• KSBB Journal
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.191-195
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• 2013

Cordyceps militaris (CM) occurring from a fruiting body by a host insect is a kind of mushroom, which is composed of animal host and plant fruit body. CM contains large amounts of useful ingredients including polysaccharides, vitamins, amino acids, minerals, etc. The essential amino acids from CM including cystine, lysine, and methionine can be expected to improve damaged hair treatment as effective ingredients. In this study, the improvement effect of the CM extracts on chemical and physical properties for damaged-hair treatment was investigated. The cysteic acid and cystine monooxide produced by oxidation of cystine were analyzed their chemical structure by FT-IR spectroscopy. It was confirmed that the vibration absorption peak ($1,041cm^{-1}$) of cysteic acid was reduced and increased sulfur content considerably which means meaningful improvement effect on damaged-hair treatment. Apparently, the cuticle morphology of the damaged-hair was improved significantly by treatment with CM extracts. Especially, confocal laser scanning microscope images of the damaged-hair treated with the extract showed highly increased fluorescence intensity which means promising effect in hair treatment. The tensile strength of the damaged hair treated also increased by 168% compared with the damaged hair.

• Journal of Mushroom
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.170-174
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• 2015

Mushroom is known for anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative potential. This study provides evidence that the inhibitory effect of mushroom on the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines in human keratinocytes, HaCaT cells. To define the underlying mechanisms of action, tumor necrosis factor${\alpha}$/$IFN{\gamma}$-activated human keratinocytes model was used. Mushroom significantly inhibited the expression of cytokines in HaCaT cells. Taken together, the results demonstrate that mushroom inhibited inflammtion, suggesting that mushroom (DW extract: Grifola frondosa Cordyceps militaris), (Ethanol extract: Ganoderma lucidum, Lentinus edodes, Cordyceps militaris, Flammulina velutipes) might be a candidate for the treatment of skin inflammation.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.1-5
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• 2002

Cultural characteristics of Cordyceps militaris preserved in EFCC, Kangwon National University were investigated for the mass production. The higher mycelial density of C. militaris was observed in Sabouraud's yeast and Yeast Malt agars, but the higher mycelial growth in Mushroom Minimal agar than other agars. The mycelium of C. militaris was observed to grow well at $25^{\circ}C$ and pH 6.0 respectively. The dextrose was found the best suitable energy source among the carbohydrates used for its mycelial growth, while the fructose or lactose observed to be well for mycelial growth. Hemoglobin was observed to be the best among the protein sources used for mycelial growth, while tryptone found to be the best in the spore formation. Similarly, the mycelial growth was best in mineral salts of $KH_2PO_4$ or $K_2HPO_4$ and the optimum C/N ratio was 100 : 1.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.56 no.2
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• pp.71-73
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• 2012

Cordyceps militaris, a caterpillar-grown traditional medicinal mushroom, produces important bioactive compounds, cordycepin (3'-deoxyadenosine) and militarin. Militarin is reported to possess anticancer activities against several tumor cells. An efficient synthetic method of militarin was developed to prepare muti-gram scale sample for bioassay. Militarin was successfully synthesized from commercial starting materials in 5 steps and 29.3% overall yields.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.247-266
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• 2017

