Hericium erinaceus - A Rich Source of Diverse Bioactive Metabolites

Hericium erinaceus (commonly known as lion’s mane mushroom) is an edible mushroom used in traditional Chinese medicine. It is a prolific producer of diverse bioactive metabolites with neuroprotective and neuroregenerative properties (e.g. β glucan polysaccharides, hericenones, erinacine terpenoids, isoindolinones, sterols, and myconutrients). Because of its anti inflammatory properties and promotion of nerve growth factor (NGF) gene expression and neurite (axon or dendrite) outgrowth, H. erinaceus is used for the treatment of Alzheimer's as well as Parkinson's diseases. This review provides a comprehensive account of the bioactive compounds from H. erinaceus (both from the fruit bodies and mycelia) and their biological activities such as neuroprotective functions, cytotoxicity, anticarcinogenic, antidiabetic, antimicrobial, and herbicidal activities.