A team led by researchers from the University Of Queensland (UQ) has purified and identified biologically new active compounds from lion's mane mushroom, which can boost nerve growth and thus improve memory.
According to the study published in the Journal of Neurochemistry last month, an isoindoline compound dubbed "N-de phenylethyl isohericerin" and its hydrophobic derivative "hericene A" were highly potent in promoting extensive axon outgrowth and neurite branching in cultured hippocampal neurons.
Researchers observed that when fed with the mushroom crude extract and "hericene A", mice exhibited increased neurotrophin expression and downstream signalling, which resulted in significantly enhanced hippocampal memory.
"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," Frederic Meunier, co-author and UQ professor, said on Friday.
"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," Meunier added.
The study also called for further research on Hericerin derivatives to see if they can slow down the cognitive decline associated with ageing and neurodegenerative diseases.
Another co-author and UQ research fellow Ramon Martinez-Marmol said that the discovery could be applied to the treatment and prevention of 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," said Martinez-Marmol.