Cordyceps is a traditional Chinese medicinal herb well-known in China, Korea and Japan since B.C. 2,000. The original entomopathogenic fungus, Cordyceps sinensis belonging to the genus Cordyceps could not be found inside Korean peninsula due to the absence of the host insect for the corresponding entomogenous fungus. The development of artificial production methods of Korean type Cordyceps using the silkworm Bombyx mori as in vivo culture medium for the the entomopathogenic fungus Paecilomyces tenuipes is the first, and wonderful occasion in the research history of insect industry of this global world. The aim of this article is to review the historical research background, mass-production methods, and pharmacological effects of the silkworm-dongchunghacho (Paecilomyces tenuipes) which is a newly developed Korean medicinal insect-borne mushroom, and another non-insect-borne medicinal mushroom (Cordyceps militaris and Cordyceps pruinosa). Their biological actions include anti-tumor, immunostimulating, anti-fatigue, anti-stress, anti-oxidant, anti-aging, anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, anti-thrombosis, hypolipidaemic and insecticidal effects. The bioactive principles are protein-bound polysaccharides (hexose, hexosamin), cordycepin, D-manitol, acidic polysaccharide etc. Protein-bound polysaccharides and n-butanol fractions were demonstrated to show a significant anti-tumor activities but did not show a cytotoxicities. D-mannitol exhibited a significant prolongation of the life span in tumor bearing mice. Ergosterol did not show an efficient anti-tumor activity, but showed a significant phagocytosis enhancing activity. Anti-tumor activity of silkworm-dongchunghacho might be attributed to immuno-stimulating activities rather than cytotoxic effects [164]. Also this review comprises the breeding of Dongchunghacho varieties, optimization of culture conditions, improvement of learning and memory by Dongchunghacho, application of them as foods and chemical constituents.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.13-17
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• 2009

The caterpillar-shaped Chinese medicinal mushroom (DongChongXiaCao) looks like a worm in the winter and like a grass in the summer. The fruiting body has been regarded as popular folk or effective medicines used to treat human diseases such as asthma, bronchial and lung inflammation, and kidney disease. The fruiting bodies of Cordyceps militaris, C. pruinosa and Paecilomyces tenuipes that formed on the living silkworm (Bombyx mori) host were used in this examination. This study was carried out to investigate the soluble sugar, amino acid and fatty acid profiles in the fruiting-bodies. Soluble sugars such as glycerol, glucose, mannitol and sucrose were mainly found in the fruiting bodies of C. militaris, C. pruinosa and P. tenuipes. Total soluble sugar content was 29.23 mg/g in C. militaris, 8.61 mg/g in C. pruinosa and 24.00 mg/g 1in P. tenuipes on dry weight basis. Total free amino acid content was 14.09 mg/g 1in C. militaris, 34.60 mg/g in C. pruinosa and 17.09 mg/g in P. tenuipes. The content of oleic acid in fatty acids was above high more than 30% regardless of species.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.20 no.7
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• pp.1053-1060
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• 2010

Cordyceps militaris, an entomopathogenic fungus belonging to the class Ascomycetes, has been reported to have beneficial biological activities such as hypoglycemic, anti-inflammatory, antitumor, antimetastatic, hypolipidemic, immunomodulatory, and antioxidant effects. In this study, the crude water-soluble polysaccharide CMP, which was obtained from the fruiting body of C. militaris by hot water extraction and ethanol precipitation, was fractionated by DEAE-cellulose and Sepharose CL-6B column chromatographies. This process resulted in three polysaccharide fractions, termed CMP Fr I, CMP Fr II, and CMP Fr III. Of these fractions, CMP Fr II, with an average molecular mass of 127 kDa, was able to upregulate effectively the phenotypic functions of macrophages such as NO production and cytokine expression. The chemical property of the stimulatory polysaccharide, CMP Fr II, was determined based on its monosaccharide composition, which consisted of glucose (56.4%), galactose (26.4%), and mannose (17.2%). Its structural characteristics were investigated by a combination of chemical and instrumental analyses, including methylation, reductive cleavage, acetylation, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GCMS). Results indicated that CMP Fr II consisted of the (1${\rightarrow}$4) or (1${\rightarrow}$2) linked glucopyranosyl or galactopyranosyl residue with a (1${\rightarrow}$2) or (1${\rightarrow}$6) linked mannopyranosyl, glucopyranosyl, or galactopyranosyl residue as a side chain. The configuration of the ${\beta}$-linkage and random coil conformation of CMP Fr II were confirmed using a Fungi-Fluor kit and Congo red reagent, respectively.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.44 no.6
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• pp.622-631
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• 2006

