Cordyceps Health Benefits and Side Effects

Cordyceps Benefits and
Side Effects

Cordyceps [Caterpillar fungus, Deer fungus parasite,
Chongcao]

Cordyceps is a genus of ascomycete fungi and some of its members including
Cordyceps mycelium are commonly used in herbal medicine. The popular species in
commercial products are Cordyceps sinensis, Cordyceps ophioglossoides,
Cordyceps capita, and Cordyceps. militaris. Cordyceps militaris is a traditional herbal
ingredient frequently used for tonic and medicinal purposes in eastern Asia, while,
Cordyceps sinensis has been suggested to possess anti-tumor, immunostimulant
and antioxidant activities.

The chemical constituents for most species include cordycepin (3'-de-oxyadenosine)
and its derivatives, ergosterol, polysaccharides, a glycoprotein and peptides
containing alpha-aminoisobutyric acid. [11] Their benefits are suggested to include
anti-tumour, anti-metastatic, immunomodulatory, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory,
insecticidal, antimicrobial, hypolipidaemic, hypoglycaemic, anti-ageing,
neuroprotective and renoprotective effects. Polysaccharide accounts for the
anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-tumour, anti-metastatic, immunomodulatory,
hypoglycaemic, steroidogenic and hypolipidaemic effects. Cordycepin contributes to
the anti-tumour, insecticidal and antibacterial activity. Ergosterol exhibits anti-tumour
and immunomodulatory activity. [11]

More about Cordyceps sinensis
Cordyceps sinensis, a well-known and valued traditional Chinese medicine, is also
called DongChongXiaCao (winter worm summer grass) in Chinese. In herbal
medicient, it is commonly used to replenish the kidney and soothe the lung and it is
belived to benefit fatigue, night sweating, hyposexualities, hyperglycemia,
hyperlipidemia, asthemia after severe illness, respiratory disease, renal dysfunction
and renal failure, arrhythmias and other heart disease, and liver disease. As the rarity
and upstanding curative effects of natural Cordyceps, several mycelial strains have
been isolated from natural Cordyceps and manufactured in large quantities by
fermentation technology, and they are commonly sold as health food products in Asia.
[8]

HEALTH BENEFITS OF CORDYCEPS

Cordyceps may promote liver health.
Researchers from Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine proposed the
use of Cordyceps sinensis on liver fibrosis. In a study, they induced liver fibrosis in
rats with dimethylnitrosamine and then they treated the rats with Cordyceps sinensis.
They found that the content of metalloproteinases-2 in Cordyceps sinensis-treated
group was significantly higher than that in the untreated group. Thus, cordyceps
sinensis promoted collagen degradation. [1]

Cordyceps may have benefits in diabetes.
Researchers from University of Macau, China, isolated a polysaccharide of molecular
weight approximately 210kDa was isolated from cultured Cordyceps mycelia. This
isolated polysaccharides, CSP-1, has a strong antidant activity and a hypoglycemic
effect on normal and alloxan-diabetic mice and streptozotocin (STZ)-diabetic rats.
When administered at a dose of higher than 200mg/kg body wt. daily for 7 days,
CSP-1 produced a significant drop in blood glucose level in both STZ-induced diabetic
rats and alloxan-induced diabetic mice. [3]

Researchers from China Agricultural University, Beijing, also noticed the blood
glucose lowering effects of a polysaccharide extracted from the fruting bodies and
mycelia of Cordyceps militaris in a study of rats. The hypoglycemic effect of this
polysaccharide-enriched Cordyceps militaris extract was dose-dependent. [7]

Cordyceps have antioxidant activities. [5, 37-40]
Researchers from Chia Nan University of Pharmacy and Science, Taiwan,
demonstrated the protective effects of cultured Cordyceps militaris and natural
Cordyceps sinensis against oxidative damage of biomolecules in a vitro study. They
both have free radical scavenging abilities. [5]

Cordyceps may have benefits in cancers.
The aqueous extract of Cordyceps sinensis (Cs), one of the traditional Chinese
medicines, has been demonstrated to benefit a wide range of disorders in either
animal or test-tube studies. [9-31] Here are some most recent animal or in vitro
studies suggesting its benefits in cancers.

Korean researchers reported cytotoxic effects of cultivated fruiting bodies of Cordyceps
militaris extracts against the proliferation of the human premyelocytic leukemia cell
HL-60 via the activation of caspase-3. [6]

Researchers from Nanjing University shouls that a polysaccharide extracted from a
cultivated Cordyceps sinensis fungus significantly enhanced superoxide dismutase
activity of liver, brain and serum as well as glutathione peroxidase activity of liver and
brain in tumor-bearing mice. It also inhibited H22 tumor growth in the mice.

