Cordyceps

Cordyceps

1. Identity: Taxonomy, Nomenclature, and Natural Source

Cordyceps is a genus of entomopathogenic (insect-parasitising) fungi belonging to the phylum Ascomycota, order Hypocreales. Recent advances in fungal taxonomy based on molecular phylogenetic analyses have led to the reclassification of the genus Cordyceps, with several species reassigned to new genera such as Ophiocordyceps and Metacordyceps; despite these revisions, the term Cordyceps remains widely used in the pharmacological, clinical, and ethnobotanical literature to collectively describe the traditional group of entomopathogenic fungi with medicinal value.

The two medically most studied species are Cordyceps sinensis and Cordyceps militaris. Cordyceps sinensis was established by Saccardo (1883) and was recently transferred to Ophiocordyceps, resulting in O. sinensis as its currently accepted name after phylogenetic reclassification in 2007, a name now widely accepted by the mycological community. However, the older name C. sinensis is still in frequent use in non-mycological publications. Of all Cordyceps species, only 35 have been characterized, of which C. militaris and C. sinensis are the two most widely studied; C. sinensis is a rare and expensive species that is difficult to cultivate, whereas C. militaris is a successfully commercially grown species and is considered an alternative to C. sinensis.

Cordyceps is the composite of a genus of fungi that grows on the larvae of insects; to date, more than 350 Cordyceps-related species have been found worldwide based on fungus and/or insect host. Since 1964, only Cordyceps sinensis has been officially recorded as an herbal drug in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia. C. sinensis, known as Dongchongxiacao (winter-worm summer-grass) in Chinese, is one of the most famous traditional Chinese medicines and medicinal mushrooms.

The natural cordyceps complex consists of the parasitic fungus Ophiocordyceps sinensis (Berk.) Sung (Hypocreales: Ophiocordycipitaceae) and the ghost moth Thitarodes (Lepidoptera: Hepialidae). It is highly precious because it is harvested from remote locations at about 3,800 metres above sea level in Tibet, Qinghai, Yunnan, Sichuan, and Gansu provinces.

Among the approximately 500 species of Cordyceps, most scientific research has been conducted on Cordyceps sinensis, which is included in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia (2015) and whose adenosine concentration is considered the main quality indicator. C. sinensis is an authorised ingredient in food and dietary supplements in the European Union, and it is included in European Commission and EFSA documents such as the Novel Foods Catalogue and the Compendium of Botanicals.

1.1 Conservation Status and Commercial Cultivation

The fungus has officially been classified as an endangered species by CITES Management Authority of China; consequently, living strains have been isolated from natural specimens and cultivated in large quantities by bioreactor technology, which is a promising method to meet human consumption needs and to reduce pressure on natural resources.

Several cultured mycelia of C. sinensis and C. militaris have become the main commercial substitutes for natural species; 50 medicines and two dietary supplements related to cultivated Cordyceps have been approved by the State Food and Drug Administration of China since 2002. For example, JinShuiBao capsule, the commercial product of Cs-4 (a standardised mycelium of C. sinensis), has been used clinically throughout China.

2. Traditional and Historical Use

The complex (including the larva body) has been used as a health food and traditional medicine to "invigorate the lung and nourish the kidney" in China for hundreds of years, and at least from the 17th century. In China, C. sinensis has been known and used as a remedy for more than 300 years; it was first recorded in Ben Cao Bei Yao by Wang Ang in 1694.

The Compendium of Materia Medica, completed as early as 1694, recorded the medical efficacy of Cordyceps as sweet and warm, hemostatic and expectorant, stating that it invigorates the lung and the kidney and stops phthisical cough.

O. sinensis is a naturally existent fungus-caterpillar complex that has been used in Chinese and Tibetan traditional medicine since the 15th century. Due to its limited quantity and high demand, O. sinensis was historically reserved for the most powerful and wealthiest people in society, such as members of the Emperor's Court in China. In Tibet, this fungus was initially more known as a trade product than as a medicine.