In this study we purified a fibrinolytic enzyme from Cordyceps militaris using a combination of ion-exchange chromatography on a DEAE Sephadex A-50 column, gel filtration chromatography on a Sephadex G-75 column, and FPLC on a HiLoad 16/60 Superdex 75 column. This purification protocol resulted in a 191.8-fold purification of the enzyme and a final yield of 12.9 %. The molecular mass of the purified enzyme was estimated to be 52 kDa by SDS-PAGE, fibrin-zymography, and gel filtration chromatography. The first 19 amino acid residues of the N-terminal sequence were ALTTQSNV THGLATISLRQ, which is similar to the subtilisin-like serine protease PR1J from Metarhizium anisopliae var. anisopliase. This enzyme is a neutral protease with an optimal reaction pH and temperature of 7.4 and $37^{\circ}C$, respectively. Results for the fibrinolysis pattern showed that the enzyme rapidly hydrolyzed the fibrin $\alpha$-chain followed by the $\gamma$-$\gamma$ chains. It also hydrolyzed the $\beta$-chain, but more slowly. The A$\alpha$, B$\beta$, and $\gamma$ chains of fibrinogen were also cleaved very rapidly. We found that enzyme activity was inhibited by $Cu^{2+}$ and $Co^{2+}$, but enhanced by the additions of $Ca^{2+}$ and $Mg^{2+}$ ions. Furthermore, fibrinolytic enzyme activity was potently inhibited by PMSF and APMSF. This enzyme exhibited a high specificity for the chymotrypsin substrate S-2586 indicating it's a chymotrypsin-like serine protease. The data we present suggest that the fibrinolytic enzyme derived from the edible and medicinal mushroom Cordyceps militaris has fibrin binding activity, which allows for the local activation of the fibrin degradation pathway.

• Journal of Mushroom
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.164-170
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• 2013

This study was carried out to compare the medicinal effects of various fruiting body of Ganoderma species and Cordyceps militaris, Phelinus linteus extracts. ${\beta}$-glucan and polyphenol are useful ingredient in mushrooms and they were known to have antioxidant activity. We analyzed ${\beta}$-glucan and polyphenol contents of fruiting body of Ganoderma spp., Cordyceps militaris, and Phellinus linteus. Most Ganoderma spp. exhibited ${\beta}$-glucan contents of 15 to 20%. Cordyceps militalis showed the highest ${\beta}$-glucan level of 25%. Interestingly, eight strains of Ganoderma spp. was analyzed to have higher contents of ${\beta}$-glucan than Phelinus linteus. Polyphenol contents was measured after extraction with different solvents. (D.W., 70% EtOH, 80% MeOH) The level of polyphenol in ASI 7020 strain was at maximum in the water extraction and ASI 7086 showed the highest level in the 70% EtOH extraction. The amounts of polyphenol in strain ASI 7113 was at maximum in the 80% MeOH extraction.

• Journal of Mushroom
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.230-234
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• 2019

This study was conducted to prepare healthy vinegars using the mycelia of various mushrooms (Cordyceps militaris, Phellinus baumi, Pleurotus cornucopiae, and Ganoderma lucidum). Analyses of the bioactive components of these vinegars revealed that those prepared using mushroom mycelial cultures on fermented brown rice had increased bioactive component levels compared to those cultured on unfermented brown rice. The highest beta-glucan contents (78.7 mg/g) were found in P. baumi cultures and 0.34mg/g of cordycepin was detected in C. militaris cultures. Regarding the chemical properties of these mushroom mycelia vinegars (MMVs), those prepared using C. militaris and P. cornucopiae cultures showed higher acidity and reduced sugar content. Sensory assessments of C. militaris and P. cornucopiae MMVs yielded scores of 7.3 and 6.6, respectively. Analyses of bioactive components revealed that C. militaris MMV contained high levels of polyphenols and 786 mg/L of cordycepin. P. cornucopiae MMV contained the highest amount of beta-glucan (20.9 mg/g).