• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.141-147
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• 2007

Cordycepin (3'-deoxyadenosine), which comes from Cordyceps militaris, the Chinese medicinal fungal genus Cordyceps, is used in the treatment of various diseases such as cancer and chronic inflammation. We recently reported that cordycepin has a novel antiplatelet effect through the down regulation of $[Ca^{2+}]_{i}$ and the elevation of cGMP/cAMP production. In this study, we further investigated the effect of cordycepin on collagen-induced platelet aggregation in the presence of cGMP-dependent protein kinase (PKG)- or cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA)-inhibitor. PKG inhibitor Rp-8-pCPT-cGMPS potentiated the collagen-induced platelet aggregation, but PKA inhibitor Rp-8-Br-cAMPS did not. However, both Rp-8-pCPT-cGMPS and Rp-8-Br-cAMPS reduced inhibition by cordycepin of collagen-induced platelet aggregation. Moreover, cordycepin inhibited $Ca^{2+}-dependent$ phosphorylation of both 47 kDa- and 20 kDa-protein in the presence of both PKG inhibitor and PKA inhibitor. Taken altogether, these results suggest that the inhibitory effect of cordycepin on collagen-induced platelet aggregation is associated with cGMP/PKG- and cAMP/PKA-pathways, and thus cordycepin may be an efficacious intervention against platelet aggregation-mediated thrombotic disease.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.27 no.1 s.88
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• pp.15-19
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• 1999

One hundred and six Cordyceps cultures including five cultures of Paecilomyces tenuipes were used for production of artificial fruiting body. In the test of artificial fruiting body formation, no fruiting bodies were induced on media containing PDA and ground silkworm pupae with liquid nitrogen. The best fruiting body formation was showed on media which mixed at the ratio of 1 unsticky rice to 3.5 water. But fruiting bodies formed on media mixed at the ratio 1 unpolished rice to 2.5 water. Optimal temperature in inducing artificial fruiting body was at $20^{\circ}C$. Twenty seven isolates were selected as good cultures for production of artificial fruiting body. Maturation of fruiting bodies incubated on rice grain media was completed for about 50 to 65 days.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.26 no.7
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• pp.847-854
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• 2016

Cordycepin, a derivative of the nucleoside adenosine, is one of the active components extracted from fungi of genus Cordyceps, and has been shown to have many pharmacological activities. In this study, we investigated the effects of cordycepin on proliferation and apoptosis of human gastric cancer AGS cells, and its possible mechanism of action. Treatment of cordycepin resulted in significant decrease in cell viability of AGS cells in a concentration-dependent manner. A concentration-dependent apoptotic cell death was also measured by agarose gel electrophoresis and flow cytometery analysis. Molecular mechanistic studies of apoptosis unraveled cordycepin treatment resulted in an enhanced expression of tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand, death receptor 5 and Fas ligand. Furthermore, up-regulation of pro-apoptotic Bax, and down-regulation of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL expression were also observed in cordycepin-treated AGS cells. These were followed by activation of caspases (caspase-9, -8 and -3), subsequently leading to poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage. Taken together, these findings indicate that cordycepin induces apoptosis in AGS cells through regulation of multiple apoptotic pathways, including death receptor and mitochondria. Although further mechanical studies are needed, our results revealed that cordycepin can be regarded as a new effective and chemopreventive compound for human gastric cancer treatment.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.167-171
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• 2001

The Hypoglycemic effect of exo-polymers (EPs) produced from submerged mycelial cultures of five types of mushrooms on streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats were investigated in this study. The five experimental groups were fed with EPs (50 mg/kg body weight) for 7 days. Significant reduction in plasma glucose, total cholesterol (TC), and triglyceride (TG) levels were observed in rats fed with Lentinus edodes and Cordyceps militaris EPs. Plasma glucose and TC were also reduced by administration of Phellinus linteus EPs, but the TG level was not changed significantly. The EPs of three mushroom species also demonstrated a marked reduction in the level of plasma glutamate-pyruvate transminase (GPT). The result proves the hypoglycemic activity of EPs of three fungal group in STZ-induced diabetic rats and indicates their potential in the control of diabetes mellitus.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.273-279
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• 2009

Cordycepin (3'-deoxyadenosine) is an adenosine analogue isolated from Cordyceps militaris, and it has been used as an anti-cancer and anti-inflammation ingredient in traditional Chinese medicine. We investigated the effects of cordycepin on human platelet aggregation induced by thapsigargin, and determined the cytosolic free $Ca^{2+}$ levels ($[Ca^{2+}]_i$), an aggregation-stimulating factor. Cordycepin significantly inhibited thapsigargin-induced platelet aggregation. Its inhibitory effect was continually sustained at the maximal aggregation concentration of thapsigargin. The thapsigargin-induced $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ were clearly reduced by cordycepin in the presence of exogenous $CaCl_2$ or extracellular $Ca^{2+}$-chelator (EDTA). These results suggest that cordycepin inhibited thapsigargin-induced $Ca^{2+}$-influx from extracellular domain and thapsigargin-induced $Ca^{2+}$-mobilization from intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ storage. Accordingly, our data demonstrated that cordycepin may have a beneficial effect on platelet aggregation-mediated thrombotic diseases by inhibiting a $[Ca^{2+}]_i$-elevation.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.1 no.3
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• pp.180-183
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• 2007

