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	Potential of fungi used in Chinese traditional remedies: the caterpillar fungus (Cordyceps sinensis)
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Potential of fungi used in Chinese traditional remedies: the caterpillar fungus (Cordyceps sinensis)

Claims made for Cordyceps

In China the fungus is used to regulate and support the gonads, and as a lung and kidney tonic[9]. It was also recommended as a ´for all illness´ tonic because of its claimed effects to improve; energy, appetite, stamina, endurance and sleeping patterns.

Evidence and Studies

Various reports have been conducted in order to find what the curative effects of Cordyceps are. It has been found to have effects on hepatic function, renal function, endocrine and steroid system, cardiovascular system, anticancer activities, immunomodulation, hypoglycaemic activity in STZ-induced diabetes and in erythropoiesis and hemopoiesis[12].

With its effects on the cardiovascular system, stamina and endurance, the fungi made sports headlines in 1993 at the Chinese National Games, when the women´s team broke 9 world records including the 10,000 metre run by an unprecedented 42 seconds. The team had all been reported to be given a cocktail of TCM drugs and tonics including the Cordyceps mushroom. Several reports and studies have been done to provide evidence for the effects of the fungi on human performanc. A study which was published in the Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise Journal, 2001, concluded that CS-4(is a fermentable strain of the mycelia) supports normal fat mobilization and beta-oxidation, thereby preserving glycogen usage during prolonged exercise[13].

Cordyceps has also been used in the treatment of cancers. Reported effects that have been found include[16]:

Bee pollen contains most of the known nutrients, including all of those necessary for human survival. When compared to any other food, it contains a higher percentage of all necessary nutrients. Bee pollen is approximately 25% complete protein containing at least 18 amino acids. In addition, bee pollen provides more than a dozen vitamins, 28 minerals, 11 enzymes or co-enzymes, 14 beneficial fatty acids, 11 carbohydrates, and is rich in minerals, the full spectrum of vitamins, and hormones. It is low in calories.

• Inhibits the production of DNA and RNA synthesis in cance
  
• enhancement of cell differentiation[18],
  
• restructuring of cytoskeleton in cells[19],
  
• inhibition of protein kinase activity[20]
  
• antitumor activity on bladder, kidney, colon, lung carcinoma as well as fibroblastoma[21]
  
• inhibition of the infection and reverse transcriptase activity of human immunodeficiency virus type I[22]
  
• inhibition of methylation of nucleic acid[23]
  
• inhibition of chemotaxis and specific proteins synthesis of the macrophage cell line[24]
  

Cordyceps sinensis has also been found to act as an immunomodulatory agent. ´Effects of various fractions of methanol extracts from fruiting bodies of Cordyceps sinensis on the lymphoproliferative response, natural killer cell activity, and phytohemagglutinin stimulated interleukin-2 (IL-2) and tumour necrosis factor-alpha production on human mononuclear cells were studied´[25].

It has also been found that a ´polysaccharide (CS-F30)´[26] found in a culture of Cordyceps sinensis has a potent effect on glucose metabolism in the liver of a mouse. The polysaccharide was intraperitonealy administrated into genetic diabetic mice. The mice showed hypoglycaemic activity, ´and the plasma glucose level was quickly reduced in normal and streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice after intravenous administration´[26]. Administration to normal mice of the polysaccharide significantly increased the activities of ´hepatic glucokinase, hexokinase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, although the glycogen content in the liver was reduced´[26]. In addition CS-F30 was shown to lower the cholesterol level and the plasma triglyceride level in mice.

References :

1. Exploring TCM by Khen-Wei Yeoh, Student BMJ http://www.studentbmj.com/back_issues/1100/life/424.html
   
2. Greater than the parts, New Scientist vol 170 issue 2292 - 26 May 2001
   
3. Stedmans Concise Medical Dictionary 4th Edition
   
4. Pathology by O´Connor, Jones Second Edition
   
5. http://www.bestproducts.com/rejuveyou/cat-guar.html
   
6. http://www.internations.net/jp/timspage/qinghai/fungus.html
   
7. Chinese Drugs of Plant Origin, Chemistry, Pharmacology and Use in Traditional and Modern Medicine by W.Tang, G.Eisenbrand
   
8. Lu RM, Yang YC, Yue DC, Wang SF, Fan TJ, Hui ZM, Wang CF, Yang YP (1982) Chemical composition of the submerged culture of Cordyceps sp. No 1. Weishengwuxue Tongbao
9. 166-168
   
10. http://www.herbmed.com/corydyceps.html
    
11. http://www.naturalways.com/liver-Enhancer.htm
    
12. http://tcm.health-info.org/Zang%20Fu%20foundation/TCM-functions-of-internal-organs-Zangfu.htm - Functions of Internal Organs (Zang Fu)
    

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis, Vol 8, No. 4, 2000, Pages 248-257 Pharmacological Functions of Chinese Medicinal Fungus Cordyceps sinensis and Related Species by Sheng-Yuan Wang and Ming-Shi Shiao

13. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 2001
    
14. Akinobu, et al. 1995
    
15. Burke, Edmund, 1998
    
16. http://psp.bc.ca/Cancer-and-ulcers/e-Cordycep.htm
    
17. Plageman and Erabe, 1971
    
18. Mathew et al., 1989
    
19. Deitchand, 1979, Zieve and Roemer, 1988
    
20. Glazer and Juo, 1977
    
21. Hubell et al., 1985
    
22. Montefiori et al., 1989; Muller et al., 1991
    
23. Noval-fernandez and Leory, 1980
    
24. Aksamit et al., 1983
    
25. Cordyceps sinensis. Kuo YC; Tsai WJ; Shiao MS; Chen CF; Lin CY , National Research Institute of Chinese Medicine, Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan. ,Am J Chin Med, 24(2):111-25 1996
    
26. Kiho T; Yamane A; Hui J; Usui S; Ukai S ,Gifu Pharmaceutical University, Japan. ,Biol Pharm Bull, 19(2):294-6 1996 Feb.
    
27. Newsweek September 18, 2000 A Natural Advantage? Who needs drugs? >> China´s athletes take a panoply of herbs and tonics
    by James Matthew Howard, 2003.

1. http://www.alohamedicinals.com/cordycepsIJM1003.pdf
   
2. http://www.alohamedicinals.com/cordyceps.pdf
   
3. http://www.ons.org/publications/journals/onf/Volume31/Issue4/pdf/75.pdf
   
4. http://www.ons.org/publications/journals/ONF/Volume31/Issue4/3104690.asp
   
5. Ng, T.B. & HX Wang, 2005. "Pharmacological actions of Cordyceps, a prized folk medicine". J. Pharm Pharmacol. Dec; 57(12): 1509-1519.
   http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/...
   
6. Kuo, Y.C., C. Chen, Y. Luo, R. Huang, W. Chuang, C. Sheu & Y. Lin, 2005. "Cordyceps sinensis mycelium protects mice from group A streptococcal infection". J. Med. Microbiol 54:795-802.
   http://jmm.sgmjournals.org/cgi/content/full/54/8/795