HISTORY AND TRADITIONAL USES

Traditionally, the powdered fungus is mixed with other tonic herbal medicines such as ginseng, or it may be boiled and taken as a tea or soaked in alcohol for a tincture. It is mainly used to treat low energy following serious illness and as a strengthening tonic.

Other traditional uses include the treatment of cough, anemia, tuberculosis, lower back pain (Pegler et al., 1994), impotence, infertility, irregular menstruation, night sweats, and senile weakness.

It continues to be used as a tranquilizer or sedative in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) (Ying et al., 1987; Liu and Bau, 1980; Guo, 1986), although compared to Western drug standards these effects are inherently mild. Cordyceps is also taken in TCM to keep the lungs fit, strengthen the kidneys, build up the bone marrow, reduce phlegm, and stop hemorrhages (Ying et al., 1987; Liu and Bau, 1980).

Carbohydrates

Polysaccharides
Polysaccharides in Cordyceps have shown various activities: hypoglycemic (CS-F30) (Kiho et al., 1996); hypolipidemic (CS-F30) (Kiho et al., 1996); immunostimulating (CS-81002) (Gong et al., 1990) immunostimulating/radioprotective/antitumor (polysaccharide I) (Zang et al., 1985); and antileukemic (polysaccharide fraction-conditioned medium) (Chen et al., 1997).

Nitrogenous Compounds

Nucleotides and Nucleosides
Certain nucleosides in Cordyceps, such as adenosine, inhibit platelet aggregation (Ikumoto et al., 1991; Shiao et al., 1994) and others have shown calcium antagonist and inotropic activity (Furuya et al., 1983). Nucleosides reported in Cordyceps include adenosine, uracil, uridine, guanine, guanosine (Shiao et al., 1994) and 2’- and 3’- deoxyadenosine (cordycepin) (Chen and Chu, 1996)

Other Constituents

Cordyceps sinensis also contains: galactomannans (Miyazaki et al., 1977; Kiho et al., 1986), polyamines (spermine, spermidine, homospermidine, putrescine, 1,3-diaminopropane) (Zhu and Masaru, 1993), various uncommon cyclic dipeptides, minerals, vitamins B1, B2, B12, E and K, all the essential amino acids (Yue et al., 1995; Huang et al., 1991; Xu et al., 1992; Guo, 1986; Tao, 1995; Xia et al., 1985), glutamic acid, Ltryptophan, L-arginine, and lysine (Zhang et al., 1991). C. sinensis also contains d-mannitol, ergosterol, ergosterol derivatives, alkaloids, fatty acids (mainly oleic, linoleic, palmitic, and stearic acids) (Shiao et al., 1989), and sterols (Kadota et al., 1986).

THERAPEUTIC APPLICATIONS

• Cardiovascular and Circulatory Disorders
Effects on Cholesterol and Lipid Metabolism

• Digestive, Hepatic, and Gastrointestinal Disorders Hepatic Diseases

• Genito-urinary and Renal Disorders

• Immune Disorders; Inflammation and Disease Chemotherapy Adjunct Treatments

• Metabolic and Nutritional Disorders
Performance and Endurance Enhancement
Aging and Senescence; Longevity Enhancement

• Reproductive Disorders Sexual Dysfunctions (Male and Female)

• Respiratory and Pulmonary Disorders
Bronchial Disorders

SAFETY PROFILE

Toxicity in Animal Models Strain Cs-B414 produced an LD50 in mice of
27.26±4.38 g/kg i.p. The p.o. tolerance dose was 252.5-300 g/kg.

No significant hematological toxicity was found in rabbits administered Cs-B414 at a dosage of 10 g/kg/day p.o. for 3 months. Neither kidney, liver, nor major organs showed significant toxicity compared to placebo-fed rabbits (Huang et al., 1987).

A 3-month, placebo-controlled, subacute toxicity study in both sexes of rats found the Cs-4 strain caused no toxicity or deaths at a dosage of 3 g/kg p.o. A 30-day, placebo-controlled toxicity study in mice found no signs of toxicity and no deaths from Cs-4. In both studies, organ weights and peripheral blood cells were not significantly different from those of the controls (Zhu et al., 1998a).

KEY REFERENCE

Institute for Natural Products Research Cordyceps Monograph