A Cordyceps: Unlocking nature’s benefits for health and wellness

Cordyceps

Abstract

Cordyceps are a group of entomoparasitic fungi which belonging in to the phylum Ascomycota. There are more than thousand species of “Cordyceps” has identified under four genera, namely, Cordyceps, Ophiocordyceps, Elaphocordyceps and Metacordyceps. It’s a common name for describing a specific type of entomoparasitic fungi on insect genera including Lepidoptera, Hymenoptera and Hemiptera. As obligate parasite, Cordyceps are using a method of hijacking the nervous system of hosts. After infecting, secondary metabolites are altering the circadian and diurnal cycles of hosts and lead for the places where find the optimum environmental parameters for their reproduction. By the time, the fungus has infected the fat body of the host and after reaches the suitable environmental condition, the host dies. By absorbing the nutrients of the carcass, the fungus grows continuously and produce reproductive structures. Cordyceps are usually rich form numerous secondary metabolic components including cordycepin, pentostatin, peroxides, organic acids, oosporeins and polysaccharides. Many of these components are carrying medicinal properties which is important for human health and well-being. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) a certain species of Cordyceps including Ophiocordyceps sinensis and Cordyceps militars has been used as medicines for cough, renal disfunction and failures, immunity, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and blood sugar regulation. Some properties of Cordyceps species have been discovered from recent researches in pharmaceuticals. Immunomodulatory is one of the recently discovered property from O. sinensis. It can enhance the effectiveness of an anti -tuberculosis drug names PA-824. The combination has better effectiveness than the using the drug along against Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Apart from headed properties, many Cordyceps spp. are containing compounds which can be using in treatments of various cancer types, to maintaining the gut, liver and renal health and antioxidant compounds. Hence, further studies regarding “Cordyceps” can open a new view on the production of antibiotics and pharmaceuticals which enhance the well-being of human life.