Study identifies active compound in mushroom which can boost nerve growth
Active compound in Mushrooms can boost Nerve Growth
Mushrooms as for some may be just a plain weird but for many they add taste and nutritional value to your food. Mushrooms are delicious, fascinating and sometimes may be dangerous.
However, whatever one feel about them, they play significant role in our World and are vital for the ecosystem.
Some Fun Facts About Mushrooms
They are neither plants nor animals. They are a fungus that belongs to kingdom fungi, along with yeasts, mildews, molds, rusts and smuts.
Fungi Are Genetically Closer to Humans than Plants.
Fungi Are The Largest Life Forms on Earth.
Mushrooms Are The Fruit of a Fungus.
Mushrooms Can Stay Dormant For Years.
Medicinal and Nutritional Benefits
According to a study, an active compound from an edible mushroom can boost nerve growth and enhance memory.
The study was published in the journal, ‘Journal of Neurochemistry’. Professor Frederic Meunier from the Queensland Brain Institute said the team had identified new active compounds from the mushroom, Hericium erinaceus.
Researchers have discovered lion’s mane mushrooms improve brain cell growth and memory in pre-clinical trials.
“Extracts from these so-called ‘lion’s mane’ mushrooms have been used in traditional medicine in Asian countries for centuries, but we wanted to scientifically determine their potential effect on brain cells,” Professor Meunier said.
Testing and Findings
“Pre-clinical testing found the lion’s mane mushroom had a significant impact on the growth of brain cells and improving memory.”
“Laboratory tests measured the neurotropic effects of compounds isolated from Hericium erinaceus on cultured brain cells, and surprisingly we found that the active compounds promote neuron projections, extending and connecting to other neurons.”
“Using super-resolution microscopy, we found the mushroom extract and its active components largely increase the size of growth cones, which are particularly important for brain cells to sense their environment and establish new connections with other neurons in the brain.”
Co-author, UQ’s Dr Ramon Martinez-Marmol said the discovery had applications that could treat and protect against neuro-degenerative cognitive disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease.
“Our idea was to identify bioactive compounds from natural sources that could reach the brain and regulate the growth of neurons, resulting in improved memory formation,” Dr Martinez-Marmol said.
Dr Dae Hee Lee from CNGBio Co, which has supported and collaborated on the research project, said the properties of lion’s mane mushrooms had been used to treat ailments and maintain health in traditional Chinese medicine since antiquity.
“This important research is decoding the molecular mechanism of lion’s mane mushroom compounds and their effects on brain function, particularly memory,” Dr Lee said.
