Vernacular names used for
Abstract
Cordyceps sinensis is an entomophagous medicinal mushroom, which is mainly endemic to the Tibetan Plateau including the adjoining high altitude areas. The fungus attacks many lepidopteran larvae caterpillars and mummifies it. The larvae along with the mummified insect are highly valued for their medicinal property. Cordyceps sinensis is one of the most efficient and expensive medicinal mushrooms in traditional medicinal systems such as those in China and Tibet, having multiple medicinal and pharmacological properties. It has been used to treat respiratory and immune disorders; pulmonary diseases; renal, liver, and cardiovascular diseases; hyposexuality; and hyperlipidemia. The extract of this mushroom and its bioactive compounds are noteworthy for their ability to regulate lipid metabolism and thereby exhibit anti-lipidemic activity. Cordycepin in particular, which is a bioactive compound existing in Cordyceps sinensis, has been identified as one of the primary compounds of interest in this aspect. Despite the global and scientific interest exerted toward Cordyceps sinensis, it appears to be of utmost importance that the price and other market factors owing to the rarity of this herb are managed through artificial means of synthesis.
Keywords
- caterpillar
- cholesterol
- Cordyceps sinensis
- ethnopharmacology
- triglycerides
1. Introduction
Edible mushrooms have been widely used around the world for their high nutritional and therapeutic value as well as in the form of a functional food. Additionally, they have been highly appreciated for their medicinal and therapeutic applications from a traditional perspective as well. This is owing to the availability of a vast variety of bioactive compounds such as polysaccharides, proteoglycans, terpenoids, phenolic compounds, steroids, and lectins, which are available in copious amounts in all its components [1].
The medicinal value of this fungus was first recognized more than 2000 years ago in China and the recognition passed onto the rest of Asia [3]. Early records of
Various names have been used to identify
Language | Vernacular name |
---|---|
Chinese | Dong chong xia cao |
Tibetan | Yartsa gunbu |
Hindi | Keeda jadi |
Nepali language | Yarcha gumba |
The taxonomic classification of
Classification | Category |
---|---|
Kingdom | Fungi |
Division | Ascomycota |
Class | Sordariomycetes |
Order | Hypocreales |
Family | Ophiocordycipitaceae |
Genus | |
Species |
Given the difficulties involved in harvesting,
Although
2. The life cycle of Cordyceps sinensis
The underground caterpillars which survive by feeding on the underground roots start to shed off their skin in the later part of summer and autumn seasons. Therefore, their skin becomes more vulnerable to fungal spores. Fungal spores, which begin to interact with the chemicals on the skin of these caterpillars, release a fungal mycelium, which then starts infecting the caterpillar to its death. With its death, a formation of a stalk-like structure of the mushroom grows out of the upper part of the head of the dead caterpillar and that particular structure emerges above to the ground surface in the season of spring. The infected larvae after its death become a rigid structure due to the production of the fungal sclerotia, which could pause the germination for a while to produce spores. Right after the end of the winter season, the formation of the mushroom body continues, and along with that, the perithecial stroma grows upward in order to emerge above the ground soil, thereby concluding its life cycle.
3. Ethnopharmacological uses of Cordyceps sinensis
A tabulated description of the health benefits of
Disease | Description and effect | References |
---|---|---|
Cancer | [11] | |
Liver fibrosis | Experiments have shown that ergosterol in cultured mycelium | [12] |
Respiratory | [13] | |
Kidney | Studies showed that consumption of | [14] |
AIDS/HIV | [15] |
In modern times,
4. Anti-lipidemic effects of Cordyceps sinensis
Age-related diseases are rising as a common issue in the present era due to the evolutionary changes that take place in the dietary patterns and lifestyle changes of humans. Studies which are being carried out to mitigate these rising health issues show methodological approaches to prevent and mitigate them by utilizing the medicinal values of traditional medicines across the globe.
Complications related to lipid metabolism have been identified as an age-related disease condition [17]. As a detrimental health effect related to lipid metabolism, the incidence of obesity has also been increasing steadily in the developed and developing countries worldwide. Analysis of the global burden of obesity revealed that there were 396 million adults with obesity in 2005 and that the expected number is projected to be 573 million individuals in 2030, without the application of an adjustment for secular trends [18]. Excessive fat accumulation that increases the risk of adverse health effects is one of the definitions of obesity [19]. It is a condition that is implicated as a risk factor for various diseases such as hypertension, coronary heart disease, and type II diabetes [20].
Hyperlipidemia is another age-related disease condition. This occurs due to the presence of too much low-density lipoprotein (LDL) in the blood, while it threatens the health of the circulatory system, risking the blockage of arteries with the deposition of fats and lipids. In addition, hyperlipidemia acts as the root cause of diabetes and functional depression in organs such as the liver, heart, and kidney [3, 4].
In human as well as animal studies, administration of
Interestingly, in addition to their mycelium effects obtained from solid-state fermentation,
Leptin, a newly discovered hormonal product of the obesity (ob) gene, is expressed by white adipose tissue. It has been implicated in the regulation of body weight, glucose metabolism, and fertility. Leptin deficiency produces severe obesity, insulin resistance, and impaired glucose tolerance in ob/ob mice, and also, congenital leptin deficiency in humans leads to hyperphagia and marked obesity. Choi suggested that
Tiamyom et al. [17] investigated the effects of
5. Bioactive compounds of interest
Nucleosides have been found in all species of
In recent years, much interest has been focused on EPS produced by
6. Other health benefits of Cordyceps sinensis
Disease condition | Part of fungus being used | Effect | References |
---|---|---|---|
Diabetes | Fruiting body and mycelia | Antiproliferative activity toward breast cancer cells (MCF-7) | [29] |
Oxidative damage | Fruiting bodies | Antioxidant | [30] |
Immune injury | Fruiting bodies and mycelia | Immune modulating | [31] |
Melanogenesis | Mycelia | Anti-tyrosinase activity | [32] |
7. Conclusions
Although there is a higher and more favorable medicinal value in traditional medicines such as
Acknowledgments
The authors wish to thank the Australian College of Business & Technology, Kandy Campus, for the facilities provided to put this write-up together.
Conflict of interest
The authors declare no conflicts of interest, financial, or otherwise.
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