Hericium Bio

Native of North America, Europe and Asia, Hericium erinaceus is also present in the Mediterranean area. In Japan it is known as Yamabushitake, where Yamabushi means “those who sleep on the mountains”, referring to hermit Buddhist monks  for the resemblance with their traditional robes.

Hericium has the peculiar shape of a cushion with thick white fleshy projections (that recall among other things intestinal villi), thus deserving the name Lion’s Mane or Old Man’s Beard. It can reach a diameter of up to 30 cm and 2 kg in weight.

This mushroom has evident regeneration effects on the gastric and intestinal epithelium, reinforcing mucous tissues and favouring the restoration of proper bacterial flora, especially when the latter is altered by antibiotic therapies. Some preliminary studies indicate that Hericium affects the nervous system with a neurotrophic and neuroprotective action, since it contains active ingredients that stimulate the synthesis of neuronal factors (NGF).