Cordyceps sinensis has been described as a medicine in old Chinese medical books and Tibetan medicine; it is a rare combination of a caterpillar and a fungus found at altitudes above 4,500 m in Sikkim. Traditional healers and local people of North Sikkim recommend the mushroom — known locally as Yarsa gumba or Keera jhar — for all diseases, either as a single drug or combined with other herbs.

Cordyceps sinensis, a traditional remedy with over 2,000 years of history in folk medicine, is known for its sweet taste and neutral nature; it is believed to nourish the lungs, strengthen the kidneys, and replenish essence and qi by acting on the lung and kidney meridians.

The fungus C. sinensis has been used for the treatment of fatigue, cough, hyposexuality, asthenia after severe illness, renal dysfunction, and renal failure according to the State Pharmacopoeia Commission of the People's Republic of China (2005).

Cordyceps species mushrooms have a long tradition of use as natural raw material in Asian ethnomedicine because of their adaptogenic, tonic effects and their ability to reduce fatigue and stimulate the immune system in humans.

3. Key Constituents and Active Compounds

A variety of compounds have been extracted and purified from Cordyceps, including cordycepin and its derivatives, cordycepic acid, ergosterol, polysaccharides, nucleosides, and other compounds.

3.1 Cordycepin (3′-Deoxyadenosine)

Although the pharmacologically active components of Cordyceps are still not fully resolved, at least two chemical constituents — cordycepin and cordycepic acid — have been identified and proposed as important active constituents. It is now generally believed that cordycepin, which was originally extracted from C. militaris and whose structural formula was confirmed as 3′-deoxyadenosine, is the main bioactive component of Cordyceps.

Cordycepin (3′-deoxyadenosine), a derivative of adenosine, was first isolated from the medicinal drug Cordyceps militaris and has been widely studied as an antitumour compound, found to exert antiangiogenic, anti-metastatic, and antiproliferative effects, as well as inducing apoptosis.

Cordycepin and adenosine have been confirmed to be present in C. militaris, and the content of these ingredients in C. militaris is higher than in C. sinensis.

3.2 Nucleosides

Nucleosides, a major active component of C. sinensis, are used as a valuable chemical marker for quality control of Cordyceps. Nucleosides play an important role in drug development for cancer and infectious diseases, and nucleoside derivatives have been widely used in anticancer and antiviral therapies. Since 3′-deoxyadenosine (cordycepin) was isolated from cultured Cordyceps militaris, nucleosides in Cordyceps have become a research focus. More than ten nucleosides and their related compounds — including adenine, adenosine, inosine, cytidine, cytosine, guanine, uridine, thymidine, uracil, hypoxanthine, and guanosine — have been isolated from Cordyceps sinensis.

3.3 Polysaccharides

The main component of Ophiocordyceps sinensis and Cordyceps militaris extracts are polysaccharides — natural biopolymers that represent a large class of biologically active components. They contain monosaccharides including rhamnose, ribose, arabinose, xylose, mannose, glucose, galactose, mannitol, fructose, and sorbose. The exopolysaccharide fraction has a large number of pharmacological effects, the two most important of which are immunomodulatory and antitumour activities.

Many active constituents have been identified from Cordyceps sinensis, including cordycepin, adenosine, sterols, and polysaccharides. Polysaccharides constitute a primary active component of Cordyceps, exhibiting immunomodulatory effects.

3.4 Ergosterol and Other Sterols

Studies on the fruiting bodies and mycelia of C. militaris have shown the presence of biologically active substances such as γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), ergothioneine, sterols (ergosterol), statins (lovastatin), phenolic compounds (including phenolic acids and flavonoids), vitamins, and bioelements.

3.5 Fatty Acids and Polyamines

Other compounds identified include polyamines (1,3-diaminopropane, cadaverine, spermidine, spermine, and putrescine) and free fatty acids such as lauric acid, myristic acid, pentadecanoic acid, palmitoleic acid, palmitic acid, linoleic acid, oleic acid, stearic acid, docosanoic acid, and lignoceric acid.

