PMID: 

Int J Med Mushrooms. 2019 ;21(7):657-669. PMID: 31679300

Abstract Title: 

Radical Scavenging and Antiproliferative Effects of Cordycepin-Rich Ethanol Extract from Brown Rice-Cultivated Cordyceps militaris (Ascomycetes) Mycelium on Breast Cancer Cell Lines.

Abstract: 

The yield and efficacy of bioactive compounds from Cordyceps militaris fruiting bodies and its fermented grains usually vary with the strain used. In this study, we compared the antiproliferative, apoptotic, and antioxidative properties of ethanolic extracts of fruiting bodies and solid-stated fermented rice (FRE) from two wild-type strains of C. militaris applied to human breast cancer cell lines. We observed that FRE of the Zhangzhoustrain (FRE-Z) produced a high level of cordycepin and exhibited comprehensive in vitro antioxidant activity against the oxidation of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl, superoxide, and hydroxyl radicals and low-density lipoprotein. Only FRE-Z exhibited dose-dependent inhibition of cell proliferation inMCF-7 (0.7 mg/mL) and MDA-MB-231 cells (1 mg/mL) after culturing for 24 h. The antiproliferative effects of FRE-Z were associated with an early stage of apoptosis induction at 4 h of treatment with 0.5 mg/mL FRE-Z in MCF-7 cells. The antiproliferative effect was determined to occur through p53 activation but not through the release of mitochondrial apoptosis-inducing factor or caspase-9 activation for an initial culture period of 16 h. In addition to a transient increase in cellular antioxidant enzyme, Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase was identified in MCF-7 cells after 2 h of treatment with FRE-Z.Therefore, FRE-Z, which exhibits various dose- and exposure time-dependent activities, has potential application in breast cancer chemoprevention.

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PMID: 

Biomed Pharmacother. 2020 Jan ;121:109600. Epub 2019 Nov 7. PMID: 31707352

Abstract Title: 

Protective effects of Cordyceps extract against UVB‑induced damage and prediction of application prospects in the topical administration: An experimental validation and network pharmacology study.

Abstract: 

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: UVB is a high energy source that causes the major risk factor for sunburn and skin tumor. However, photochemical interactions lead to beneficial effects such as synthesis of vitamin D and corticosteroids. Therefore, a reasonable therapeutic regime is advocated to reduce UVB injuries but makes use of synthesizing sunlight metabolite. Many natural compounds improving plant cells resistant to oxidative stress by the harnessing of solar energy may be also used to protect human cells. Although many nature plants have shown photoprotective effects on skin, the mechanisms underlying of the effects are still ambiguous.AIM OF THE STUDY: This study evaluates the protective effects of cultivated Cordyceps against UVB-induced damage in human keratinocytes and identifies the photoprotective mechanisms using a transcriptomic network approach.MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cordyceps extract compositions were investigated by HPLC analysis. Cell survival, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, HOcontent, aquaporin 3 (AQP3) level and DNA damage were determined upon UVB irradiation in the presence of Cordyceps extract. In addition, next-generation sequencing was used to profile transcriptomic alteration of 20 mJ/cmUVB and non-UV. Finally, a network pharmacology method was applied to study Cordyceps extract-related natural compounds and their UVB-induced differentially change targets using the Cytoscape 3.7.1 software.RESULTS: Adenosine and mannitol were the major contents in Cordyceps extract. Cordyceps caused a significant diminished in intracellular UVB-induced oxidative stress, including ROS production and intracellular HOcontent. Besides, AQP3 which mediated intracellular signal transmission and transported HOinto cells was significantly increased in the presence of Cordyceps extract against UVB irradiation. In addition, DNA repair effect of Cordyceps extract after UV irradiation was proven to be effective by comet assay. Moreover, KEGG analysis showed steroid hormone biosynthesis, ovarian steroidogenesis, fat digestion and absorption were enriched in top 3 between 20 mJ/cmUVB and non-UV. Gene ontology (Go) analysis showed that steroid metabolic process, sterol metabolic process, and cholesterol metabolic process were enriched in top3 biology process. By using network analysis, 125 potential bioactive ingredients in Cordyceps and 201 targets were identified. Finally, signal pathway analyses suggested that the protective effects of Cordyceps compounds against low dose UVB‑induced changes might target PPAR signaling pathway, cholesterol metabolism, and ovarian steroidogenesis.CONCLUSION: Cordyceps extract may be an ideal product for external use of skin which could not only avoid UVB-induced adverse effects, but also could application of metabolite products by UVB such us steroid hormone and vitamin D3.

