🦁 Brain Repair, Liver Defense, Psilocybin Equity Break

IN TODAY’S EDITION

• 🦠 | Fungi vs. pollution

• ⚖️ | Who benefits most?

• 🧬 | Cellular resilience

Hi Shroomer. Some mushrooms heal. Some clean up our mess. Some reveal who still gets left behind. This week, we’re digging into the fungi that boost recovery, the ones breaking down plastic, and a massive psilocybin study that shows the benefits aren’t reaching everyone. Here’s what’s rising to the surface.

HEALTH & WELLNESS

Brain repair powerhouse 🦁 A new chapter in The Neuroscience of Nutrition reviews 29 studies on lion’s mane (Hericium erinaceus), confirming its powerful neuroprotective effects. Its key compounds—hericenones and erinacines—stimulate nerve growth, reduce brain inflammation, and support recovery after injury. In humans, lion’s mane improved cognitive function and reaction time within 1 hour. In animals, it enhanced memory and increased brain antioxidant levels.

Liver protection boost 🍄 A new multi-omics study found that a polypeptide from straw mushroom (Volvariella volvacea) significantly reduced alcohol-induced liver damage in mice. At 200 mg/kg, the mushroom compound increased alcohol tolerance by over 7x and cut recovery time by 65%. It worked by restoring liver metabolism, improving amino acid and lipid processing, and reducing stress on the endoplasmic reticulum, the part of the cell responsible for protein folding and detox.

Immune system boost 🛡️ A compound from enoki mushrooms (Flammulina velutipes) boosted immune cell activity and inflammation-fighting signals in lab and mouse models. It helped immune cells respond faster, mature properly, and clear threats more effectively, thanks to a protein called RSAD2 that activates key immune pathways.

Defense blend 💊 A preclinical study found that a blend of mycelial extracts from meshima (Phellinus linteus), reishi (Ganoderma lucidum), and chaga (Inonotus obliquus) significantly protected brain cells from glutamate-induced toxicity and inflammation. The mix, called GMK, reduced stress in brain cells, lowered inflammation, and boosted brain-supporting compounds, helping protect against aging and damage.

Fungi fight disease 🥊 A 2025 review found that polypores (Fomitopsis mushrooms like F. pinicola and F. officinalis) contain powerful compounds with anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and immune-boosting effects. In animal studies, extracts reduced tumor size by up to 50%, boosted antioxidant enzymes, and improved blood sugar and lipid levels. These mushrooms also show promise in bioremediation and food tech.

Colon cancer defense 🧫 An enzyme called laccase, isolated from mossy maze mushroom (Cerrena unicolor), significantly slowed the growth of CT-26 colon cancer cells while having much milder effects on healthy cells. Across multiple tests, laccase reduced cancer cell viability and proliferation in a dose-dependent manner. The half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) for cancer cells was 3.85 µg/mL, compared to 5.86 µg/mL for normal fibroblasts. The findings suggest strong therapeutic potential, especially since the enzyme also inhibited cancer cell migration without harming normal cell behavior.

Protecting cells 🧬 Tiger milk mushroom (Lignosus rhinocerus) helped protect brain cells in a lab model of Friedreich’s ataxia, a rare nerve disease. The mushroom extract boosted antioxidant defenses, improved mitochondrial health, and reduced cell damage. Key compounds like oleic acid and tryptophan may be behind these effects, showing promise for future brain-protective supplements.

Healthy morels 🧺 A green extraction of morel mushrooms (Morchella esculenta) yielded high levels of polyphenols and flavonoids, with strong antioxidant and antibacterial activity. The extract showed powerful inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (IC50 = 0.002 mg/mL), a key enzyme linked to Alzheimer’s disease. After 4 hours of simulated digestion, over 66% of its neuroprotective and antioxidant activity remained.

PSILOCYBIN & LEGISLATION

Psychedelic protection gap ⚖️ In a study of 706,891 adults, lifetime psilocybin use was linked to lower odds of opioid use disorder, but only for White (16% lower) and Hispanic (32% lower) participants. No benefit was seen for Black, Indigenous, Asian, or Multiracial groups. The author suggests factors like discrimination, treatment access, and cultural context may shape outcomes. This is one of the first large-scale studies to explore racial disparities in psychedelic health benefits.

Next-gen psychedelics 🌀 This review covers 17 studies on non-hallucinogenic psychedelics for mood and anxiety disorders. Compounds like lisuride and 2-Br-LSD showed antidepressant effects in animal models without causing hallucinations. In one human case, psilocybin paired with a serotonin blocker still improved mood, suggesting the visual trip isn’t required for therapeutic benefits. It opens the door to safer, stigma-free treatments that could reach more people.

End-of-life relief 🕊️ In Australia’s first legal use of psilocybin for clinical care, researchers explored how it could help with demoralization—a form of existential distress common at the end of life. While not the same as depression, demoralization includes hopelessness, a loss of meaning, and desire for hastened death. The brief report highlights that psilocybin, combined with therapy, has shown lasting improvements in mood and meaning for patients with terminal illnesses, including effects lasting over 4 years after a single dose.

Healing conditions matter 🛋️ A review of 25 clinical studies (763 participants) shows how inconsistent “set and setting” practices—like environment, preparation, and guide presence—can impact outcomes in psychedelic therapy. While all studies emphasized safety and screening, fewer described guide training (52%) or managed visual distractions (64%). Psilocybin was the most studied drug (47%).

