Lion's Mane carries the nootropic reputation almost single-handedly, and it's the reason most people go looking for a blend like Mindoxa in the first place.
Researchers are interested in two compound families it contains: hericenones, concentrated in the fruiting body, and erinacines, concentrated in the mycelium. Both have been studied for their relationship with nerve growth factor, a protein involved in maintaining nerve cells.
Human evidence is thinner than the marketing around this mushroom usually suggests — the most-cited trial involved a small group of older adults with mild cognitive impairment. It's a promising, well-tolerated ingredient with early data, not a proven cognitive drug.
In the Mindoxa formula: Lion's Mane is one of six named mushrooms — see the full mechanism on how Mindoxa works.