. View abstract.
Liu JH, Li L, Shang XD, Zhang JL, Tan Q. Anti-Helicobacter pylori activity of bioactive components isolated from Hericium erinaceus. J Ethnopharmacol. 2016;183:54-8. View abstract.
Mori K, Inatomi S, Ouchi K, Azumi Y, Tuchida T. Improving effects of the mushroom Yamabushitake (Hericium erinaceus) on mild cognitive impairment: a double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial. Phytother Res. 2009;23(3):367-72. View abstract.
Mori K, Kikuchi H, Obara Y, et al. Inhibitory effect of hericenone B from Hericium erinaceus on collagen-induced platelet aggregation. Phytomedicine. 2010;17(14):1082-5. View abstract.
Mori K, Obara Y, Hirota M, et al. Nerve growth factor-inducing activity of Hericium erinaceus in 1321N1 human astrocytoma cells. Biol Pharm Bull. 2008 Sep;31(9):1727-32. View abstract.
Mori K, Obara Y, Moriya T, Inatomi S, Nakahata N. Effects of Hericium erinaceus on amyloid ß(25-35) peptide-induced learning and memory deficits in mice. Biomed Res. 2011;32(1):67-72. View abstract.
Phan CW, Lee GS, Hong SL, et al. Hericium erinaceus (Bull.: Fr) Pers. cultivated under tropical conditions: isolation of hericenones and demonstration of NGF-mediated neurite outgrowth in PC12 cells via MEK/ERK and PI3K-Akt signaling pathways. View abstract.
Rahman MA, Abdullah N, Aminudin N. Inhibitory effect on in vitro LDL oxidation and HMG Co-A reductase activity of the liquid-liquid partitioned fractions of Hericium erinaceus (Bull.) Persoon (lion's mane mushroom). Biomed Res Int. 2014;2014:828149. View abstract.
Samberkar S, Gandhi S, Naidu M, et al. Lion's Mane, Hericium erinaceus and Tiger Milk, Lignosus rhinocerotis (Higher Basidiomycetes) Medicinal Mushrooms Stimulate Neurite Outgrowth in Dissociated Cells of Brain, Spinal Cord, and Retina: An In Vitro Study. Int J Med Mushrooms. 2015;17(11):1047-54. View abstract.
Tsai-Teng T, Chin-Chu C, Li-Ya L, et al. Erinacine A-enriched Hericium erinaceus mycelium ameliorates Alzheimer's disease-related pathologies in APPswe/PS1dE9 transgenic mice. J Biomed Sci. 2016;23(1):49. View abstract.
Wang K, Bao L, Qi Q, et al. Erinacerins C-L, isoindolin-1-ones with a-glucosidase inhibitory activity from cultures of the medicinal mushroom Hericium erinaceus. J Nat Prod. 2015;78(1):146-54. View abstract.
Wang M, Gao Y, Xu D, Gao Q. A polysaccharide from cultured mycelium of Hericium erinaceus and its anti-chronic atrophic gastritis activity. Int J Biol Macromol. 2015;81:656-61. View abstract.
Wang XL, Xu KP, Long HP, et al. New isoindolinones from the fruiting bodies of Hericium erinaceum. Fitoterapia. 2016;111:58-65. View abstract .
Wong JY, Abdulla MA, Raman J, et al. Gastroprotective Effects of Lion's Mane Mushroom Hericium erinaceus (Bull.:Fr.) Pers. (Aphyllophoromycetideae) Extract against Ethanol-Induced Ulcer in Rats. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2013;2013:492976. View abstract .
Wong KH, Kanagasabapathy G, Naidu M, David P, Sabaratnam V. Hericium erinaceus (Bull.: Fr.) Pers., a medicinal mushroom, activates peripheral nerve regeneration. Chin J Integr Med. 2014 Aug 26. View abstract.
Wong KH, Naidu M, David P, et al. Peripheral Nerve Regeneration Following Crush Injury to Rat Peroneal Nerve by Aqueous Extract of Medicinal Mushroom Hericium erinaceus (Bull.: Fr) Pers. (Aphyllophoromycetideae). Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2011;2011:580752. View abstract.
Xu CP, Liu WW, Liu FX, et al. A double-blind study of effectiveness of hericium erinaceus pers therapy on chronic atrophic gastritis. A preliminary report. Chin Med J (Engl). 1985;98(6):455-6. View abstract.
Yang BK, Park JB, Song CH. Hypolipidemic effect of an Exo-biopolymer produced from a submerged mycelial culture of Hericium erinaceus. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem. 2003;67(6):1292-8. View abstract.
Yi Z, Shao-Long Y, Ai-Hong W, et al. Protective Effect of Ethanol Extracts of Hericium erinaceus on Alloxan-Induced Diabetic Neuropathic Pain in Rats. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2015;2015:595480. View abstract.
Zan X, Cui F, Li Y, et al. Hericium erinaceus polysaccharide-protein HEG-5 inhibits SGC-7901 cell growth via cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Int J Biol Macromol. 2015;76:242-53. View abstract.
Zhang CC, Yin X, Cao CY, et al. Chemical constituents from Hericium erinaceus and their ability to stimulate NGF-mediated neurite outgrowth on PC12 cells. Bioorg Med Chem Lett. 2015;25(22):5078-82. View abstract.