anti-cancer and other properties of cordyceps sinesis et al

[faustus]

i'm generally pretty skeptical of complementary medicines, but i heard about this bad boy thru a friend whose parents had taken it when they had cancer. although they ending up dying he mentioned that it still helped them, but i didn't ask how.

i cannae believe that it could have such diverse medicinal properties but lo! and behold! even if it turns out to not work that effectively in humans, it'd certainly be a good starting point for future anticancer drug design.

there have been a few threads on here about cordyceps sinesis and co but not much feedback on use. anyone had experience with it and for what reason were you taking it?

from wiki:

Cordyceps has been used to treat several conditions, recently also cancers. Extracts from both mycelium and fruiting bodies of C. sinensis, C. militaris and other Cordyceps species showed significant anticancer activities by various mechanisms such as, modulating immune system and inducing cell apoptosis. Some polysaccharide components and cordycepin (3'-deoxyadenosine) have been isolated from C. sinensis and C. militaris, which acted as potent anticancer components.^[9]

Some work has been published in which Cordyceps sinensis has been used to protect the bone marrow and digestive systems of mice from whole body irradiation.^[10] An experiment noted Cordyceps sinensis may protect the liver from damage.^[11] An experiment with mice noted the mushroom may have an anti-depressant effect.^[12] Researchers have noted that Cordyceps has a hypoglycemic effect and may be beneficial for people with insulin resistance.^{[13][14][15][16][17]}

although the majority of them are on animals, seems to be a good umber of studies supporting its use as an adjunct cancer treatment:

Studies in vivo showed cordyceps had an inhibitory effect on Ehrlich ascites carcinoma and

meth-A fibrosarcoma (Ng and Wang 2005), EL-4 lymphoma (Yamaguchi et al. 1990), B16 mela-

noma (Wu, Zhang, and Leung 2007a), Lewis lung carcinoma (Nakamura et al. 1999), and H22

tumors (Chen et al. 2006) in mice...

Cordyceps exhibited direct cytotoxic activity

against several kinds of tumor cells, including Lewis lung carcinoma, B16 melanoma, lymphocytic

(Jurkat), prostate (PC3), breast (MCF7), hepatocellular (HepG2, Hep3B), colorectal (HT-29 and

HCT 116), and HL-60 cells (Nakamura et al. 1999; Wang et al. 2005; Wu, Zhang, and Leung

2007a). Although cordyceps had a cytotoxic effect on tumor cells, it did not show any cytotoxicity

against normal cells (Wu, Zhang, and Leung 2007a)

 

Evaluation of the anti-inflammatory and anti-proliferation tumoral cells activities of Antrodia camphorata, Cordyceps sinensis, and Cinnamomum osmophloeum bark extracts

Journal of Ethnopharmacology

Volume 114, Issue 1, 8 October 2007, Pages 78-85

Abstract

The extracts of chloroform (1) and methanol (2) from Antrodia camphorata (AC), and chloroform (3) and n-butanol (4) fractions of methanol extract from Cordyceps sinensis (CS), and hexane (5), ethyl acetate (6), and methanol (7) from Cinnamomum osmophloeum bark (CO) were evaluated for their anti-inflammatory as well as tumor-cell growth inhibitory activities in vitro. All the tested extracts dose dependently inhibited the enhanced production of inflammatory mediators such as nitric oxide (NO) through reducing inducible NO synthase expression, and cytokines (tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interleukin (IL)-12 in LPS/IFN-γ activated murine peritoneal macrophages. In addition, extracts 1 from AC, and 5 and 6 from CO significantly arrest the mitogen-stimulated spleen cells in G0/G1 stage. On the other hand, all these extracts were also evaluated for their tumor-cell proliferation activities in different type of cancer cell lines such as Jurkat, HepG2, PC 3, Colon 205, and MCF 7 as well as normal PBMCs. Compared to untreated controls, the extracts 1, 2, and 4–7 were most active and inhibited Jurkat cells with IC₅₀ value of 22, 40, 18, 4, 5, and 45 μg/ml, respectively. In addition, the extracts 5, 6, and 7 from CO showed potent growth inhibition of HepG2 and PC 3 with IC₅₀ values of 35, 80, 55 μg/ml; and 42, 125, and 50 μg/ml, respectively. Similarly, the extracts 1 and 5 inhibited the growth of Colon 205 and MCF 7 cells with IC₅₀ values of 65, 33; and 95 and 30 μg/ml, respectively. Interestingly, none of the tested extract has shown cytotoxicity towards normal PBMCs up to the concentration range studies (0–150 μg/ml). Taken together, these data suggest that the anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties of AC, CS, and CO might result from the growth inhibition of NO, TNF-α and IL-12, and tumor cells proliferation, respectively.

 

on top of that, it's got its fingers in a few other pies too.....

antihyperglycaemic effects:

The anti-hyperglycemic activity of the fruiting body of Cordyceps in diabetic rats induced by nicotinamide and streptozotocin

Life Sciences

Volume 74, Issue 23, 23 April 2004, Pages 2897-2908

Little scientific evidence exists to support the numerous herbs used to improve diabetes-related metabolic disorders. Cordyceps, a Chinese herbal medicine with fruiting body and carcass, has been proposed to have multiple medicinal activities. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of fruiting body and carcass of Cordyceps on hyperglycemia. Male Wistar rats administered with placebo (STZ group), 1 g of fruiting body (FB group), 1 g of carcass (CC group), or 1g of fruiting body plus carcass (CF group) of Cordyceps for four weeks (d1 to d28) were injected with nicotinamide (200 mg/kg) and streptozotocin (65 mg/kg) on d15. Animals fed with placebo and injected with saline acted as the controls (CON group). The results showed that water intake (d15 to d29), changes in fasting blood glucose concentration (d15 to d26), and serum concentrations of fructosamine (d29) were significantly greater in the STZ, CC and CF groups than in the CON and FB groups (one-way ANOVA, P < 0.05). 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. Our results revealed that fruiting body, not carcass, of Cordyceps attenuated the diabetes-induced weight loss, polydipsia and hyperglycemia, and these improvements suggest that fruiting body of Cordyceps has a potential to be the functional food for diabetes.