3.6 Cordycepic Acid (D-Mannitol) and Amino Acids

Cordyceps militaris contains various bioactive components including adenosine, cordycepin, cordycepic acid (D-mannitol), nucleic acid, polyphenols, and oligosaccharides. It also contains many amino acids and polypeptides thought to affect the cardiovascular system; they also have a sedative and hypnotic effect, with tryptophan being the most effective component among them.

4. Mechanisms of Action

4.1 Adenosine Receptor Modulation

Adenosine is a signalling molecule that affects various types of cells, tissues, and organ systems via both intracellular and extracellular signalling pathways. It exerts its effects through cell-surface structures known as adenosine receptors (ADORAs). Cordycepin is an adenosine derivative that demonstrates multiple physiological functions, including anti-oxidative activity, immune system activation, sexual performance enhancement, anticancer effects, and anti-metastatic effects.

The broad putative pharmacological actions of cordycepin have attracted considerable attention as a possible new therapeutic for chronic diseases including diabetes and dyslipidaemia. In particular, cordycepin has been suggested to have anticancer potential due to its structural similarity to adenosine, as the overexpression of adenosine-generating enzymes and ADORAs has been correlated with tumour progression.

4.2 Anti-inflammatory Signalling

Research in macrophage cell models demonstrated that cordycepin suppressed production of proinflammatory mediators such as nitric oxide and prostaglandin E2 by inhibiting inducible NO synthase and cyclooxygenase-2 gene expression. Cordycepin also inhibited the release of proinflammatory cytokines including TNF-α and IL-1β through downregulation of respective mRNA expression. Pretreatment with cordycepin significantly inhibited LPS-induced phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinases and attenuated nuclear translocation of NF-κB.

4.3 Immunomodulatory Activity

Polysaccharides exhibiting immunomodulatory activity are predominantly sourced from Cordyceps sinensis and Cordyceps militaris. Experimental results demonstrate that Cordyceps polysaccharides can augment the activities of macrophages, lymphocytes, and dendritic cells while fostering the expression of immune-active substances such as cytokines and chemokines. Animal experiments have further substantiated the immunomodulatory effects of Cordyceps polysaccharides, encompassing amelioration of immune suppression induced by drugs or radiation, enhancement of immune organ indices, elevation of immunoreactive substances, and mitigation of immune evasion prompted by tumours.

4.4 Antitumour Mechanisms

Cordycepin has been found to exert antiangiogenic, anti-metastatic, and antiproliferative effects, as well as inducing apoptosis. Cordycepin has extensive antitumour activity, including effects on the autophagy process and inhibition of the MAPK/ERK and Hedgehog signalling pathways. The inhibitory effect of cordycepin on tumour cells is due to the interplay of these effects, and cordycepin was shown to enhance the therapeutic effects of radiotherapy.

4.5 ATP and Oxygen Utilisation

There may also be potential effects of cordyceps supplementation on high-intensity performance via enhanced oxygen utilisation and blood flow, especially to the liver and non-exercising skeletal muscle, which may enhance lactate clearance, allowing athletes to maintain a higher exercise intensity, while the reduction of oxidative stress from high-intensity exercise may delay fatigue.

5. Scientific Evidence by Health Area

5.1 Physical Performance and Exercise Capacity

Cordyceps gained world attention in 1993 when Chinese female runners achieved records in the 1500 m, 3000 m, and 10,000 m events; their coach attributed their success to a diet containing Cordyceps.

Clinical Evidence: A double-blind, placebo-controlled, prospective trial examined the effect of Cs-4 (a standardised Cordyceps sinensis mycelium product) on exercise performance in healthy elderly subjects aged 50–75 years; subjects received either Cs-4 at 333 mg or placebo capsules three times daily for 12 weeks. After 12 weeks, the metabolic threshold increased by 10.5% (p < 0.02) and the ventilatory threshold increased by 8.5%.

A randomised, repeated-measures, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial enrolling 28 individuals (mean age 22.7 years) measured maximal oxygen consumption (VO₂max), time to exhaustion, and ventilatory threshold during a maximal graded exercise test on a cycle ergometer. After three weeks of supplementation, there were significant increases in VO₂max of 10.9% compared to a control.

