New Study Shows Cordyceps’ MOA in Immune Support

According to a news release by University of Nottingham’s School of Pharmacy, UK, researchers studied the key active ingredient from Cordyceps militaris (“caterpillar fungus”) and found a mechanism of action that researchers assert has “shown promise as a possible cancer treatment.” The study, published in FEBS Letters, has shown how cordycepin interacts with genes to interrupt cell growth signals.

The research team employed high-throughput techniques that measured the effects of cordycepin on the activity of thousands of genes in multiple cell lines. They compared the effects of cordycepin with other substances and showed that it works by acting on the growth inducing pathways of the cell in all cases.

The team found that inside the cell, cordycepin is converted into cordycepin triphosphate (CTP), an analog of adenosine triphosphate, the cell’s energy carrier.

CTP was shown to be the likely cause of the effects on cell growth, and therefore stated the researchers, the molecule that can directly affect cancer cells.

Lead author Dr Cornelia de Moor explained, “Our data confirms that cordycepin is a good starting point for novel cancer medicines and explains its beneficial effects. For instance, derivatives of cordycepin could aim to produce the triphosphate form of the drug to have the same effect. In addition, the data will help with monitoring the effects of cordycepin in patients, as our data indicates particular genes whose activity reliably responds to cordycepin, which could for instance be measured in blood cells.”

Note that this study summary is presented to illustrate how researchers are investigating mushrooms and their constituents (in this case, cordycepin extracted from Cordyceps militaris) to identify specific impacts and mechanisms of action in adverse health conditions. It is for informational purposes only.