In vivo antigenotoxic properties of Hericium erinaceus ethanolic extract

Hericium erinaceus (Bull.) Pers., also known as lion’s mane or monkey’s head, is a well-established culinary and medicinal mushroom used traditionally against dementia, depression, anxiety, ulcers, heart disease, cancer, and diabetes in animals. This mushroom with a variety of health benefits has strong anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and immune-boosting abilities. Ethanolic extract of the cultured fruiting bodies of H. erinaceus were investigated for antigenotoxic activity against ethyl methanesulphonate (EMS)-induced genotoxicity in third instar larvae of Drosophila melanogaster using alkaline comet assay. A simultaneous 24-h treatment with seven different concentrations of the extract (1.25, 2.5, 5, 10, 20, 40, and 80 mg/mL standard Drosophila food) and 1 mM EMS, show decreased in total comet score compared to positive control. The results showed that the ethanolic extracts of H. erinaceus have a remarkable DNA protective activity against EMS-induced DNA damage, suggesting that this mushroom has potential to be used as a natural preventive compound against DNA damage caused by monofunctional alkylating agents such as EMS.