neuroprotection – Page 4

Innovative applications of medicinal mushrooms in functional foods and nutraceuticals: a focus on health-boosting beverages

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This comprehensive review explores how medicinal mushrooms are being transformed into health-boosting beverages like coffees, teas, and energy drinks. Mushrooms contain powerful compounds that support immunity, reduce inflammation, protect the liver, and enhance brain function. As consumers increasingly seek natural health alternatives, mushroom beverages are emerging as a major market trend, combining ancient wellness traditions with modern science to create convenient, tasty drinks that genuinely benefit health.

Hericioic Acids A–G and Hericiofuranoic Acid; Neurotrophic Agents from Cultures of the European Mushroom Hericium flagellum

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Researchers isolated eight new bioactive compounds from a rare European mushroom species called Hericium flagellum. These compounds showed promising ability to stimulate nerve cell growth and could potentially help treat neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. The study demonstrates that mushroom-derived natural products may offer new therapeutic approaches for conditions affecting millions of elderly people worldwide.

Ganoderic Acid A targeting leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 involved in Parkinson’s disease–A computational study

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Researchers used computer modeling to test five compounds from Reishi mushrooms against a protein called LRRK2 that is linked to Parkinson’s disease. Ganoderic Acid A showed the strongest binding to this target protein and could potentially be developed into a treatment. The findings suggest that Reishi mushroom compounds may help protect brain cells from the degeneration seen in Parkinson’s disease and warrant further laboratory and animal testing.

Calcineurin-mediated regulation of growth-associated protein 43 is essential for neurite and synapse formation and protects against α-synuclein-induced degeneration

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Researchers discovered that a specific protein called GAP-43 plays a crucial role in protecting brain cells from damage caused by α-synuclein, a protein involved in Parkinson’s Disease. When GAP-43 is modified through a process called phosphorylation at certain sites, it promotes the growth of neurites (neural connections) and formation of healthy synapses. The drug FK506, already approved by the FDA, appears to work by controlling this phosphorylation process, offering potential therapeutic benefits for Parkinson’s patients.

Optimization of Ultrasonic Extraction to Obtain Erinacine A and Polyphenols with Antioxidant Activity from the Fungal Biomass of Hericium erinaceus

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Researchers developed an efficient ultrasonic extraction method to obtain beneficial compounds from the lion’s mane mushroom (Hericium erinaceus), particularly a substance called erinacine A and antioxidants. The optimized process uses 80% ethanol and takes 45 minutes, producing extracts rich in antioxidants that can protect cells from damage. These extracts showed promise in protecting brain cells and could potentially help prevent or treat neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s disease.

The Biological Activity of Ganoderma lucidum on Neurodegenerative Diseases: The Interplay between Different Active Compounds and the Pathological Hallmarks

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Reishi mushroom, used in traditional Asian medicine for centuries, contains over 400 bioactive compounds that show promise in protecting the brain from degenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. The mushroom’s components work through multiple pathways to reduce inflammation, fight oxidative stress, and protect neurons from damage. While laboratory and animal studies show encouraging results, human clinical trials are needed to confirm its effectiveness as a treatment.

Isolation and Antioxidant Mechanism of Polyphenols from Sanghuangporous vaninii

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Researchers found that a medicinal mushroom called Sanghuangporous vaninii grown on mulberry sawdust in China contains exceptionally high levels of polyphenols—powerful antioxidant compounds. They isolated and purified a particularly potent polyphenol mixture called HNMS3, which contains 33 different compounds. Through advanced molecular analysis, they discovered that HNMS3 works by activating eight key proteins in the body to fight oxidative stress, making it potentially beneficial for brain health and preventing nerve degeneration.

Neuroprotective properties of anti-apoptotic BCL-2 proteins in 5xFAD mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease

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Scientists studied how Bcl-2 proteins might protect the brain from Alzheimer’s disease by controlling calcium levels in nerve cells. They injected modified Bcl-2 proteins into the brains of mice engineered to develop Alzheimer’s symptoms and found that these proteins helped preserve the connections between nerve cells and reduced harmful amyloid plaque buildup. A special version of Bcl-2 that worked primarily on one type of calcium channel was surprisingly most effective at reducing amyloid plaques, suggesting this specific mechanism could be important for treating Alzheimer’s disease.

β-secretase inhibition prevents structural spine plasticity deficits in AppNL-G-F mice

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Researchers tested whether a drug that blocks BACE1 (an enzyme involved in Alzheimer’s disease) could protect nerve cell connections in a mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease. They found that at high doses, the drug significantly improved the formation of new dendritic spines (connection points between neurons) and restored synaptic activity to near-normal levels. These findings suggest that using BACE1 inhibitors early in Alzheimer’s disease development, before widespread neuronal damage occurs, might help prevent cognitive decline.

Impact of a Formulation Containing Chaga Extract, Coenzyme Q10, and Alpha-Lipoic Acid on Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Oxidative Stress: NMR Metabolomic Insights into Cellular Energy

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A new supplement formula combining Chaga mushroom extract, Coenzyme Q10, and alpha-lipoic acid was tested on nerve cells in the laboratory. The formula increased the cells’ energy production and protected them from harmful oxidative stress. This could potentially help people with conditions like fibromyalgia and neurodegenerative diseases that involve mitochondrial dysfunction.

Research Keyword: neuroprotection