Healthcare Functions of Cordyceps cicadae

Abstract

Cordyceps cicadae (C. cicadae) is one of the most valued traditional Chinese medicines (TCM) and have been used for about 1,600 years in China. Both TCM works and modern pharmacological studies indicate that C. cicadae exhibits a variety of biological functions, including vision improvement and protection of renal function. There are at least five active ingredients in C. cicadae, suggesting that further exploration on bioactive metabolites of C. cicadae is expected to expand for its application scope and better exert its healthcare efficacy. Because of the shortage of wild C. cicadae, artificially cultivated is an ideal substitute. The methods we developed include fruiting body production based on wild culture matrix, cultivation based on infected nymphs, liquid fermentation of mycelium. Safety evaluation of the artificially cultivated C. cicadae is important in development of C. cicadae-related product. No toxic effect was observed in the acute toxicity test (piglet), 3 different test systems of genotoxicity test, a 90day oral toxicity test (rats), as well as teratogenicity test of C. cicadae mycelium. C. cicadae possesses multiple pharmacological activities that offers several featured advantages such as low toxicity, low price and easy availability of raw materials from artificial cultivation, paving a broad way for functional products and supplements incorporating healthcare foods, cosmetics, biological agriculture, and pharmaceuticals.

Prenatal Developmental Toxicity Study of HEA-enriched Cordyceps Cicadae Mycelia in Sprague-Dawley Rats

“…A previous study indicated that C. cicadae has a substantially lower gene mutation rate than C. sinensis [29], demonstrating its stability in genomic structure and its capability in regulating secondary metabolite production. Based on this finding, C. cicadae can be expected as an herbal material with enormous development and usage prospects, covering food, healthcare, cosmetics, biological agricultural chemicals and medicines.…”

“…Since 1980s, researchers have confirmed that endogenous nucleosides and their analogues may be involved in pain modulation [10,11]. HEA can bind to α1 receptors, thereby exerting an analgesic effect by inhibiting neurotransmitter release [12]. Moreover, its chemical structure is different from that of opioid analgesics so there is no dependence developed following the use of HEA for pain relief, which can be safely used for clinical application [13].…”

Metabolomic variation in wild and cultured cordyceps and mycelia of Isaria cicadae

“…Isaria cicadae , named by Miquel in 1838, is parasitic on the nymph of cicada and can form cordyceps, which are called Chan Hua in Chinese, meaning the flower of cicadae (Chen, Li, & Chen, ; Massee, ). Chan Hua also has many other names, such as Cordyceps cicadae , Cordyceps sinclairii , Isaria sinclairii and Paecilomyces cicadae (Chen et al, ; Hsu, Jhou, Yeh, Chen, & Chen, ; Kobayasi & Shimizu, ; Lu et al, ). The newest taxonomy system classifies Chan Hua as I. cicadae Miquel because the fruiting body (coremium) of the cordyceps is asexual (Lu et al, ; Sung et al, ).…”

“…The newest taxonomy system classifies Chan Hua as I. cicadae Miquel because the fruiting body (coremium) of the cordyceps is asexual (Lu et al, ; Sung et al, ). Its use as a herbal medicine was recorded in many famous ancient Chinese books such as Lei Gong Pao Zhi Lun ( Lei's Treatise on Preparing Drugs ), which was written during the Northern and Southern Dynasties of China (AD 420–589), the Tu Jing Ben Cao ( Map of Materia of China ), published in AD 1061, and the Ben Cao Gang Mu ( Chinese Compendium of Materia Medica ), which appeared in AD 1596 (Chen et al, ; Hsu et al, ). Traditionally, Chan Hua was used to treat infantile hyperpyretic convulsions (Anon, ; Chen et al, ).…”

“…At the same time, multiple pharmacological activities have been reported in wild C. sinclairii ( C. cicadae ), cultured C. cicadae , mycelia of I. cicadae and cultured P. cicadae ( I. cicadae ) (Kim et al, ; Wang et al, ; Wang et al, ; Weng, Chou, Lin, Tsai, & Kuo, ). Because of their multiple bioactivities and no significant toxicity, part of the wild cordyceps or the entire thing is used not only as herbal medicine but also as a health food in Asia (Hsu et al, ). The wild cordyceps includes two parts: the above‐ground part is the coremium, and the underground part is a cicada nymph filled with mycelia of I. cicadae .…”