Erinacine A-enriched Hericium erinaceus mycelia promotes longevity in Drosophila melanogaster and aged mice

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 14; no. 5; p. e0217226
• Main Authors: Li, I-Chen, Lee, Li-Ya, Chen, Ying-Ju, Chou, Ming-Yu, Wang, Ming-Fu, Chen, Wan-Ping, Chen, Yen-Po, Chen, Chin-Chu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 17.05.2019; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Aging; Aging - pathology; Analysis; Animals; Antioxidants; Antioxidants (Nutrients); Basidiomycota - chemistry; Biology and Life Sciences; Biotechnology; Catalase; Chemical compounds; Damage assessment; Dietary supplements; Disease; Disease Models, Animal; Diterpenes - pharmacology; Drosophila; Drosophila melanogaster; Drosophila melanogaster - growth & development; Edible mushrooms; Enrichment; Enzymatic activity; Female; Food intake; Food science; Free radicals; Glutathione; Glutathione peroxidase; Health aspects; Hericium erinaceus; Hydrogen enrichment; Influence; Insects; Laboratories; Life span; Longevity; Male; Medicine and Health Sciences; Mice; Mitochondrial DNA; Mycelia; Mycelium; Natural products; Nematodes; Nervous system diseases; Neurodegenerative diseases; Neuroprotective Agents - pharmacology; Nutrition; Oxidative stress; Peroxidase; Pharmacology; Physiology; R&D; Research & development; Research and Analysis Methods; Senescence; Superoxide dismutase; Superoxides; Survival Rate; Indiana; United States > US; Taiwan
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0217226

Erinacine A-enriched Hericium erinaceus mycelia is a well-established potential therapeutic agent for neurodegenerative disorders. However, the effect of erinacine A-enriched H. erinaceus mycelia on promoting longevity remains unclear. This is the first study to investigate the effect of erinacine A-enriched H. erinaceus mycelia on lifespan-prolonging activity in Drosophila melanogaster and senescence-accelerated P8 (SAMP8) mice. Two hundred D. melanogaster and 80 SAMP8 mice of both sexes were randomly divided into four groups and were administered with either the standard, low-dose, mid-dose, or high-dose erinacine A-enriched H. erinaceus mycelia. After treatment, the lifespan was measured in D. melanogaster, and the lifespan, food intake and oxidative damage were evaluated in SAMP8 mice. Results showed that supplementation with erinacine A-enriched H. erinaceus mycelia extended the lifespan in both D. melanogaster and SAMP8 by a maximum of 32% and 23%, respectively, compared to the untreated controls. Moreover, erinacine A-enriched H. erinaceus mycelia decreased TBARS levels and induced the anti-oxidative enzyme activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase. Together, these findings suggest that erinacine A-enriched H. erinaceus mycelia supplement could promote longevity, mediated partly through the induction of endogenous antioxidants enzymes.