Pin Yin: Hua Tuo Tuo
English: Lion’s Mane
Latin: Hericium erinaceus
Properties: cool, natural
Channels: liver, lung, spleen, heart, kidney
Key Characteristics: Tonifies qi and spleen deficiency, general vigor and strength
Indications: Cognitive function and memory, stroke recovery and traumatic brain injury, nervous system, nerve damage, depression
Lion’s Mane has a beneficial impact on neurodegenerative diseases by enhancing “neurite outgrowth” in the brain and related organs. Neurite outgrowth refers to the growth of axons and dendrites from neurons. With this increase in growth, cell degeneration in the brain could slow or reverse, benefiting diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
Lion’s Mane is reported in many studies to stimulate the synthesis of Nerve Growth Factor (NGF), a protein that promotes the growth and normal function of nerve cells.