• Mycobiology
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• 제33권2호
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• pp.69-76
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• 2005

Conidial development of Cordyceps militaris was observed from germinating ascospores and vegetative hyphae through light and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Ascospores were discharged from fresh specimens of C. militaris in sterile water as well as Sabouraud Dextrose agar plus Yeast Extract (SDAY) plates. We observed ascospore germination and conidial formation periodically. Under submerged condition in sterile water, most part-spores germinated unidirectionally and conidia were developed directly from the tips of germinating hyphae of part-spores within 36 h after ascospore discharge, showing microcyclic conidiation. First-formed conidia were cylindrical or clavate followed by globose and ellipsoidal ones. Germination of ascospores and conidial development were observed on SDAY agar by SEM. Slimy heads of conidia on variously arranged phialides, from solitary to whorl, developed 5 days after ascospore discharge. Besides, two distinct types of conidia, elongated pyriform or cylindrical and globose, were observed in the same slimy heads by SEM. Conidia were shown to be uninucleate with 4,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole staining. Conidiogenous cells were more slender than vegetative hyphae, having attenuated tips. Microcyclic conidiation, undifferentiated conidiogenous hyphae (phialides), polymorphic conidia and solitary, opposite to whorled type of phialidic arrangement are reported here as the characteristic features of asexual stage of C. militaris, which can be distinguished from other Cordyceps species.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• 제12권1호
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• pp.1-5
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• 2006

Cordyceps, one of the well-known traditional Chinese medicines, consists of the dried fungus C. sinensis growing on the larva of caterpillar. It is commonly used as a tonic of restoring vital body functions. In order to evaluate the pharmacological effects of C. militaris, the anti-oxidation and antiaging effect of cultured C. militaris growing on pupa of silkworm Bombyx mori, were investigated. The results showed! that the contents of lipofusin in myocardium were reduced and the SOD activity in the liver were elevated in a dose-dependent manner while no effect was observed for blood GSH-Px activity and liver MDA content in mice perfused with the cultured C. militaris compared to those untreated mice. Furthermore, the average life span, maximum life span and 50% death time of the fruit flies treated with cultured C. militaris were markedly prolonged. The results suggest that the cultured C. militaris growing on pupa of silkworm possesses anti-oxidation and delay senescence activity.

• Mycobiology
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• 제48권6호
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• pp.512-517
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• 2020

Cordyceps militaris has been reported to the diverse pharmaceutical effects including cancer, inflammatory diseases, and bacteria or virus infection. However, the effect of C. militaris on exercise performance has not yet been elucidated. In this study, we investigated the beneficial effect of C. militaris on exercise performance. To evaluate exercise performance, we prepared C. militaris ethyl acetate extract (CMEE) and conducted grip strength tests every week after administration. Additionally, blood samples were collected at the end of the experiment for biochemical analysis. The administration of CMEE slightly increased grip strength, and this result was similar to the red ginseng treated group. According to the result of biochemical analysis, CMEE had an effect on the biomarkers related to ATP generation pathway but had little influence on the muscle fatigue related biomarkers. Therefore, C. militaris has the possibility of improving exercise performance, which could be associated with the increase in ATP production rather than the decrease in muscle fatigue during exercise.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제24권3호
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• pp.364-368
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• 2011

An experiment was conducted to examine the effects of Cordyceps militaris mycelia on microbial populations and fibrolytic enzyme activities in vitro. C. militaris mycelia was added to buffered rumen fluid with final concentrations of 0.00, 0.10, 0.15, 0.20, 0.25 and 0.30 g/L and incubation times were for 3, 6, 9, 12, 24, 36, 48 and 72 h. At all incubation times, the supplementation of C. militaris mycelia linearly increased the number of total viable and celluloytic bacteria; maximum responses were seen with 0.25 g/L supplementation of C. militaris mycelia. The addition of C. militaris mycelia above the level of 0.20 g/L significantly (p<0.01) increased the number of total and cellulolytic bacteria compared with the control. On the other hand, the response of fungal counts to the supplementation of C. militaris mycelia showed a linear decrease; the lowest response was seen with 0.30 g/L supplementation of C. militaris mycelia. It would seem that C. militaris mycelia possess a strong negative effect on rumen fungi since the lowest level of C. militaris mycelia supplementation markedly decreased fungal counts. Carboxylmethyl cellulase activities were linearly increased by the addition of C. militaris mycelia except at 3 and 9 h incubation times. At all incubation times, the supplementation of C. militaris mycelia linearly increased the activities of xylanase and avicelase. In conclusion, the supplementation of C. militaris mycelia to the culture of mixed rumen microorganisms showed a positive effect on cellulolytic bacteria and cellulolytic enzyme activities but a negative effect on fungi.

• 한국응용곤충학회지
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• 제47권4호
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• pp.479-486
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• 2008

Cordyceps militaris(번데기동충하초)와 Paecilomyces tenuipes(눈꽃동충하초)의 배양특성 및 항균활성을 비교하였다. 균사 생장 최적 배지는 C. militaris는 MCM, P. tenuipes는 YMA이며 MMM 배지 상에서는 두 균주 모두 생장이 저조하였다. 균사 생육 최적 온도는 $25^{\circ}C$이였고 C. militaris는 5회 이상 계대 시 균사 생육이 저하되었다. 적정 영양원 선발에 있어 두 균주 모두 탄소원은 단당류의 fructose, 이당류의 maltose 그리고 다당류의 dextrin이 적합하였다. 질소원은 유기태에서 C. militaris는 calcium nitrate, P. tenuipes는 sodium nitrate가 적합하였으며 무기태에서는 ammonium tartrate가 적합하였다. 항균활성은 Gram(+)의 Bacillus cereus에 대하여 C. militaris에서만 나타났다.

