[#2010-02] Reduction of depression and anxiety by 4 weeks Lion’s Mane ( Hericium erinaceus ) intake, Mayumi Nagano et al.

Reduction of depression and anxiety by 4 weeks Lion’s Mane ( Hericium erinaceus ) intake

Mayumi Nagano¹, Kuniyoshi Shimizu², Ryuichiro Kondo², Chickako Hayashi³, Daigo Sato⁴, Katsuyuki Kitagawa⁴, and Koichiro Ohnuki³

¹Department of Clinical Psychology, Kyoto Bunkyo University, Japan  ² Faculty of Agri­culture, Kyushu University, Japan  ³ Kyushu-Eiyouhukushi University, Japan; and  ⁴ Aso Biotech , Kawayo, Japan

 

ABSTRACT

Hericium erinaceus, a well known edible mushroom, has numerous biological activities. Especial­ly hericenones and erinacines isolated from its fruiting body stimulate nerve growth factor (NGF) synthesis, which expects H. erinaceus to have some effects on brain functions and autonomic ner­vous system. Herein, we investigated the clinical effects of H. erinaceus on menopause, depres­sion, sleep quality and indefinite complaints, using the Kupperman Menopausal Index (KMI), the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and the Indefinite Complaints Index (ICI). Thirty females were randomly assigned to ei­ther the H. erinaceus (HE) group or the placebo group and took HE cookies or placebo cookies for 4 weeks. Each of the CES-D and the ICI score after the HE intake was significantly lower than that before. In two terms of the ICI, “insentive” and “palpitation”, each of the mean score of the HE group was significantly lower than the placebo group. “Concentration”, “irritating” and “anxious” tended to be lower than the placebo group.  Our results show that HE intake has the possibility to reduce depression and anxiety and these results suggest a different mechanism from NGF-enhancing action of H. erinaceus.