A 2025 systematic review and meta-analysis found positive results for aerobic performance. Meta-analysis showed that Cordyceps sinensis supplementation significantly improved endurance performance (p = 0.05), ventilatory threshold (p = 0.03), and VO₂peak (p = 0.04), indicating enhanced aerobic capacity with low heterogeneity.

Limitations and Inconsistencies: Very few scientific studies have been conducted on Cordyceps supplementation in the context of exercise performance, and unfortunately their results have been inconsistent. A number of studies have found no benefits of cordyceps supplementation on aerobic and anaerobic performance. Although some studies reported improvements in selected performance and recovery parameters, the findings were inconsistent. The certainty of the evidence is limited by small sample sizes, heterogeneity of participants and exercise protocols, insufficient reporting of randomisation, lack of trial registration in most studies, absence of standardised preparations with quantified bioactive constituents, and the use of multi-ingredient supplements. Well-designed randomised controlled trials using chemically characterised preparations and homogeneous athletic populations are required to clarify efficacy.

5.2 Kidney Disease

The effectiveness of using Cordyceps sinensis as an adjuvant therapy for patients with renal dysfunction — especially acute kidney injury — is still a topic of debate; a meta-analysis was conducted to assess the clinical effectiveness of C. sinensis in treating renal dysfunction. This meta-analysis ultimately incorporated 15 studies comprising a total of 1,310 patients with renal dysfunction.

Clinical studies investigating the use of Cordyceps for treating people with chronic kidney disease (CKD) have demonstrated potential beneficial effects in decreasing progression of end-stage kidney disease, reducing serum creatinine levels, increasing creatinine clearance, increasing serum albumin and haemoglobin, and improving lipid metabolism.

Studies investigating the active mechanisms of Cordyceps for CKD have found that its observed benefits may be related to its antioxidant and immunostimulation properties, inhibition of mesangial proliferation, anti-inflammatory effects, ability to decrease accumulation of extracellular matrix in the renal cortex, and reduction of renal interstitial fibrosis.

Available clinical studies support the possibility that Cordyceps and related products provide benefits to patients with chronic kidney diseases as adjuvants to conventional drugs; however, existing clinical studies are limited by low quality and significant heterogeneity. Randomised controlled trials with good methodological quality, favourable experimental design, and large sample sizes are needed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Cordyceps.

5.3 Immune System Modulation

Immunological experimental results demonstrate that Cordyceps polysaccharides can augment the activities of macrophages, lymphocytes, and dendritic cells while fostering the expression of immune-active substances such as cytokines and chemokines. The majority of immunological evidence for Cordyceps, however, derives from in vitro cell models and animal experiments; robust human clinical trials specifically targeting immune outcomes remain limited.

Components of Cordyceps militaris — cordycepin and adenosine — have been used for the modulation of inflammatory diseases; researchers investigated the effects of cordycepin and adenosine on the morphological changes of macrophages under inflammatory conditions. LPS-activated macrophages returned to their inactivated original shape through treatment with high concentrations of cordycepin (40 µg/ml) in cell culture experiments.

5.4 Antitumour Activity

In vivo studies showed cordyceps had an inhibitory effect on Ehrlich ascites carcinoma and meth-A fibrosarcoma, EL-4 lymphoma, B16 melanoma, Lewis lung carcinoma, and H22 tumours in mice. Cordyceps exhibited direct cytotoxic activity against several kinds of tumour cells, including Lewis lung carcinoma, B16 melanoma, lymphocytic (Jurkat), prostate (PC3), breast (MCF7), hepatocellular (HepG2, Hep3B), colorectal (HT-29 and HCT 116), and HL-60 cells.

Cordycepin is a broad-spectrum biocidal compound possessing not only antitumour activity but also antibacterial, antiviral, and insecticidal activities.

Important limitation: The mechanism of cordycepin's anti-tumour activity is not well known, and essentially all evidence for direct antitumour effects in humans is absent — this body of research is almost entirely preclinical (in vitro and animal), and no human clinical trials have demonstrated anti-cancer efficacy for Cordyceps as a treatment.

