Holistic Health Articles and Research Related to Herbal Medicines, Foods and Phytochemicals : Chinese Herbs

Thursday 14 November 2013

Chinese Herbs– Dong Chong Xia Cao (Cordyceps Sinensis)

Dong Chong Xia Cao is also known as cordyceps. The sweet and warm herb has been used in TCM as anti-arrhythmia, antibiotic agent and to protect liver and kidney from toxins, improve immune function, reduce muscle constraction, etc., as it benefits the Kidneys, tonifies the Lungs; stops bleeding, transforms Phlegm, etc., by enhancing the function of lung and Kidney channels.
Ingredients
1. Ergosterol
2. Cordycepic acid
3. Crude protein
4. Lysine
5. Aspartic acid
6. Threonine
7. Taurine
8. Etc.
Health Benefits
1. Anti cancers
In the investigation of two patients, with pancreatic adenocarcinoma and mucosa-associated lymphatic tissue type lymphoma, respectively, treated with P notoginseng and C militaris herbal formula without conventional treatments, found that on computed tomography, reduction in tumor mass in both patients after 17 and 13 months of herbal treatments was noted, and the patients maintained stable disease and good quality of life until the last contact in November 2008 and suggested that C. militaris and P notoginseng are potential anticancer herbal prescriptions for adenocarcinoma and mucosa-associated lymphatic tissue type lymphoma, according to “Best case series program supportive cases of Cordyceps militaris- and panax notoginseng-based anticancer herbal formula” by Yoo HS, Yoon J, Lee GH, Lee YW, Cho CK.(1)
2. Immuno-stimulating effects
In the examination of the signaling mechanism of the polysaccharides isolated from fruiting body of Cordyceps militaris (CM) was investigated in macrophages for its immuno-stimulating properties, found that CM suppressed in vivo growth of melanoma in an experimental mouse model. Based on these data, we suggested that CM may potentially regulate the immune response, according to “Immunostimulating activity of the polysaccharides isolated from Cordyceps militaris” by Lee JS, Hong EK.(2)
3. Anti Breast cancer
In the determiantion of whether the mechanisms of cordycepin-induced cell death were associated with estrogen receptor in breast cancer cells by exposing of both MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 human breast cancer cells to cordycepin resulted in dose-responsive inhibition of cell growth and reduction in cell viability, found that MCF-7 cells showed autophagy-associated cell death, as observed by the detection of an autophagosome-specific protein and large membranous vacuole ultrastructure morphology in the cytoplasm. Cordycepin-induced autophagic cell death has applications in treating MCF-7 cells with apoptotic defects, irrespective of the ER response. Although autophagy has a survival function in tumorigenesis of some cancer cells, autophagy may be important for cordycepin-induced MCF-7 cell death, according to “Cordycepin-induced apoptosis and autophagy in breast cancer cells are independent of the estrogen receptor” by Choi S, Lim MH, Kim KM, Jeon BH, Song WO, Kim TW.(3)
4. Anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects
In the evaluation of the effects of Cordymin, a peptide purified from the medicinal mushroom Cordyceps sinensis in prevention of focal cerebral ischemic/reperfusion (IR) injury, found that cordymin have a neuroprotective effect in the ischemic brain, which is due to the inhibition of inflammation and increase of antioxidants activity related to lesion pathogenesis. Cordymin can be used as potential preventive agent against cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury, according to ‘Anti-inflammation and antioxidant effect of Cordymin, a peptide purified from the medicinal mushroom Cordyceps sinensis, in middle cerebral artery occlusion-induced focal cerebral ischemia in rats” by Wang J, Liu YM, Cao W, Yao KW, Liu ZQ, Guo JY.(4)
5. Anti-adipogenic activity
In the study of inhibition of adipocytes differentiation as an important strategy for prevention and/or treatment of obesity, found that Cordyceps militaris showed significant inhibitory activity on adipocyte differentiation in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes as assessed by measuring fat accumulation using Oil Red O staining. Activity-guided fractionation led to the isolation of cordycepin (1), guanosine (2) and tryptophan (3) as active compounds. All the three compounds were more effective in the prevention of early stage of adipogenesis than in lipolysis. In addition, combinational treatment of three compounds significantly increased anti-adipogenic activity, accoridng to “Anti-adipogenic activity of Cordyceps militaris in 3T3-L1 cells” by Liu Q, Hong IP, Ahn MJ, Yoo HS, Han SB, Hwang BY, Lee MK.(5)
6. Cognitive effects
In the study of the effect of extracts of Cordyceps sinensis sporocarp on learning-memory in scopolamine treated mice and the possible mechanism, found that CSE can significantly improve the learning and memory impairment in mice induced by scopolamine, which may be correlated with the inhibition of activity of AchE, according to “[Effect of Cordyceps sinensis sporocarp on learning-memory in mice].[Article in Chinese]“, by Gong MF, Xu JP, Chu ZY, Luan J.(6)
7. Anti aging
In the investigation of the effect of Cordyceps sinensis extract (CSE) on mice aged by d-galactose and castrated rats to analyse its antiaging effect, found that CSE can improve the brain function and antioxidative enzyme activity in mice with d-galactose-induced senescence and promote sexual function in castrated rats. All of these findings suggest that CSE has an antiaging effect, accoridng to “Antiaging effect of Cordyceps sinensis extract” by Ji DB, Ye J, Li CL, Wang YH, Zhao J, Cai SQ.(7)
8. Disuse osteoporosis
In the study of whether daily oral administration of C. sinensis at higher doses in adult hind limb suspension rats can prevent disuse-induced bone loss and deterioration of trabecular microarchitecture, indicated that administration of C. sinensis at higher doses over an 8-week period can prevent the disuse osteoporosis in rats. It implies that C. sinensis might be an alternative therapy for prevention of disuse-induced osteoporosis also in humans, according to “Prevention of disuse osteoporosis in rats by Cordyceps sinensis extract” by Qi W, Yan YB, Lei W, Wu ZX, Zhang Y, Liu D, Shi L, Cao PC, Liu N.(8)
9. Etc.
Side effects
1. Overdoses can be toxic and damage to kidney
2. Prolonged period of using the herb can also damage the kidney
3. Do not use the herb in newborn, children or if you are pregnant or breast feeding without consulting first with the related field specialist
4. Etc.