Cordyceps sinensis mycelium was found to induce MA-10 mouse Leydig tumor cell
death. Researchers from Taiwan found that Cordyceps sinensis induced MA-10 cell
apoptosis by activating caspase-8-dependent and caspase-9-independent pathways
and downregulating NF-?B protein expression. [9]

Hong Kong researchers demonstrated that an ethanol extract of cultivated mycelium of
a Cordyceps sinensis fungal mycelium has strong anti-tumor activity on four cancer
cell lines MCF-7 breast cancer, B16 mouse melanoma, HL-60 human premyelocytic
leukemia and HepG2 human hepatocellular carcinoma. In an animal test, the EtOAc
extract showed significant inhibiting effect on B16-induced melanoma in C57BL/6
mice, causing about 60% decrease of tumor size over 27 days. In contrast, this extract
had much lower cytotoxicity against normal mouse bone marrow cells. Researchers
reported that it contained mainly carbohydrates, adenosine, ergosterol and trace
amount of cordycepin. [10]

Cordyceps may help body defense, against infections and inflammation. Cordyceps
may modulate immunity. [2, 4, 32, 42-47]

Cordyceps sinensis is believed to be an immunomodulator.Hong Kong researchers
demonstrated that a cultivated strain of Cordyceps sinensis induced the production of
interleukin(IL)-1beta, IL-6, IL-10 and tumor necrosis factor alphaalpha from PBMC,
augmented surface expression of CD25 on lymphocytes in a vitro study. [2] While,
researchers from Zhejiang University, China, desmonstrated increased
ovalbumin-specific IgG, IgG1 and IgG2b serum levels after treating the mice with
edible mycelia of Cordyceps sinensis. [4]

A rat study has shown that a Cordyceps sinensis mycelium extract protected mice
from group A streptococcal infection. It increased IL-12 and IFN-gamma expression
and macrophage phagocytic activities. [32]

Cordyceps show benefit in diabetes in a study of animals.
Korean researchers showed a water-extract of Cordyceps militaris ameliorated insulin
resistance by enhancing glucose utilization in skeletal muscles of rats. [33]

Cordyceps show benefit in memory deficits in a test-tube study.
The extract of Cordyceps ophioglossoides protected the Abeta-induced neuronal cell
death and memory loss through free radical scavenging activity. [34]

Cordyceps alter testosterone levels in mice.
Researchers from Taiwan noticed the stimulating effects of Cordyceps sinensis
extracts on the secretion of testosterone in mice; this effect is in dose- and
time-dependent relationships. They are hoping this effect may offer benefits to those
with reproductive problems. [35]

Cordyceps show cholesterol-lowering effects in animal studies. [36,40]
In a study, researchers fed mice with cholesterol-enriched diet. They found that the
serum total cholesterol (TC) of all mice groups administered Cordyceps sinensis
extracts with the cholesterol-enriched diet decreased more than in the control group.
[36]

Cordyceps show liver protection in animal studies.
Cordyceps sinensis may be able to adjust the T lymphocyte subsets level and to treat
hepatic fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis. In the study, the researchers
supplied cordyceps sinensis to 25 patients suffered from chronic hepatitis for three
months. They found CD4 and CD4/CD8 ratio increased significantly(P < 0.05), while
HA and PC III decreased significantly(P < 0.05) compared with the control. [L1]

In another study of rats, researchers from Korea demonstrated four weeks of
administration of extracellular biopolymers from mycelial liquid culture of Cordyceps
militaris has a beneficial effect in rats with liver fibrosis. [L2]

Cordyceps show cardiobascular protection in animal studies.
Extracts of the fruiting bodies of cultured Cordyceps sinensis has been shown to exert
beneficial effects on the formation of the atherosclerotic lesion induced by oxidative
stress with few side effects in a study of mice. In the study, researchers fed mice with
an atherogenic diet and treated with the extracts for 12 weeks. Mice fed the
atherogenic diet showed marked increases in serum lipid and lipid peroxide levels
and also aortic cholesterol levels, particularly cholesteryl ester level, a major lipid
constituent in atherosclerotic lesions. According to the authors, the extracts
significantly suppressed the increased serum lipid peroxide level but not other lipid
levels in a dose-dependent manner. WECS also suppressed the increased aortic
cholesteryl ester level in a dose-dependent manner. [C1]

Researchers isolated a macromolecule from Cordyceps sinensis and they found this
molecule has blood pressure lowering and vaso-relaxing effects. The researchers
explained that the vasorelaxation was mediated by the endothelium possibly by
stimulating the release of the nitric oxide and endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing
factor. [C2]

SIDE EFFECTS OF CORDYCEPS
The side effects of Cordyceps sinensis are limited for recommended dosages. [48]

THIS ARTICLE IS FOR YOUR REFERENCE ONLY. STUDY RESULTS DEPEND ON EXPERIMENTAL
DESIGNS, EXTRACT QUALITIES AND THE TYPES OF ANIMAL USED. IF YOU HAVE ANY
QUESTIONS, YOU SHOULD CONSULT WITH YOUR DOCTOR IMMEDIATELY. ALL RIGHTS
RESERVED ZHION 2008.

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