5.5 Blood Glucose and Lipid Regulation

Polysaccharides, a crucial active component of Cordyceps militaris, have exhibited immune-modulating, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and blood glucose–lipid regulating effects in preclinical models. Research evaluated the effect of acidic-extractable polysaccharides from C. militaris fruiting bodies on type 2 diabetes mellitus in mice induced by high-fat diet and streptozotocin; mice were administered 100 and 400 mg/kg of polysaccharides for 4 weeks. The work demonstrated that these polysaccharides decreased levels of serum lipid, lipid peroxidation, and blood glucose; improved glucose and insulin resistance; enhanced antioxidant enzyme activities; and attenuated injuries of the liver, kidney, and pancreas. These findings are preclinical; human evidence for glycaemic and lipid outcomes is very limited.

5.6 Liver Protection

Cordyceps is used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat multiple conditions including fatigue, aging, sexual dysfunction, diabetes, kidney, heart, and liver diseases. Recently, Cordyceps has been shown to manifest a diverse range of pharmacological activities applicable for the treatment and mitigation of various diseases, such as diabetes, acute liver injury, and colitis — though again, the preponderance of this evidence is preclinical.

5.7 Sexual Function

In a group of young male adults, 8-week supplementation of 2.4 g per day of C. sinensis (containing 5.92 µmol/g of adenosine, 1.23 µmol/g of cordycepin and 8.81 µmol/g of ergosterol) did not significantly affect testosterone levels in volunteers. So far, no studies have been conducted to analyse the effect of C. militaris on testosterone concentration in men; one can only speculate in this area due to the fact that C. militaris presents a higher concentration of cordycepin than C. sinensis.

5.8 Neuroprotection

Although more than 750 Cordyceps species have been identified, only a few — C. militaris, C. ophioglossoides, C. sinensis, and C. cicadae — have been studied for their neuroprotective activities. A bioactive compound (cordycepin) from this fungus has been a compound of choice among researchers, and most neuroprotective studies have been conducted using this compound, while information on other compounds is scarce. Neuroprotective research remains in the preclinical phase; no adequate human clinical trials have evaluated Cordyceps for neurological conditions.

6. Body Systems Associated with Cordyceps

• Renal System: Cordyceps sinensis has been widely used in treating patients with chronic kidney disease owing to its anti-inflammatory effects and maintenance of immune homeostasis.
• Respiratory System: Traditional texts described Cordyceps as invigorating the lung and stopping phthisical cough.
• Immune System: Cordyceps mushrooms have a long tradition of use because of their adaptogenic, tonic effects and their ability to stimulate the immune system in humans.
• Cardiovascular System: Cordyceps species exhibit various biological functions, showing potential for treating respiratory and liver dysfunctions, heart diseases, and cardiovascular diseases.
• Musculoskeletal/Exercise: Enhanced aerobic capacity, ventilatory threshold, and exercise tolerance, as documented in several clinical trials (see Section 5.1).
• Endocrine/Metabolic: Cordyceps has been shown to manifest pharmacological activities applicable for the treatment and mitigation of diseases such as diabetes.
• Nervous System: Preliminary preclinical evidence for neuroprotective activity, primarily through cordycepin's actions, though clinical evidence is absent.

7. Dosage Forms and Dosages Reported in Studies

Dietary supplements that contain cordyceps are made from the mushroom (the fruiting body) or the roots (mycelia). Today, most cordyceps found in dietary supplements is grown in a lab.

Modern preparations of Cordyceps sinensis, such as Bailing capsules, are made from artificially fermented Cordyceps sinensis powder.

