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Evaluation of the Toxicological Safety of Erinacine A-Enriched Hericium erinaceus in a 28-Day Oral Feeding Study in Sprague-Dawley Rats

Summary

This research examined the safety of lion’s mane mushroom extract enriched with a compound called erinacine A, which has potential benefits for brain health. The study found that even at high doses, the extract was safe and showed no toxic effects in rats over a 28-day period. This is important for establishing its safety for potential use in supplements and medicines. Impacts on everyday life: • Confirms the safety of lion’s mane mushroom supplements for regular consumption • Supports development of natural treatments for neurological conditions • Provides confidence for people seeking natural alternatives for brain health • Helps establish proper dosing guidelines for supplement manufacturers • Opens possibilities for new therapeutic products using this mushroom extract

Background

Hericium erinaceus is a medicinal mushroom known for its various health benefits including anti-cancer, anti-microbial, anti-diabetic, and neuroprotective properties. Two specific compounds, hericenones and erinacines, can be extracted from the fruit body and cultured mycelium respectively. Erinacine A has shown particular promise in stimulating nerve growth factor (NGF) biosynthesis.

Objective

To evaluate the toxicological safety of H. erinaceus mycelium enriched with 5mg/g erinacine A through a 28-day repeated oral administration study in Sprague-Dawley rats.

Results

All animals survived the study duration with no abnormal clinical signs observed. No adverse or test article-related differences were found in urinalysis, haematology and serum biochemistry parameters between treatment and control groups. No gross pathological findings or histopathological differences were observed.

Conclusion

The 28-day sub-chronic toxicity test showed no evidence of systemic toxicity from EAHE administration. The no-observed-adverse-effect level of erinacine A-enriched H. erinaceus is greater than 3g/kg body weight/day.
  • Published in:Food and Chemical Toxicology,
  • Study Type:Toxicological Safety Study,
  • Source: 10.1016/j.fct.2014.04.040
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