• 한국식품영양과학회지
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• 제34권10호
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• pp.1531-1535
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• 2005

C. militaris 동충하초의 기능성을 규명하기 위하여 당대사 관련 효소인 GK, PDH 및 ACC 활성을 측정하였다. C. militaris에서 추출된 CM-A와 CM-B는 GK와 PDH 및 ACC 효소에 대하여 대조군에 비해 높은 활성을 나타냈으며, CM-B 보다는 CM-A에서 유의적으로 높은 활성 증가를 나타냈다(p < 0.05). 간세포내 당질 관련 호소의 활성은 CM-A와 CM-B 분획물의 혼합 비율에 영향을 받는 것으로 나타났는데 활성이 높은 CM-A의 비율이 커질수록유의적으로 높은 활성 증가를 나타냈다. GK와 ACC는 단일 상태의 CM-A 보다는 혼합된 상태일 때 활성이 증가하였지만, PDH는 혼합된 상태보다는 CM-A 단독일 때 가장 높은 활성을 나타냈다. 결론적으로 C. miliaris는 GK, PDH 및 ACC 등의 효소 활성을 증가시킴으로써 혈중 포도당의 상승을 억제하며 이로 인해 항당뇨 작용을 한다고 판단된다.

• 약학회지
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• 제58권2호
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• pp.81-90
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• 2014

In order to determine the functional benefits of Cordyceps militaris in the immune system, we examined the immunomodulatory activities of C. militaris using an immunocompromised C57BL/6 mice, mouse spleen cells, RAW 264.7 macrophage cells, and A549 lung carcinoma cells. Mice were injected intraperitioneally with an immunosuppressive drug, cyclophosphamide, and then administered orally with 30, 100 and 300 mg/kg of 50% ethanol extract of C. militaris (CME 30, CME 100 and CME 300) for 14 days. CME increased splenocyte proliferation and natural killer (NK) cell activity compared to 3% hydroxypropyl methylcellulose-treated control mice. CME also increased the production of Th1 cytokines, IL-2 and TNF-${\alpha}$ in spleen cells isolated from CME-injected mice and in vitro, which suggested the enhanced cellular immunity in response to CME. CME also increased splenocyte proliferation, NK cell activity, and IL-2 and TNF-${\alpha}$ production compared to 1 ${\mu}M$ methotrexate-treated spleen cells in vitro. We examined whether C. militaris regulates the production of inflammatory mediators in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. CME inhibited LPS-induced NO production and iNOS expression in a dose dependent manner, while COX-2 expression was remained unchanged. In addition, CME also has free radical scavenging activity, indicating its antioxidant activity. These results indicate that C. militaris enhances immune activity by promoting immune cell proliferation and cytokine production.

• Mycobiology
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• 제36권4호
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• pp.233-235
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• 2008

Medicinal mushrooms, including Cordyceps militaris, have received attention in Korea because of their biological activities. In the fruiting body and in corpus of C. militaris, the total free amino acid content was 69.32 mg/g and 14.03 mg/g, respectively. In the fruiting body, the most abundant amino acids were lysine, glutamic acid, proline and threonine. The fruiting body was rich in unsaturated fatty acids, which comprised about 70% of the total fatty acids. The most abundant unsaturated acid was linoleic acid. There were differences in adenosine and cordycepin contents between the fruiting body and the corpus. The adenosine concentration was 0.18% in the fruiting body and 0.06% in the corpus, and the cordycepin concentration was 0.97% in the fruiting body and 0.36% in the corpus.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• 제3권1호
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• pp.105-108
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• 2001

The wild entomopathogenic fungi, Cordyceps militaris, were collected at the Whawang mountain, Korea. The pupae of the silkworm, Bombyx mori, were used as infecting hosts for the production of the silkworm-mili-taris dongchunhacho, silkworm vegetable wasps and plant worms with C. militaris. Three inoculation methods in terms of injection, spray and immersion were tested against the silkworm pupae. The three inocu1ation methods revealed 100% infectivity to the silkworm pupae tested. Of the three inoculation methods, the injection method was highly effective in the reduction of the period required for the endosclerotium and the completion of fruiting body formation. These results indicate that the silkworm pupae are very effective host insects for the production of C. militaris.

• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
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• 제9권6호
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• pp.440-446
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• 2004

Interest in in vitro study of entomopathogenic fungi, including Cordyceps species, has been increasing due to their valuable bioactive compounds and biocontrol effects. Among Cordyceps species, in vitro stromata of C militaris has been successfully produced and cultivated for industrial purposes. However, genetic study on in vitro stromata formation of C militaris has not been carried out yet. Here, relationship between mating system and perithecial stromata formation of C militaris is reported. Mating system was determined by observing perithecial stromata formation from mono-ascospore cultures and their pair-wise combinations. Certain combinations of mono-ascospore strains produced perithecial club-shaped stromata, whereas other combinations produced either no stromata or only abnormal non-perithecial stromata. Similarly, mono­ascospore cultures without combination produced either no stromata or only abnormal non­perithecial stromata. Despite obvious heterothallism, self-fertility was occasionally observed in few strains of C militaris. These observations indicated that C militaris behaves as a bipolar het­erothallic fungus and requires two mating compatible strains in order to produce regular club­shaped perithecial stromata, a fundamental requirement for its industrial cultivation.