Lion’s Mane – Hericium erinaceus

Lion’s mane is a medicinal wood-rotting fungus with a characteristic growth pattern that resembles the shaggy mane of a lion. 

This fungus prefers temperate forests where it thrives on living oak, beech, or conifer trees. 

The medicinal benefit of lion’s mane primarily involves the nervous system. Modern applications use the mushroom for general cognitive health.

It has the capacity to up-regulate nerve growth factor. 

Traditional Use of Lion’s Mane

Lion’s mane mushrooms have a long history of use in Eastern Asia — including China, Korea, and Japan. Each of these regions used the mushroom for treating neurological disorders, including neurasthenia, and age-related cognitive decline, as well as for general health. 

Lion’s mane is mainly used for neurodegenerative disorders like dementia and multiple sclerosis. It’s also popular for supporting optimal cognitive function.

Most of the people using this fungus take it in the form of a powdered capsule or tincture.  Like most medicinal mushrooms, the optimal benefit comes from using the fungus on a regular basis over extended periods of time in preference to short term use for quick effects. 

• Actions:
• Antibacterial
• Anticancer
• Antidiabetic
• Antioxidant
• Cardioprotectice
• Hepatoprotective
• Nervine
• Immunomodulator

Part Used

• Fruiting body
• Constituents:
• Hericnones
• Erinacines
• Lactones
• Polysaccharides

This herbal monograph is used with the permission of The Plant Medicine School.