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Millions of Americans suffer from migraines. The painful headaches include more symptoms than a regular headache like sensitivity to light, sound, and smell, facial numbness, stiff neck and neck pain, visual disturbances, throbbing pain on one side of your head, pins and needles sensation in your arms and legs, and more. Migraines are caused by a variety of factors such as hormone changes, genetics, barometric pressure, dehydration, stress, and exhaustion.

While there are many medications and treatments for migraines, both prescription and OTC, many are turning to CBD to ease their migraine symptoms.

Can CBD help migraines?

Cannabis has been used for thousands of years to treat headaches. Recent research shows that cannabis may help with migraines. CBD is known for its anti-inflammatory properties that reduce pain in conditions like arthritis. The cannabinoid shows promise in helping with migraines by working in a similarly.

A study published in 2017 found that marijuana is helpful in easing migraine symptoms. While the effects of CBD on migraines have not been studied, the pain reducing and anti-inflammatory properties may help with the headache disorder.

There have been many studies on the effects of THC,  the cannabinoid that creates a high and migraines. Another 2017 found that a combination of THC and CBD reduced migraine attacks in participants by 40.0 percent. The combo of cannabinoids also reduced pain associated with the attacks by 43.5 percent.

As CBD and THC are similar cannabinoids, CBD does show promise in helping with migraines.

According to a study published in Frontiers in Pharmacy, many advocate for the use of CBD to help reduce migraine pain. Pinja Leimuranta, of the University of Eastern Finland and lead author of the study said, “Cannabinoids—due to their anticonvulsive, analgesic, antiemetic, and anti-inflammatory effects— present a promising class of compounds for both acute [short-term, severe] and prophylactic [preventative] treatment of migraine pain.”

PMID: 

Biomed Pharmacother. 2020 Jan ;121:109646. Epub 2019 Nov 15. PMID: 31739162

Abstract Title: 

Protective effects of Corbrin Capsule against permanent cerebral ischemia in mice.

Abstract: 

Corbrin Capsule is a traditional Chinese patent medicine with the main component of fermentative cordyceps fungus powder (Cs-C-Q80). The indications of Corbrin Capsule include chronic renal insufficiency, chronic obstructive pulmonary (COPD), pulmonary fibrosis, and chronic bronchitis. However, the effects of Corbrin Capsule on acute cerebral ischemia are still unclear. The objective of this study was to explore the preventive effect of Corbrin Capsule in permanent and transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (MACO) mice model. Male C57BL/6 mice were given Corbrin of 0.04, 0.2 and 1 mg/kg by gavage once a day for 3, 7 or 14 days and then subjected to pMCAO or tMCAO. Infarct volumes, neurological deficit score, ATP concentration, SOD activity and MDA content were assessed. Results showed that prolonged pretreatment with Corbrin (1.0 mg/kg) to 7 days or more effectively ameliorated brain infarct and neurological scores in pMCAO mice. Shorter (3 days) or without pretreatment of Corbrin was invalid, suggesting a pretreatment time window. The ATP concentration was significantly increased with effective Corbrin pretreatments in ischemic brains, while the content of MDA sharply decreased in Corbrin groups. In tMCAO mice, Corbrin showed no neuroprotection even with pretreatment. In conclusion, long-term pre-administration of Corbrin Capsule is necessary for its anti-cerebral ischemic effects, and the underlying mechanisms might be associated with increase of ATP concentration and the anti-inflammatory effects in ischemic brain tissue.

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PMID: 

Molecules. 2019 Nov 14 ;24(22). Epub 2019 Nov 14. PMID: 31739543

Abstract Title: 

A Nucleoside/Nucleobase-Rich Extract fromInhibits the Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition and Protects against Renal Fibrosis in Diabetic Nephropathy.

