Alternative Names | Description | Known Active Constituents | Latin Name (Cordyceps sinensis, Cordyceps militaris) Alternative Names Description Known Active Constituents Purported Uses Medicinal Properties and Modes of Actions In Traditional Chinese medicine, Cordyceps has a long history of use as a lung and kidney tonic, to increase sperm production and for the treatment of chronic bronchitis, asthma, tuberculosis and other diseases of the respiratory system. Chinese herbalists believe that Cordyceps replenishes Yin and Yang Jing and restores the deep energy expended as a result of extreme exertion or stress or from aging. Cordyceps captured the attention of the West in 1993 during the Chinese National Games where a team of nine Chinese women runners shattered 9 world records, including breaking the 10,000 meter run by an astounding 42 seconds. The athletes’ coach attributed their performance in part to the use of Cordyceps (Steinkraus et a. 1994). Lou et al. (1986) reported that Cordyceps increased the survival times of mice kept in low oxygen environments. Cordyceps appeared to help the mice utilize oxygen more efficiently and increased oxygen absorption by as much as 40%. This activity may help to explain the extraordinary performance the Chinese athletes. Regular ingestion of Cordyceps appears to ameliorate the effects of aging. In placebo-controlled clinical studies of elderly patients with fatigue and other senescence-related symptoms (Cao & Wen, 1993; Zhang et al., 1995), patients receiving Cordyceps exhibited clinical improvements including significant alleviation of fatigue, cold intolerance, dizziness, frequent nocturia, tinnitus, hyposexuality, and amnesia. Placebo-treated patients exhibited no improvement in symptoms. The fruit body and mycelia of Cordyceps have been shown to be potent immunopotentiators. Several studies have demonstrated the Cordyceps has a wide range of immunostimulating and immunomodulating activities (Koh et al, 1994; Kuo et al, 2005; Ng et al, 2005). In a clinical study of 36 patients with advanced breast and lung cancer, Cordyceps restored immunological function (Zhou & Lin, 1995). Many researchers have studied and reported on the anti-cancer and anti-tumor activities of Cordyceps (Chen et al., 1997; Kuo et al., 1994; Yoshida, 1989). Li et al. (2001) reported strong anti-oxidation activity in Cordyceps and that the activity in cultured mycelium was equal or greater to that in the natural form. Cordyceps has also been shown to have cholesterol-reducing and general cardiotonic properties (Chiou et al., 2000; Lou et al., 1986; Yamaguchi, et al. 2000). Cordyceps appears to inhibit cholesterol deposition in the aorta by inhibiting LDL oxidation. Geng et al. (1985) in a 2 month long controlled clinical study of 273 patients with hyperlipdemia, reported that Cordyceps reduced total cholesterol blood level by 17.5% and triglyceride level by 9.9%. No serious side effects were reported. The long history of use of Cordyceps in Traditional Chinese Medicine to restore and enhance sexual function has been validated by research. Wan et al. (1988), conducted a clinical trial with 189 patients who reported decreased sex drives. Those patients receiving Cordceps reported significant improvement when compared to those patients receiving placebos. In another trial involving 22 male patients with impotence (Guo, 1986), after treatment with Cordyceps more than one-third of the patients were able to engage in sexual intercourse and more than one-half experienced improvement. Yang et al. (1995), in another clinical trial reported that treatment with Cordyceps significantly increased the sex drive of patients with low libido. Several animal studies involving Cordyceps have demonstrated the significant enhancement of sexual function in mice and rabbits. Selected References Chiou, W.F., C. Chou, and C. Chen, 2000. “Protein constituent contributes to hypotensive and vasorelaxant activities of Cordyceps sinensis”. Life Sciences Feb 25; 66(14):1369-1376. Geng, S., et al. 1985. “Treatment of hyperlipidemia with cultivated Cordyceps- a double blind, randomized placebo