The following dosages have been reported in published clinical research and peer-reviewed sources:

• In a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in healthy elderly adults aged 50–75 years, subjects received Cs-4 at 333 mg or placebo capsules three times per day (approximately 1 g/day total) for 12 weeks.
• A number of studies at lower dosages of 1–2 g per day found no significant benefit; in older adults, cordyceps supplementation at 1 g/day for twelve weeks improved ventilatory threshold (8.5%) and metabolic threshold (10.5%), while 3 g/day for six weeks improved VO₂max (6.7%) and anaerobic threshold (12.6%).
• In young male adults, supplementation of 2.4 g per day of C. sinensis for 8 weeks was studied in the context of testosterone levels.

The Chinese Pharmacopoeia (2015) includes Cordyceps sinensis, with adenosine concentration considered the main quality indicator. Standardisation between products varies substantially; different sources and preparations contain different concentrations of bioactives.

8. Safety Considerations and Drug Interactions

8.1 General Tolerability

Most commercial cordyceps preparations are well tolerated with only minimal or mild adverse events that can include abdominal discomfort, diarrhea, dry mouth, nausea, poor appetite, and rash.

Cordyceps extracts are generally well tolerated and have not been associated with serum aminotransferase elevations during therapy or with cases of clinically apparent liver injury.

At the maximum clinical dose, wild Cordyceps sinensis does not cause measurable hepatorenal toxicity in long-term animal studies, and exhibits markedly greater safety compared to equivalent doses of inorganic arsenic compounds.

8.2 Adverse Events in Athletic Trials

In the studies included in one systematic review, only three trials mentioned adverse events, and those reports were qualitative rather than systematic. Common mild symptoms such as gastrointestinal discomfort or insomnia were not consistently recorded across trials, which limits the ability to fully evaluate the balance between risks and benefits.

8.3 Drug Interactions

Cordyceps could interact with blood thinners and drugs that suppress the immune system. It could also cause problems if taken with medications to lower blood sugar levels.

Similar to other chemotherapeutic drugs and agents, dosage- and schedule-dependent side effects have been observed for pentostatin — a related compound produced in the same biosynthetic cluster as cordycepin. The combination of cordycepin with pentostatin can trigger severe gastrointestinal toxicity and bone marrow toxicity in animal models.

8.4 Pregnancy and Lactation

There is no information available about the use of cordyceps during pregnancy or while breastfeeding.

8.5 Arsenic Content in Wild Specimens

Wild-harvested Cordyceps sinensis is known to contain trace arsenic — a characteristic of the high-altitude soils in which it grows. However, at the maximum clinical dose, no significant adverse effects on body weight, organ indices, arsenic accumulation, liver or kidney function, or liver or kidney pathology were observed in animal studies comparing wild Cordyceps to inorganic arsenic at equivalent total arsenic dose.

8.6 Safety of Cordycepin in Isolation

The safety concerns associated with the daily consumption of Cordyceps fungi or related products are still being debated. Research into isolated cordycepin as a drug candidate (as opposed to whole-fungus preparations) is an active area, and the safety profile of purified cordycepin is distinct from that of whole-mushroom or mycelium extracts.

9. Regulatory and Quality Considerations

The State Food and Drug Administration of China has approved 50 medicines and 2 dietary supplements containing Cordyceps militaris and Cordyceps sinensis. C. sinensis is an authorised ingredient in food and dietary supplements in the EU, included in the European Commission's Novel Foods Catalogue and EFSA's Compendium of Botanicals.

Substrate composition and cultivation method have an influence on the properties of mushroom materials. An important aspect of quality assessment is the estimation of the content of bioactive substances present after extraction into digestive juices in an artificial gastrointestinal tract model, which can allow for determining the amount of these substances potentially bioavailable for the human body. The best results for cordycepin (81.4 mg/100 g dry weight) and lovastatin (53.6 mg/100 g dry weight) were achieved for commercially available food supplements.

