A 2024 Italian review article focused on the therapeutic effect of lion’s mane extract in the treatment of conditions of the lower urinary tract in which intestinal inflammation may play a role. The researchers hypothesised that lion’s mane, in combination with conventional drugs or other supplements, might be considered a therapy to be used in chronic inflammatory conditions of the lower urinary tract, including chronic prostatitis, to improve inflammation, decrease symptoms and potentially as a prostate cancer prophylactic agent.
The researchers reviewed the available evidence on “pelvic cross-organ sensitisation” (where a problem in one area can lead to a problem in another) as a possible mechanism through which intestinal inflammation and dysbiosis may affect the lower urinary tract. They also reviewed the clinical and experimental evidence supporting the role of lion’s mane extract as an anti-inflammatory agent highlighting the role of several mechanisms which might make this mushroom suitable for the management of “difficult to treat” lower urinary tract disorders.
The researchers postulated that lion’s mane may be a potential therapy in inflammatory conditions involving the gut, such as inflammatory bowel disease (i.e. ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease) because of its potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. They said another mechanism where lion’s mane may promote beneficial effects in the gut could be through the modulation of gut microbiota (as a prebiotic), which seems to play a crucial role in the development and progression of inflammatory bowel disease, as well as in the treatment of several gastrointestinal pathological conditions. In addition, because of lion’s mane immunomodulatory action and its ability to modulate neurotransmission, the researchers hypothesised that lion’s mane might be able to improve symptoms and inflammation in the lower urinary tract, mainly in those cases arising from an altered gut microbiota, intestinal inflammation and/or increased intestinal permeability.
References
Romano L, Napolitano L, Crocetto F, Sciorio C, Priadko K, Fonticelli M, Federico A, Romano M, Gravina AG. The potential therapeutic role of Hericium erinaceus extract in pathologic conditions involving the urogenital-gut axis: insights into the involved mechanisms and mediators. J Physiol Pharmacol. 2024 Feb;75(1). doi: 10.26402/jpp.2024.1.01. Epub 2024 Apr 3. PMID: 38583434.
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