Hericium erinaceus
Encyclopedia
Hericium erinaceus is an edible mushroom
and medicinal mushroom in the tooth fungus group. It can be identified by its tendency to grow all the spines out from one group (rather than branches), long spines (greater than 1 cm length) and its appearance on hardwoods. Hericium erinaceus can be mistaken for three other species of Hericium
which also grow in North America, all of which are popular edibles. In the wild, these mushrooms are common during late summer and fall on hardwoods, particularly American Beech
.
commercially on logs or sterilized sawdust. It is available fresh or dried in Asian grocery stores.
. In Japanese it is called yamabushitake (山伏茸; lit. "mountain hidden mushroom"). In Vietnamese
it is called nấm đầu khỉ.
this mushroom has long been considered a medicinal mushroom and a study on rats in 2005 showed that some compounds in the mushroom, like threitol
, D-arabinitol, and palmitic acid
may have antioxidant effects, may regulate blood lipid
levels and may reduce blood glucose
levels.
Ying (1987) reports that pills of this mushroom are used in the treatment of gastric
and esophageal carcinoma.
Scientists have investigated this mushroom for possible anti-dementia
compounds.
Primary research has demonstrated the following.
Edible mushroom
Edible mushrooms are the fleshy and edible fruiting bodies of several species of fungi. Mushrooms belong to the macrofungi, because their fruiting structures are large enough to be seen with the naked eye. They can appear either below ground or above ground where they may be picked by hand...
and medicinal mushroom in the tooth fungus group. It can be identified by its tendency to grow all the spines out from one group (rather than branches), long spines (greater than 1 cm length) and its appearance on hardwoods. Hericium erinaceus can be mistaken for three other species of Hericium
Hericium
Hericium is a genus of edible mushrooms in the Hericiaceae family. Species in this genus are white and fleshy and grow on dead or dying wood; fruiting bodies resemble a mass of fragile icicle-like spines that are suspended from either a branched supporting framework or from a tough, unbranched...
which also grow in North America, all of which are popular edibles. In the wild, these mushrooms are common during late summer and fall on hardwoods, particularly American Beech
American Beech
Fagus grandifolia, also known as American Beech or North american beech, is a species of beech native to eastern North America, from Nova Scotia west to southern Ontario in southeastern Canada, west to Wisconsin and south to eastern Texas and northern Florida in the United States. Trees in the...
.
As edible mushroom
Hericium erinaceus is a choice edible when young, and the texture of the cooked mushroom is often compared to seafood. It often appears in Chinese vegetarian cuisine to replace pork or lamb. This mushroom is cultivatedFungiculture
Fungiculture is the process of producing food, medicine, and other products by the cultivation of mushrooms and other fungi.The word is also commonly used to refer to the practice of cultivating fungi by leafcutter ants, termites, ambrosia beetles, and marsh periwinkles.- Introduction :Mushrooms...
commercially on logs or sterilized sawdust. It is available fresh or dried in Asian grocery stores.
International names
It is called hóu tóu gū (simplified: 猴头菇; traditional: 猴頭菇; lit. "monkey head mushroom") in ChineseChinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
. In Japanese it is called yamabushitake (山伏茸; lit. "mountain hidden mushroom"). In Vietnamese
Vietnamese language
Vietnamese is the national and official language of Vietnam. It is the mother tongue of 86% of Vietnam's population, and of about three million overseas Vietnamese. It is also spoken as a second language by many ethnic minorities of Vietnam...
it is called nấm đầu khỉ.
Hericium erinaceus research
In traditional Chinese medicineTraditional Chinese medicine
Traditional Chinese Medicine refers to a broad range of medicine practices sharing common theoretical concepts which have been developed in China and are based on a tradition of more than 2,000 years, including various forms of herbal medicine, acupuncture, massage , exercise , and dietary therapy...
this mushroom has long been considered a medicinal mushroom and a study on rats in 2005 showed that some compounds in the mushroom, like threitol
Threitol
Threitol is a four-carbon sugar alcohol with the molecular formula C4H10O4. It is primarily used as an intermediate in the chemical synthesis of other compounds. It is the diastereomer of Erythritol.-See also:* Erythritol, the diastereomer of threitol...
, D-arabinitol, and palmitic acid
Palmitic acid
Palmitic acid, or hexadecanoic acid in IUPAC nomenclature, is one of the most common saturated fatty acids found in animals and plants. Its molecular formula is CH314CO2H. As its name indicates, it is a major component of the oil from palm trees . Palmitate is a term for the salts and esters of...
may have antioxidant effects, may regulate blood lipid
Lipid
Lipids constitute a broad group of naturally occurring molecules that include fats, waxes, sterols, fat-soluble vitamins , monoglycerides, diglycerides, triglycerides, phospholipids, and others...
levels and may reduce blood glucose
Glucose
Glucose is a simple sugar and an important carbohydrate in biology. Cells use it as the primary source of energy and a metabolic intermediate...
levels.
Ying (1987) reports that pills of this mushroom are used in the treatment of gastric
Stomach cancer
Gastric cancer, commonly referred to as stomach cancer, can develop in any part of the stomach and may spread throughout the stomach and to other organs; particularly the esophagus, lungs, lymph nodes, and the liver...
and esophageal carcinoma.
Scientists have investigated this mushroom for possible anti-dementia
Dementia
Dementia is a serious loss of cognitive ability in a previously unimpaired person, beyond what might be expected from normal aging...
compounds.
Primary research has demonstrated the following.
- Stimulated animal nerve cells.
- A double-blind, parallel-group, placebo-controlled trial showed improved cognitive ability. . Please note that this and the following Mori et al. studies were conducted by a company that sells mushrooms and has a vested interest in their increased sales. (conflict of interest)
- Stimulated nerve growth factorNerve growth factorNerve growth factor is a small secreted protein that is important for the growth, maintenance, and survival of certain target neurons . It also functions as a signaling molecule. It is perhaps the prototypical growth factor, in that it is one of the first to be described...
in an in vitro experiment with human astrocytomaAstrocytomaAstrocytomas are a type of neoplasm of the brain. They originate in a particular kind of glial-cells, star-shaped brain cells in the cerebrum called astrocytes. This type of tumor does not usually spread outside the brain and spinal cord and it does not usually affect other organs...
cells. - Stimulated myelination in an in vitro experiment.