The effects of the medicinal mushrooms Hericium Erinaceus and Lignosus Rhinocerotis extracts on mouse Hippocampal Neurons in vitro

Author

• Kuang Teng Ann, Universiti MalayaFollow

Date of Award

7-6-2025

Thesis Type

Masters

Document Type

Dissertation

Divisions

Faculty of Medicine

Department

Department of Anatomy

Institution

Universiti Malaya

Abstract

Neurite outgrowth, also known as neuritogenesis, is among the crucial factors contributing to the overall neuroplasticity and maintenance of a healthy nervous system. We previously demonstrated the neurite outgrowth activities of two culinary / medicinal mushrooms, i.e. Hericium erinaceus and Lignosus rhinocerotis in multiple in vitro models due to their nerve growth factor (NGF)-promoting activities. This study further explored the neuritogenic effects of hot aqueous extracts from H. erinaceus (HE) fruiting bodies and L. rhinocerotis (LR) sclerotium in the HT-22 mouse hippocampal neuronal cell line, with a focus on their potential impact on brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression. The results indicated that HE and LR, up to 400 µg/ml, were non-toxic to HT-22 cells, as determined by the MTT viability assay. In neurite outgrowth assays, HE at 25 µg/ml significantly (p< 0.05) increased the number of neurite-bearing cells. Similarly, LR at concentrations as low as 6.25 and 12.5 µg/ml notably (p< 0.01; p< 0.001) enhanced neurite outgrowth activity. Both HE and LR significantly (p< 0.0001) upregulated the mRNA expression of BDNF, a neurotrophic factor crucial for hippocampal neuroplasticity. Immunofluorescence studies also demonstrated increased protein expression of BDNF and neurofilament. These results demonstrated the neurotrophic potential of HE and LR in the hippocampal region that could be associated with their BDNF-stimulating activities.

Initial

Dissertation (M.A.) – Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, 2025.

Additional Information

khm

Recommended Citation

Teng Ann, Kuang, "The effects of the medicinal mushrooms Hericium Erinaceus and Lignosus Rhinocerotis extracts on mouse Hippocampal Neurons in vitro" (2025). Student Works (2020-2029). 1892.
https://knova.um.edu.my/student_works_2020s/1892

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License