Abstract: 

, a traditional Chinese medicine and a healthy food, has been used for the treatment of kidney disease for a long time. The aim of present study was to isolate a nucleoside/nucleobase-rich extract from(CS-N), determine the contents of nucleosides and nucleobases, and explore its anti-diabetic nephropathy activity. CS-N was isolated and purified by using microporous resin and glucan columns and the unknown compounds were identified by using HPLC-DAD and LC-MS. The effects of CS-N on the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), extracellular matrix (ECM) depositions, and the MAPK signaling pathway were evaluated in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic mice and high glucose (HG)-exposed HK-2 cells. CS-N significantly attenuated the abnormity of renal functional parameters, ameliorated histopathological changes, and inhibited EMT and ECM accumulation by regulating p38/ERK signaling pathways. Our findings indicate that CS-N exerts a therapeutic effect on experimental diabetic renal fibrosis by mitigating the EMT and the subsequent ECM deposition with inhibition of p38 and ERK signaling pathways.

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PMID: 

Int J Mol Med. 2020 Jan ;45(1):141-150. Epub 2019 Oct 31. PMID: 31746344

Abstract Title: 

Cordycepin suppresses the migration and invasion of human liver cancer cells by downregulating the expression of CXCR4.

Abstract: 

Liver cancer is a worldwide threat to human health. High expression levels of C‑X‑C chemokine receptor type 4 (CXCR4) have been reported to promote the migration and invasion capacities of liver cancer cells. Cordycepin, extracted from Cordyceps militaris, has anti‑inflammatory, antioxidant and anticancerous properties. Therefore, in the present study, migration assays,western blotting, reverse transcription‑quantitative PCR and immunofluorescence analyses were conducted to determine whether cordycepin was able to suppress the migration and invasion abilities of liver cancer cells by inhibiting CXCR4 expression. The results suggested that cordycepin notably inhibited migration and invasion, and decreased the expression of CXCR4 in a dose‑dependent manner. Activation of phosphorylated (p‑) NF‑κB inhibitor α (IκBα) and p‑P65, the principal components of the NF‑κB signaling pathway, was also downregulated. In addition, cordycepin markedly suppressed the nuclear translocation of P65, but had no effect on the expression of total IκBα (t‑IκBα) and total P65 (t‑P65). JSH‑23, an inhibitor of the NF‑κB pathway, impaired the migration of liver cancer cells, and was found to act synergistically with cordycepin. Furthermore, cordycepin treatment reduced the chemotactic migration ability of liver cancer cells to stromal cell‑derived factor 1 (SDF1), which was significantly enhanced following treatment with JSH‑23. Collectively, the present results indicated that cordycepin inhibited the nuclear translocation of P65 by preventing p‑IκBα activation; this resulted in the downregulation of CXCR4 expression, and subsequently, in the impaired migration and invasion abilities of liver cancer cells and attenuated reactivity to SDF1. The current study revealed a novel mechanism for the antimetastatic activity of cordycepin and its potential to exert positive synergistic effects with other compounds for the treatment of liver cancer.

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PMID: 

Onco Targets Ther. 2019 ;12:8751-8763. Epub 2019 Oct 23. PMID: 31749621

Abstract Title: 

Se-EnrichedInhibits Cell Proliferation, Induces Cell Apoptosis, And Causes G2/M Phase Arrest In Human Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cells.

Abstract: 

Background: The anticancer effects of cordyceps on various tumors have been reported. However, little is known about the role of selenium (Se)-enrichedin non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In this study, the effects of Se-enrichedon cell proliferation, cell apoptosis and cell cycle in NSCLC cell line NCI-H292 and A549 were investigated.Methods: CCK-8 assay was used to determine the appropriate concentrations of Se-enrichedin NSCLC (namely NCI-H292 and A549) cells. Colony formation assay, flow cytometric and Hoechst 33342 staining assays, and flow cytometric analysis were separately employed to assess the effect of increased Se-enrichedon NSCLC cell viability, cell apoptosis and cell-cycle distribution. Finally, the qPCR and Western blot assays were, respectively, applied to evaluate the effects of Se-enrichedon the expression of pro-apoptotic member BAX and the anti-apoptotic member BCL-2, as well as of G2/M cell cycle regulatory proteins CDK1 and cyclin B1.Results: The concentration of Se-enrichedwas 0, 4, 8, 12 mg/mL for NCI-H292 cells, and 0, 12.5, 25, 50 mg/mL for A549 cells. NSCLC cells treated with increased Se-enrichedshowed the inhibited cell viability. Se-enrichedinduced NSCLC cell apoptosis in concentration-dependent manner. Consistently, Se-enricheddiminished the ratio of anti-apoptotic member BCL-2 and pro-apoptotic member BAX at mRNA and protein levels in NSCLC cells. The percentage in G2/M phase was increased in NSCLC cells treated with increased Se-enriched. Downregulation of G2/M cell cycle regulatory proteins CDK1 and cyclin B1 at mRNA and protein levels in NSCLC cells further confirmed the effects of Se-enrichedon cell cycle.Conclusion: This study demonstrated the inhibitory role of Se-enrichedin cell proliferation and its facilitating role in cell apoptosis and cell cycle in NSCLC cells, suggesting an alternative therapeutic strategy for NSCLC treatment.