Cytoprotective ability of polysaccharides isolated from different edible mushrooms was investigated on the 7-ketocholesterol-induced damaged cell line. Polysaccharide extracts from six different edible mushrooms-Flammulina velutipes, Peurotus ostreatus, Lentinus edodes, Agrocybe aegerita, Agaricus blazei, and Cordyceps militaris- were prepared by hot water extraction and alcohol precipitation. Cytoprotective ability was evaluated by measuring the viable cells of the normal embryonic liver cell line (BNL CL. 2) in the presence of 7-ketocholesterol. At $80\;{\mu}g/mL$ of 7-ketocholesterol, cytotoxicity was very high with a loss of 98% of viable cells after 20 h of incubation. With the addition of $200\;{\mu}g/mL$ of each polysaccharide isolate to the cell line containing $80\;{\mu}g/mL$ of 7-ketocholesterol, polysaccharide isolates from both Flammulina velutipes and Peurotus ostreatus could significantly inhibit the 7-ketochoelsterol-induced cytotoxicity in the cells. But other polysaccharide isolates were not effective in inhibiting cell damage caused by the oxLDL-induced cytotoxicity.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.665-672
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• 2017

The anti-diabetic effect of dried-silkworm Dongchunghacho water extracts was investigated in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Seven-week-old SD rats were randomly assigned to six groups: normal control (NC) group, diabetic control (DC) group, water extracts of Paecilomyces japonica grown on a dried-silkworm (PJ-DS, 50 mg/kg) group, PJ-DS (250 mg/kg) group, water extracts of Cordyceps militaris grown on a dried-silkworm (CM-DS, 250 mg/kg) group, and water extracts of dried-silkworm (DS, 250 mg/kg) group. These groups were orally provided with sample dissolved in water respectively for four weeks after an injection of STZ (60 mg/kg, ip) followed by identification of diabetic control (DC) group. After four weeks, body weight of all diabetic groups was significantly lower than that of the normal control (NC) group, but among diabetic groups there were no significant differences. Blood glucose levels of the PJ-DS (50 mg/kg), PJ-DS (250 mg/kg), CM-DS (250 mg/kg) and DS (250 mg/kg) groups were reduced compared to the DC group by 3.0 percent, 18.5 percent, 6.9 percent and 13.1 percent, respectively. Concentration of total cholesterol and triglyceride in blood plasma were to some degree decreased in PJ-DS (250 mg/kg) and DS (250 mg/kg) groups compared to the DC group. According to these results dried-silkworm Dongchunghacho water extracts (PJ-DS) boost protection against STZ-induced toxicity.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.15-22
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• 2003

Nutritional compositions of three Tochukaso species (Paecilomyces tenuipes hosted by Larva and pupa, Cordyceps militaris, C. sinensis) were compared. Fruiting body and host fractions were separately analyzed. Fruiting body fraction of P. tenuipes (36.6%) hosted by larva was higher than that hosted by pupa (10.2%), an indication that the quality of the former is superior to the latter. Carbohydrate content of C. sinensis (39.6%) was $2.5{\sim}7$ times higher than those of others, probably due to the presence of polysaccharides. Protein and crude lipid contents of C. sinensis and C. militaris were 25.8 and 10.3%, and 75.1 and 3.9%, respectively. C. sinensis showed the lowest Ca content and $30{\sim}75$ times higher Fe content among the samples tested. Vitamin A content of C. militaris was 308.9 IU/100g, two fold higher than those of the other species. Saturated fatty acid content was the highest in P. tenuipes (pupa, 27.7%), whereas unsaturated fatty acid was the highest in P. tenuipes (larva, 83.3%). Aspartic acid, glutamic acid, and glycine were abundant in all species. Cordycepin content of C. militaris was $20{\sim}50$ times higher than those of the other species.

• Journal of Mushroom
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.299-303
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• 2014

This study was to comparative analysis that different methods of extraction about total sugar content which the major functional components of edible and medicinal mushrooms. Through the phenol-sulfuric acid method was measured that Hot water extraction, acid extraction, and alkaline extraction. Drawing the standard curve to obtain the concentration of the glucose solution and the sample by applying the measured absorbance on the standard curve. Total sugar contents was measured after extraction with different solvents.(Hot water, 70% EtOH, 80% MeOH). The level of total sugar in Cordyceps militaris is highest in the hot water extraction with 658.4(${\mu}g/g$) and Coriolus versicolor in 649.7(${\mu}g/g$) and 679.0(${\mu}g/g$) was found as the highest in the acid extraction and the alkaline extraction. C. militaris and ASI 7025 showed the highest level in the hot water extraction. Finally, C. versicolor, Sparassis crispa showed that higher than the other mushrooms at the 1hr, 2hr microwave extraction. It was varied total sugar content according to the different extraction solvent and the extraction method.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.68-72
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• 2014

The effect of cordycepin purified from Cordyceps militaris on macrophage activation was investigated in peritoneal macrophages isolated from C57BL6 mice. Lipopolysaccharide-induced mouse peritoneal cells showed that cordycepin treatment increased the expression of the inflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-$1{\beta}$, IL-12, and tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ (TNF-${\alpha}$), leading to early inflammation-mediated reactions, the activation of immunological responses, and T lymphocyte activation. T lymphocytes, activated by a greater production of IL-6, resulted in antibody-generating immune reactions, suggesting that cordycepin was effective at inducing immunological responses. Consistent with the increase in the inflammation-mediating factors including nitric oxide (NO) and hydrogen peroxide ($H_2O_2$), the toxic response of macrophages was activated and effectively induced inflammation. These findings demonstrate that cordycepin is involved in reducing cell injury provoked by inflammatory reactions. Therefore, these results suggest that cordycepin treatment of mouse peritoneal cells induces inflammation-mediated immunological responses and immunostimulation.