control trial. Chinese J. Integ. Medicine 5(11),652. Guo, Y.Z., 1986. “Medicinal chemistry, pharmacology, and clinical applications of fermented mycelia of Cordyceps sinensis and JinShuBao capsule”. J. Modern Diagnostics Therapeutics (1)60-65. Halpern, G.M., 1999. “Cordyceps: China’s Healing Mushroom” Avery Publishing Group, Garden City Park, New York Koh, J.H., K. Yu, H. Suh, Y. Choi, & Y. Ahn, 2002. “ Activation of macrophages and the intestinal immune system by an orally administered decoction from cultured medium of Corydyceps sinensis”. Biosci Biotechno Biochem Feb; 66(2)407-411. Kuo, Y.C., C. Lin, W. Tsai, C. Wu, C. Chen & M. Shiao, 1994. “Growth inhibitors against tumor cells in Cordyceps sinensis other than cordycepin and polysaccharides”. Cancer Investigation 12(6) 611-615. Kuo, Y.C., W. Tsai, M. Shiao, C. Chen, C. Lin, 1996. “Cordyceps sinensis as an immunomodulatory agent”. American Journal of Chinese Medicine, vol. XXIV, No. 2, pp. 111-125 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. Li, S.P., P. Li, T. Dong, & K. Tsim, 2001. Lou, Y., X. Liao, & Y. Lu, 1986. “Cardiovascular pharmacological studies of ethanol extracts of Cordyceps mycelia and Cordyceps fermentation solution. Chinese Traditional & Herbal Drugs 17(5):17-21, 209-213. Ng, T.B. & HX Wang, 2005. “Pharmacological actions of Cordyceps, a prized folk medicine”. J. Pharm Pharmacol. Dec; 57(12): 1509-1519. Steinkrauss, D. C. & J. Whitfield, 1994. Wan, F., Y. Guo, X. Deng, “Sex hormone-like effects of JinShuiBao capsule: Pharmocological and clinical studies”. Chinese Traditional Patented Medicine 9:29-31. Won, S.Y and Eun-Hee Park. “Anti-inflammatory and related pharmacological activities of cultured mycelia and fruiting bodies of Cordyceps militaris”. 2005. Yamaguchi, Y., S. Kagoto, K. Nakamura, K. Shinozuka & M. Kunitomo, 2000. “Inhibitory effects of extracts from the fruiting bodies of Cordyceps sinensis on raised serum lipid peroxide levels and aortic cholesterol deposition in atherosclerotic mice” Phytotherapy Research Dec;14(8):650-652. Yang, W., X. Deng & W. Hu, 1995. “Clinical study of fermentation product of Cordyceps sinensis on treatment of hyposexuality”. J. Adminstration Traditional Chinese Medicine 5(suppl):23-24. Yoshida, J. 1989. “Antitumor activity of an extract of Cordyceps sinensis (Berk.) Sacc. Against murine tumor cell line”. Japan J. Exper. Med. 59: 157-160. Zhang, Z., et al. 1995. “Clinical and laboratory studies of JinShuiBao in scavaging oxygen free radicals in elderly senescent XuZheng patients”. J. Administration Traditional Chinese Medicine 5(suppl):14-18. Zhou, D. H. & L. Lin, 1995. “Effect of Jinshubao capsule on the immunological function of 36 patients with advanced cancer” Chung-Kuo-Chung-His-I-Chieh-Ho-Tsa-Chih Aug: 15:8):476-478. Zhu, J.S., G.M. Halpern, & K. Jones. 1998. “The scientific rediscovery of an ancient Chinese herbal medicine: Cordyceps sinensis Part I”. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. 4(3): 289-303. Zhu, J.S., G.M. Halpern, & K. Jones. 1998. “The scientific rediscovery of an ancient Chinese herbal regimen: Cordyceps sinensis Part II”. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. 4(4): 429-457. Parts I and II provide a wealth of information on the Chinese caterpillar fungus known as “Dong Chong Xia Cao”. This amazing fungus is parasitic on a species of moth native to high elevations in Himalayan mountain regions of Tibet and Nepal. The article explores the use of this mushroom in traditional Chinese medicine and also reviews studies on the chemical, pharmacological and toxicological activities of both the fruit bodies and cultured mycelial products of C. sinensis. (The forgoing information and research references are presented for informational purposes only and are not intended to infer or imply that our products function as drugs. Our whole food mushroom products are not intended to diagnose, treat or prevent disease. We encourage you to share this information with your physician or health care practioner.) |
Alternative Names | Description | Known Active Constituents | |
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