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PMID: 

Saudi J Biol Sci. 2019 Nov ;26(7):1352-1357. Epub 2018 Aug 17. PMID: 31762595

Abstract Title: 

Neuroprotective and therapeutic effect ofon ischemia-induced neuronal death and cognitive impairments.

Abstract: 

is a type of fungus consumed by people all over the world and renowned for their nutritional benefits and herbal formulas to promote health and longevity. In the present study investigation was carried out to explore the therapeutic properties and neuroprotective effect of theon ischemic brain neuronal injury, impairment of memory and learning in experimental rats induced by a global cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury in WISTAR rats. Vascular Dementia with transient global brain injuries induced by a four-vessel occlusion (4-VO) in WISTAR rats. Further, donepezil (5 mg/kg) andwas (100 and 300 mg/kg, p.o.) were orally administered for 7 days in 4-VO WISTAR rats.has the ability to improve memory impairments due to global cerebral ischemia and scopolamine-induced memory deterioration. Our present findings suggest thatmay be a potential candidate for the neuroprotection of hippocampus and the recovery of various vascular dementia or neuroinflammatory disorders.

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PMID: 

Am J Transl Res. 2019 ;11(11):6890-6906. Epub 2019 Nov 15. PMID: 31814895

Abstract Title: 

Cordycepin inhibits human ovarian cancer by inducing autophagy and apoptosis through Dickkopf-related protein 1/β-catenin signaling.

Abstract: 

Cordycepin, the major active component from, has been reported to significantly inhibit some types of cancer; however, its effects on ovarian cancer are still not well understood. In this study, we treated human ovarian cancer cells with different doses of cordycepin and found that it dose-dependently reduced ovarian cancer cell viability, based on Cell counting kit-8 reagent. Immunoblotting showed that cordycepin increased Dickkopf-related protein 1 (Dkk1) levels and inhibitedβ-catenin signaling. Atg7 knockdown in ovarian cancer cells significantly inhibited cordycepin-induced apoptosis, whereas β-catenin overexpression abolished the effects of cordycepin on cell death and proliferation. Furthermore, we found that Dkk1 overexpression by transfection downregulated the expression of c-Myc and cyclin D1. siRNA-mediated Dkk1 silencing downregulated the expression of Atg8, beclin, and LC3 and promoted β-catenin translocation from the cytoplasm into the nucleus. These results suggest that cordycepin inhibits ovarian cancer cell growth, possibly through coordinated autophagy and Dkk1/β-catenin signaling. Taken together, our findings provide new insights into the treatment of ovarian cancer using cordycepin.

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PMID: 

Int J Clin Exp Pathol. 2018 ;11(12):5571-5580. Epub 2018 Dec 1. PMID: 31949644

Abstract Title: 

Cordyceps sinensis prevents contrast-induced nephropathy in diabetic rats: its underlying mechanism.

Abstract: 

Apoptosis is recognized as an important mechanism in contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN). This study investigated the renal protective effect of cordyceps sinensis (CS) in a diabetic rat model of CIN and the mechanism of its effect. Sixty SD rats were randomly divided into 4 groups, the control group, model group, probucol group, and CS group. We used a diabetic rat model of Iodixanol-induced CIN. Serum creatinine (Scr), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), urinary kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1), neutrophil gelatinase associated lipocalin (NGAL) levels were measured to evaluate renal function. Total antioxidative ability (T-AOC), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and malonaldehyde (MDA) levels were assessed to discuss the effect of probucol and CS on oxidative stress. The pathologic changes in the kidney were observed by hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining and periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) staining. Apoptosis was assessed by transmission electron microscopy and TUNEL staining. Caspase-3, Bax, Bcl2 and phospho-p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) protein expressions were assessed by Western blotting. The model group of rats showed significantly elevated levels of BUN, Scr, urinary KIM-1, NGAL, and parameters of oxidative stress (P

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