ReviewPhytochemistry2008
Cordyceps: a traditional Chinese medicine and another fungal therapeutic biofactory?
Review in Phytochemistry, 2008. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 130 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
130 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- THE PURVIEW OF PHYTOTHERAPY IN THE MANAGEMENT OF KIDNEY DISORDERS: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW ON NIGERIA AND SOUTH AFRICA.African journal of traditional, complementary, and alternative medicines : AJTCAM · 2016Pooled it
- Edible Fungus Compound Cordycepin Protects Against Acetaminophen-Induced Liver Injury.Journal of clinical laboratory analysis · 2026Article
- Review
- Molecular immunopharmacology of traditional Chinese medicine-derived compounds in membranous nephropathy: mechanistic insights into immune aging and kidney essence deficiency.Frontiers in immunology · 2026Review
- Immune crosstalk in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease: insights from Drosophila models into the brain-peripheral immune axis.Frontiers in immunology · 2026Review
- Cordyceps sinensis and Sonodynamic Therapy in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Pharmacological Basis, Therapeutic Potential, and Future Directions.International journal of nanomedicine · 2026Review
- Skeletal muscle mitochondrial-methylation-neurotransmitter crosstalk: a novel synergistic model of betaine, tyrosine, and Cordyceps for exercise performance in older adults, individuals with metabolic disorders, and healthy populations.Frontiers in nutrition · 2026Review
- rFIP-GMI Suppresses IGF-1-Induced Invasion and Migration in Breast Cancer Cells via PI3K/Akt/β-Catenin Inhibition.Drug development research · 2025Article
- Influence of Culture Conditions on Bioactive Compounds inFoods (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Review
- Analysis of Amino Acid and Derivative Diversity and Antioxidant Capacity inJournal of fungi (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Conservation of Endangered Cordyceps sinensis Through Artificial Cultivation Strategies of C. militaris, an Alternate.Molecular biotechnology · 2025Review
- Rapid metabolic profiling and authentication of Cordyceps using ambient ionization mass spectrometry and machine learning.Analytical and bioanalytical chemistry · 2025Article
- Chemical clues to infection: A pilot study on the differential secondary metabolite production during the life cycle of selectedIMA fungus · 2025Article
- Naturido alleviates amyloid β1-42-induced adverse effects in a transgenic Caenorhabditis elegans model of Alzheimer's disease.PloS one · 2025Article
- Trends of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Use in Drug Targets, Discovery and Development: Current Status and Future Perspectives.Current drug targets · 2025Review
- Alanine supplementation enhancing cordycepin production in Cordyceps militaris via upregulation of Cns2 and Cns3 genes expression levels.Journal of food and drug analysis · 2024Article
- Verification of In Vitro Anticancer Activity and Bioactive Compounds in Cordyceps Militaris-Infused Sweet Potato Shochu Spirits.Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Article
- Cordycepin Enhanced Therapeutic Potential of Gemcitabine against Cholangiocarcinoma via Downregulating Cancer Stem-Like Properties.Biomolecules & therapeutics · 2024Article
- Optimization of cultural and nutritional conditions to enhance mycelial biomass of Cordyceps militaris using statistical approach.Brazilian journal of microbiology : [publication of the Brazilian Society for Microbiology] · 2024Article
- Structural and pharmacological insights into cordycepin for neoplasms and metabolic disorders.Frontiers in pharmacology · 2024Review
70 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
1 author.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Traditional Chinese medicines (TCM) are growing in popularity. However, are they effective? Cordyceps is not studied as systematically for bioactivity as another TCM, Ganoderma. Cordyceps is fascinating per se, especially because of the pathogenic lifestyle on Lepidopteron insects. The combination of the fungus and dead insect has been used as a TCM for centuries. However, the natural fungus has been harvested to the extent that it is an endangered species. The effectiveness has been attributed to the Chinese philosophical concept of Yin and Yang and can this be compatible with scientific philosophy? A vast literature exists, some of which is scientific, although others are popular myth, and even hype. Cordyceps sinensis is the most explored species followed by Cordyceps militaris. However, taxonomic concepts were confused until a recent revision, with undefined material being used that cannot be verified. Holomorphism is relevant and contamination might account for some of the activity. The role of the insect has been ignored. Some of the analytical methodologies are poor. Data on the "old" compound cordycepin are still being published: ergosterol and related compounds are reported despite being universal to fungi. There is too much work on crude extracts rather than pure compounds with water and methanol solvents being over-represented in this respect (although methanol is an effective solvent). Excessive speculation exists as to the curative properties. However, there are some excellent pharmacological data and relating to apoptosis. For example, some preparations are active against cancers or diabetes which should be fully investigated. Polysaccharides and secondary metabolites are of particular interest. The use of genuine anamorphic forms in bioreactors is encouraged.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.