Latin Name: Cordyceps sinensis
Family: Ophiocordycipitaceae
Part used: fruiting body
Iris: All types
Energetics: warm and moist in nature
Interactions: Please check with your Healthcare Provider.
CONTRA-INDICATIONS
- Caution with hormone-dependent cancers (prostate and breast) due to increased levels of oestrogen and testosterone
- Ok in benign prostatic hyperplasia (enlarged prostate).
ACTIONS
- Anti-neoplastic
- Antioxidant
- Anti-angiogenic
- Anti-mutagenic
- Anti-metastatic
- Antiviral
- Immunomodulator
- Hypoglycaemic
- Hepatoprotective
- Antidiabetic
- Sexual and reproductive tonic
- Anti-fatigue
- Protective to the liver and kidneys
- Prostatic tonic.
Main Constituents
- Nucleoside: cordycepin (3′deoxyadenosine)
- Contains a high amount of polysaccharides (3–8% of the total dry weight)
- D-mannitol
- Sterols
- Protein
- Amino acid
- Adenosine
- Polypeptides.
Main Uses
Sexual function, Energy, Lung function.
Reproductive System: Improves reproductive activity and restores impaired reproductive function.
Digestive System: Chronic hepatitis and related diseases
Circulatory: Hypertension, Hyperlipidemia, Beneficial in Cancer, Blood sugar imbalances, Atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases
Nervous system: Improves brain function, Neurodegenerative disorders
Immune System: Immune dysfunction
Respiratory System: Asthma, chronic bronchitis and inflammatory lung diseases
Urinary System: Reverses the trend for renal dysfunction and renal failure
Cordyceps mushroom may have potential benefits for general male health, including prostate health, due to its effects on inflammation and immune function.
More About Cordyceps
The cordyceps mushroom constitutes one of the largest genus containing approximately 500 species and varieties known to contain many bioactive compounds and carbohydrates beneficial to health and wellness.
It first gained Western attention by the record-breaking Chinese athletes in the early 1990s and studies have shown significant increases in oxygen uptake, aerobic activity and resistance to fatigue.
Historically, Cordyceps were predominantly used in Traditional Chinese and Tibetan medicine and traditional healers in Sikkim recommend the fungus/mushroom Cordyceps sinensis for “all illnesses” as a tonic, because they claim that it improves energy, appetite, stamina, libido, endurance, and sleeping patterns.
An important function of the kidneys is to “grasp the qi,” or breath. In TCM, while the Lungs control exhalation, the Kidneys control inhalation. Cordyceps increase the availability of qi to both the Lungs and Kidneys. Because of this, this herb is often prescribed to anyone experiencing asthma, wheezing, allergies, and prone to catching colds.
Cordyceps mushrooms have long been used to boost immunity and the polysaccharides modulate the response to viral infections.
Cordycepin induces apoptosis and is one of the most useful mushrooms for helping to improve treatment outcomes in oral cancer, colorectal, bladder, breast, prostate, melanoma and leukaemia.
Cordyceps has traditionally been used for the enhancement of sexual function and has been shown to improve clinical outcomes in IVF, due to the stimulation of 17 beta-estradiol production, through increased steroidal acute regulatory protein and aromatase expression.
Cordyceps can help in male sexual hypofunction by increasing testosterone and improving sperm quantity and quality.
Recipes:
Chocolate Mushroom Truffles
Ingredients:
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Approx. 118ml of full-fat coconut milk BPA free
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1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon maca powder (gelatinised)
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1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Real Mushrooms Cordyceps-M extract
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¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
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12 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate
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1 tablespoon maple syrup (optional)
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sea salt
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Approx. 59g of raw cacao powder or dark cocoa powder
- Approx. 59g of hemp seeds
Method:
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Heat the coconut milk over medium heat until it simmers. Remove from heat.
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Stir in the maca, cayenne, cordyceps, and a bit of salt.
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Once that’s thoroughly absorbed, stir in the maple syrup and chocolate chips, and another pinch of salt.
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Continue to stir until this ganache mixture is smooth, then refrigerate for 1 hour or until it’s slightly firm.
- Next, combine hemp hearts, cocoa powder, and a pinch of salt into a dish.
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Use a small scoop to spoon one tablespoon of the chocolate ganache into truffles. Place the truffles into the cocoa powder mixture one by one. Shake or toss gently to cover the truffles in the mixture.
- Eat as it is or store in the refrigerator for up to four days.
Further reading and Clinical Research:
Medicinal Mushrooms - A Clinical Guide by Martin Powell.
References
Immunomodulatory, antioxidant, antitumor/General Phytochemistry
The genus Cordyceps: An extensive review of its traditional uses, phytochemistry and pharmacology
Cordyceps sinensis was identified as the most frequently used and most explored member of the Cordyceps genus. Cyclodepsipeptides, nucleosides and polysaccharides were identified as the most studied class of compounds from the genus and they show immunomodulatory, antioxidant, antitumor, cytotoxic, anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, antidiabetic, analgesic, anti-HIV, antibacterial, antimalarial and antifungal activities. Thus, species belonging to the genus Cordyceps showcases an important source of treating various disorders due to the presence of bioactive constituents that displays potent bioactivities and could serve as possible leads in drug discovery.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29775778/
Metabolic- Related Disorders
The potential application of Cordyceps in metabolic-related disorders
Recently, an increasing number of studies have demonstrated the potential of Cordyceps as a therapeutic agent for the effective treatment of metabolic-related disorders by exerting a variety of activities, including but not limited to anti-inflammatory, immunoregulatory, hypoglycemic, renoprotective and cardiovascular-protective effects.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31667949/
Kidney Transplant Patients
Efficacy of Cordyceps sinensis as an adjunctive treatment in kidney transplant patients: A systematic-review and meta-analysis
Current evidence shows that cordyceps as an adjuvant to routine immunosuppressant therapy may benefit kidney transplant patient.The cordyceps-treated group however showed better kidney function and lower incidences of hyperuricemia, hyperlipidemia, hyperglycemia and liver injury. Cordyceps used with different combinations of immunosuppressant therapy showed significant reduction in proteinuria.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28137532/
Anti-Tumour
Secondary metabolites from Cordyceps species and their antitumor activity studies
Various secondary metabolites from Cordyceps fungi were reported to have antitumor activities, and antitumor mechanism of those bioactive compounds possesses multi-target, multi-level and multi-pathway characteristics.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19075836/
Anti- Diabetic Nephropathic
Characterization and anti-diabetic nephropathic ability of mycelium polysaccharides from Coprinus comatus
The results suggested that polysaccharides form C. comatus could be used as functional foods/drugs on preventing diabetic nephropathy.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0144861720312546