References

• Bioactive principles from Cordyceps sinensis: A potent food supplement – A review (PMC7104994)
• Cordyceps militaris: An Overview of Its Chemical Constituents in Relation to Biological Activity (PMC8622900)
• The genus Cordyceps: a chemical and pharmacological review – Yue et al. (Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, 2013)
• New Insights Into the Biosynthesis of Typical Bioactive Components in the Traditional Chinese Medicinal Fungus Cordyceps militaris (PMC8719641)
• Medicinal mushrooms Ophiocordyceps sinensis and Cordyceps militaris (PubMed 36513520)
• The Chemical Constituents and Pharmacological Actions of Cordyceps sinensis (PMC4415478)
• Cordyceps militaris—Fruiting Bodies, Mycelium, and Supplements: Valuable Component of Daily Diet (PMC9598386)
• Unique Bioactives from Zombie Fungus (Cordyceps) as Promising Multitargeted Neuroprotective Agents (PMC10780653)
• Cordyceps – A traditional Chinese medicine and another fungal therapeutic biofactory? (PMC7111646)
• Cultivated Cordyceps: A Tale of Two Treasured Mushrooms (Chinese Medicine and Culture, 2021)
• Traditional uses and medicinal potential of Cordyceps sinensis of Sikkim (PubMed 21731381)
• The Management and Trade of Cordyceps Sinensis in China (Ministry of Agriculture of China)
• Current Evidence of Ergogenic and Post-Exercise Recovery Effects of Dietary Supplementation with Cordyceps militaris in Humans—A Narrative Review (PMC12986667)
• Effects of fungal supplementation on endurance, immune function, and hematological profiles in adult athletes: a systematic review and meta-analysis (PMC12631420)
• Cordyceps militaris improves tolerance to high intensity exercise after acute and chronic supplementation (PMC5236007)
• Effect of Cs-4® (Cordyceps sinensis) on Exercise Performance in Healthy Older Subjects: A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial (PMC3110835)
• Efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine Cordyceps sinensis as an adjunctive treatment in patients with renal dysfunction: a systematic-review and meta-analysis (Frontiers in Medicine, 2024)
• Cordyceps sinensis (a traditional Chinese medicine) for treating chronic kidney disease (PMC10632742)
• Potential Therapeutic Strategies for Renal Fibrosis: Cordyceps and Related Products (PMC9304961)
• Cordyceps sinensis extract protects against acute kidney injury by inhibiting perforin expression in NK cells via the STING/IRF3 pathway (PMC11042953)
• Anti-inflammatory effects of cordycepin in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages (PMC4206205)
• Anti-tumor and anti-metastatic roles of cordycepin, one bioactive compound of Cordyceps militaris (PMC6088102)
• The Anticancer Properties of Cordycepin and Their Underlying Mechanisms (PMC6212910)
• Application and research progress of cordycepin in the treatment of tumours (Review) (PMC11258602)
• The role and mechanisms of cordycepin in inhibiting cancer cells (PMC11349152)
• Role of Cordycepin and Adenosine on the Phenotypic Switch of Macrophages via Induced Anti-inflammatory Cytokines (PMC2816959)
• Cordyceps Polysaccharides: A Review of Their Immunomodulatory Effects (PMC11547421)
• Antioxidant and Hypoglycemic Effects of Acidic-Extractable Polysaccharides from Cordyceps militaris on Type 2 Diabetes Mice (PMC6286747)
• Cordyceps as an Herbal Drug – Herbal Medicine: Biomolecular and Clinical Aspects (NIH Bookshelf NBK92758)
• Cordyceps – LiverTox®: Clinical and Research Information on Drug-Induced Liver Injury (NIH Bookshelf NBK615916)
• Bioactive Metabolites and Potential Mycotoxins Produced by Cordyceps Fungi: A Review of Safety (PMC7354514)
• Wild Cordyceps sinensis exhibits far lower arsenic accumulation and hepatorenal toxicity in mice compared to equivalent dose of inorganic arsenic (PMC12235186)
• Current nomenclatural changes in Cordyceps sensu lato and its multidisciplinary impacts (PMC6059107)
• The Genus Cordyceps Sensu Lato: Their Chemical Constituents, Biological Activities, and Therapeutic Effects on Air Pollutants Related to Lung and Vascular Diseases (PMC12194306)
• Pharmacological Mechanism and Clinical Research Progress of Cordyceps sinensis in CKD (Integrative Medicine in Nephrology and Andrology, 2025)