improving bone density in osteoporosis:

Prevention of disuse osteoporosis in rats by Cordyceps

sinensis extract

Osteoporos Int

DOI 10.1007/s00198-011-1842-4

W. Qi & Y.-B. Yan & W. Lei & Z.-X. Wu & Y. Zhang &

D. Liu & L. Shi & P.-C. Cao & N. Liu

Abstract

Summary Cordyceps sinensis has been known as a tradi-

tional medicine in China, and C. sinensis plus strontium

could prevent osteoporosis in ovariectomized rats. The

present study shows that daily oral administration of C.

sinensis at higher doses in adult hind limb suspension rats

can prevent disuse-induced bone loss and deterioration of

trabecular microarchitecture.

Introduction Cordyceps sinensis induces estradiol produc-

tion and prevents osteoporosis in ovariectomized rats. This

study was to examine whether C. sinensis can prevent

disuse-induced osteoporosis.

Methods Rats were randomly divided into six groups, and

five groups were treated with hind limb suspension (HLS).

One HLS group received alendronate (2.0 mg/kg/day) orally,

and to the three other HLS groups to each group, a different

amount of C. sinensis (100, 300, and 500 mg/kg/day) was

orally administered for 8 weeks before and after HLS. The

remaining HLS group was set as a control without treatment.

Each group consisted of 10 males and females. The body

weights, biochemical parameters in serum and urine, bone

mineral density (BMD), bone mineral content (BMC), me-

chanical testing, and bone microarchitecture were examined.

Results Treatments with higher C. sinensis dosage (300 and

500 mg/kg/day) or alendronate had a positive effect on

body weights, mechanical strength, BMD, and BMC

compared to the other HLS groups. C. sinensis decreased

markers of bone turnover dose dependently and increased

the osteocalcin levels in HLS rats. The result of micro-CT

analysis from the L4 vertebra showed that C. sinensis

(500 mg/kg) significantly prevented the reduction of the

bone volume fraction, connectivity density, trabeculae

number, and thickness as well as improved the trabeculae

separation and structure model index in HLS rats.

Conclusions The present study demonstrates that adminis-

tration of C. sinensis at higher doses over an 8-week period

can prevent the disuse osteoporosis in rats. It implies that C.

sinensis might be an alternative therapy for prevention of

disuse-induced osteoporosis also in humans.

 

neuroprotective against ischaemia-induced neurotoxicity, probably via its antioxidant properties:

Protective effect of extract of Cordyceps sinensis

in middle cerebral artery occlusion-induced focal

cerebral ischemia in rats

Liu et al. Behavioral and Brain Functions 2010, 6:61

Abstract

Background: Ischemic hypoxic brain injury often causes irreversible brain damage. The lack of effective and widel

applicable pharmacological treatments for ischemic stroke patients may explain a growing interest in traditional

medicines. From the point of view of “self-medication” or “preventive medicine,” Cordyceps sinensis was used in the

prevention of cerebral ischemia in this paper.

Methods: The right middle cerebral artery occlusion model was used in the study. The effects of Cordyceps sinensi

(Caterpillar fungus) extract on mortality rate, neurobehavior, grip strength, lactate dehydrogenase, glutathione

content, Lipid Peroxidation, glutathione peroxidase activity, glutathione reductase activity, catalase activity,

Na+ K+ ATPase activity and glutathione S transferase activity in a rat model were studied respectively.

Results: Cordyceps sinensis extract significantly improved the outcome in rats after cerebral ischemia and

reperfusion in terms of neurobehavioral function. At the same time, supplementation of Cordyceps sinensis extract

significantly boosted the defense mechanism against cerebral ischemia by increasing antioxidants activity related

to lesion pathogenesis. Restoration of the antioxidant homeostasis in the brain after reperfusion may have helped

the brain recover from ischemic injury.

Conclusions: These experimental results suggest that complement Cordyceps sinensis extract is protective after

cerebral ischemia in specific way. The administration of Cordyceps sinensis extract significantly reduced focal

cerebral ischemic/reperfusion injury. The defense mechanism against cerebral ischemia was by increasing

antioxidants activity related to lesion pathogenesis.

 

cordyceps: what a big, bad cunt you most certainly are.

apart from its ability to majorly get upside an ant's head, looks like something that definitely warrants more investigation!

 

[euphoraecopia]

I've taken cordyceps off and on for several years now. I never get sick when I'm taking it regularly, and it makes my lungs feel spongy, in a good way. Also my endurance playing hard loud fast jazz is significantly increased.

[amanito]

i ordered an extract 'cos it's said to have muscle relaxing properties, dunno if that's correct, pretty cheap sample anyway

[educate]

There is a few combination mushroom products around that give a synergistic effect. Shitake, Reishi also have a lot of positive research for cancer. Metagenics is a practitioner only product - 5 mushroom extract. Bioceuticals also does a mushroom tablet.

For a lot of cancers a shitake products called MGN-3 biobran is considered the cream for cancer treatment. Boosts natural killer cells. Is manufactured in Japan and sold under various labels