Disease relevance of Cordyceps

• Cordycepin: selective growth inhibitor derived from liquid culture of Cordyceps militaris against Clostridium spp [1].
• Combined effects of Cordyceps sinensis and methotrexate on hematogenic lung metastasis in mice [2].
• This is the first report in identifying a polysaccharide from Cordyceps, which protects against the free radical-induced neuronal cell toxicity [3].
• The diabetic rats had significantly lower weight gain and higher blood glucose response in oral glucose tolerance test than the control rats; and these changes were significantly reduced by administrating the fruiting body of Cordyceps [4].
• The cDNA of Cu, Zn containing superoxide dismutase from the Cordyceps militaris SH (cm-SOD) was overexpressed in Escherichia coli BL 21 (DE3) using the pET-21a expression vector [5].

High impact information on Cordyceps

• The fungus, termed strain A, was able to utilize 1,4-dioxane and many kinds of cyclic ethers as the sole source of carbon and was identified as Cordyceps sinensis from its 18S rRNA gene sequence [6].
• Upregulation of steroidogenic enzymes and ovarian 17beta-estradiol in human granulosa-lutein cells by Cordyceps sinensis mycelium [7].
• Activation and proliferation signals in primary human T lymphocytes inhibited by ergosterol peroxide isolated from Cordyceps cicadae [8].
• A simple method is described for simultaneous determination of six main nucleosides and bases including adenine, uracil, adenosine, guanosine, uridine and inosine in Cordyceps by capillary electrophoresis (CE) [9].
• Adenosine and inosine were extracted as markers for discrimination of natural Cordyceps [9].

Biological context of Cordyceps

• A Beauveria phylogeny inferred from nuclear ITS and EF1-alpha sequences: evidence for cryptic diversification and links to Cordyceps teleomorphs [10].
• The effects of purple sweet potato anthocyanin (SPA) and Cordyceps mushroom extract (CME) on lipid peroxidation, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals and cognitive deficits were examined [11].
• Thus, the putative antioxidant and antiapoptotic properties of Cordyceps sinensis are insufficient to rescue cells from apoptosis induced by these stimuli in vitro [12].

Anatomical context of Cordyceps

• It was shown by flow cytometry analysis that crystalized preparation of Cordyceps sinensis (Cs-Cr) caused significant elevation of the number of T helper cells and Lyt-1/Lyt-2 (T helper to T suppressor cell) ratio both in peripheral blood and the treated mice spleen [13].
• Effects of various fractions of methanol extracts from fruiting bodies of Cordyceps sinensis on the lymphoproliferative response, natural killer (NK) cell activity, and phytohemagglutinin (PHA) stimulated interleukin-2 (IL-2) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) production on human mononuclear cells (HMNC) were studied [14].

Associations of Cordyceps with chemical compounds

• Antitumor activity of protein-bound polysaccharide from Cordyceps ophioglossoides in mice [15].
• Ophiocordin, an antifungal antibiotic of Cordyceps ophioglossoides [16].
• Occurrence of Gal beta (1----3) GalNAc-Ser/Thr in the linkage region of polygalactosamine containing fungal glycoprotein from Cordyceps ophioglossoides [17].
• Amelioration of cyclosporin nephrotoxicity by Cordyceps sinensis in kidney-transplanted recipients [18].
• An unknown antibiotic, ophiocordin, C21H22N2O8, MW: 430, was isolated from submerged cultures of Cordyceps ophioglossoides, strain TU 276, grown in a glycerol soybean meal medium at 27 degrees C. The antibiotic was extracted from acidified culture fluids with n-butanol and purified by subsequent column chromatography on DEAE-Sephadex and cellulose [16].

Gene context of Cordyceps

• Morphological and genetic characterization of a cultivated Cordyceps sinensis fungus and its polysaccharide component possessing antioxidant property in H22 tumor-bearing mice [19].
• Production and characterization of exopolysaccharides from an enthomopathogenic fungus Cordyceps militaris NG3 [20].
• Effects of exopolysaccharide fraction (EPSF) from a cultivated Cordyceps sinensis fungus on c-Myc, c-Fos, and VEGF expression in B16 melanoma-bearing mice [21].
• Fermentation, partial purification, and use of serine palmitoyltransferase inhibitors from Isaria (= Cordyceps) sinclairii [22].
• Effect of nutrition factors on the synthesis of superoxide dismutase, catalase, and membrane lipid peroxide levels in Cordyceps militaris mycelium [23].

Analytical, diagnostic and therapeutic context of Cordyceps

• Simultaneous determination of ergosterol, nucleosides and their bases from natural and cultured Cordyceps by pressurised liquid extraction and high-performance liquid chromatography [24].
• Hyperproduction of cordycepin by two-stage dissolved oxygen control in submerged cultivation of medicinal mushroom Cordyceps militaris in bioreactors [25].
• Aqueous and alcohol extracts of Cordyceps sinensis (Berk) Succ. are used as a traditional medicine in China for the treatment of a wide range of diseases and are reported to have antioxidant and antiapoptotic properties [12].

References