Though it has ugly appearance, its scientific name is Xylaria nigripes (Klotzsch) Cooke, and locals also call it O Linh ginseng.

In medicine, it is a medicinal herb that has sedative effects, treats insomnia, stops bleeding, reduces blood pressure, burns…

Additionally, it can also help improve memory, protect the brain, nourish the kidneys…

For people after surgery, after giving birth or during breastfeeding, this is a miraculous medicinal herb.

According to ncbi.nlm.nih.gov, Xylaria nigripes (XN) is a traditional medicinal fungus belonging to the family Xylariaceae. Traditionally, XN is used to treat insomnia and trauma, and also as a nerve tonic. In vivo and in vitro studies have demonstrated the bioactivities of XN, including the following activities: antioxidant, immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, anti-tumor prevention of spatial memory impairment, anti-depressant activity in epileptic patients, enhancing insulin sensitivity, and neuroprotective activities.

These bioactivities of XN are attributed to different chemical compounds reported in XN such as intracellular and extracellular polysaccharides, adenosine, total polyphenols, and triterpenoids in mycelia.

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) can increase oxidative stress and induce apoptosis by initiating mitochondrial dysfunctions in PC12 cells. In the present study, PC12 cells treated with H2O2 were used as the cell model and XN mycelia extracts produced from mycelia by submerged fermentation were evaluated for their protective effects on neural cells affected by oxidative damage.