Psilocybin pathway mapped 📍 A new cross-species model shows how psilocybin from Psilocybe cubensis is absorbed, metabolized, and distributed in mice, rats, and humans. After ingestion, psilocybin is rapidly converted to psilocin, which enters the bloodstream and concentrates in the brain, about 2.5 times higher than plasma levels in humans. This simulation-based model helps predict psilocin effects and metabolism across different doses (3–30 mg), laying groundwork for safer, personalized therapies.

Music becomes medicine 🎶 In a clinical trial of psilocybin-assisted therapy for end-of-life patients, participants described music not just as background, but as a vivid, internal collaborator in their healing. Unlike everyday music, it transformed into personal, multisensory experiences, sometimes felt as active partners in therapy. This challenges the standard idea of music as a passive “playlist” and calls for deeper consideration of how music is chosen and integrated in psychedelic sessions.

Spiritual shifts ⛪ A large preregistered study found that people who used psychedelics like LSD or psilocybin were more likely to change their religious identity, often leaving their childhood religion or identifying as spiritual but unaffiliated. While psychedelics didn’t cause more change than other illicit substances, they may act as “meaning enhancers,” amplifying existing doubts or beliefs rather than steering people in a set direction.

ECOLOGY & CONSERVATION

Plastic-eating mushrooms ♻️ Five edible mushrooms, including oyster (Pleurotus ostreatus), reishi (Ganoderma lucidum), and wood ear (Auricularia auricula), were tested for their ability to break down polystyrene microplastics. Oyster mushrooms showed the highest degradation rate at 16.17% after 50 days. Using advanced genetic analysis, scientists also identified new enzymes and metabolic pathways involved in plastic breakdown, opening the door to fungi-powered solutions for pollution cleanup.

Fungi feed resilience 🌾 Endophytic fungi live inside plants without harming them, offering natural ways to boost crop growth and resilience. This chapter reviews dozens of studies showing how they help plants absorb nutrients, produce growth hormones, resist pests, and survive stress like drought or poor soil. Their ability to reduce fertilizer needs and improve yield makes them powerful allies for sustainable farming.

Soil-making fungi 🪨 Ancient DNA from a Siberian lake reveals how fungi and microbes helped build soil after the glaciers melted. Lichens first broke down basalt rock, then mycorrhizal fungi and bacteria took over, creating richer soils and cycling nutrients like nitrogen and sulfur. These findings help explain how forests grew after the Ice Age, and could inform future climate strategies like using fungi and rock dust to pull carbon from the air.

Toxic soil, fungal fix ⚠️ Even in soils polluted with toxic PFAS chemicals like PFOA, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) helped spring onions grow stronger. PFOA hurt the fungi and weakened plant roots, but AMF inoculation still improved root health and boosted leaf and total biomass. This suggests that AMF could help protect food crops from contaminated soil, supporting cleaner, more resilient agriculture.

Farm upgrade from fungi 🧑‍🌾 New research highlights how mushrooms like reishi (Ganoderma lucidum), oyster (Pleurotus ostreatus), and button (Agaricus bisporus) can be used to create metallic nanoparticles that boost plant growth, reduce chemical fertilizer use, and protect crops against stress. These fungal-made particles act as natural fertilizers and antimicrobials, improving soil health and crop resilience without the environmental downsides of synthetic inputs. The review points to myco-nanotechnology as a sustainable path forward for greener, more efficient farming.

GROWING & GOURMET

Circular mushroom nutrition 🗑️ Oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus ostreatus) grown on food waste–based substrates contained nearly twice as much ergothioneine, a potent antioxidant, compared to those grown on sawdust. Adding animal-derived kitchen waste increased both yield and ergothioneine levels. Blue LED light during cultivation boosted ergothioneine even further. In hydroponic tests, plants absorbed and stored ergothioneine from the leftover mushroom substrate.

Cultured meat breakthrough 🍗 Scientists created an edible, affordable scaffold for lab-grown chicken using mushroom-derived chitosan and bacterial cellulose. This blend supported healthy growth of muscle and fat cells, producing meat-like tissue with real-chicken texture. The method avoids animal-based ingredients and opens the door to scalable, sustainable meat production powered by fungi.

Protein-rich milky mushrooms 🍽️ Fresh and canned milky mushrooms (Calocybe indica) both showed high levels of essential amino acids like leucine, lysine, and valine, with some nutrients increasing slightly during storage. Despite minor fluctuations, both forms retained strong nutritional value, making canned versions a viable option for long-term use in functional or protein-focused diets.

Cheesy improvements 🧀 Adding fresh or dried mushrooms to processed spreadable cheese increased protein, fiber, and antioxidant levels while improving texture and taste. This affordable, accessible upgrade shows how mushrooms can enhance everyday foods for better nutrition and flavor.

Medicinal cultivation 🧪 Researchers tested whether medicinal residue—leftover from herbal supplement production—could replace sawdust in growing gray oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus ostreatus). The best results came from an 80:20 mix of medicinal residue to sawdust, producing larger, heavier mushrooms with up to 0.81% polysaccharides and 0.32% saponins. A full 100% replacement underperformed, suggesting sawdust helps maintain structure and aeration.

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