C. CancerA possibly valuable therap

C. Cancer
A possibly valuable therapeutic application of
Cordyceps is its potential as a treatment for cancer,
as well as an adjunct to chemotherapy, radiation,
and other conventional and traditional cancer
treatments.1,2,3,17
1. Animal Studies
The survival time of mice inoculated with murine
B16 melanoma cells and treated with a combination
of water extracts from C. sinensis and the
chemotherapy agent, methotrexate, has been shown
to be signifi cantly longer than the survival time of
either the untreated control group or those treated
with methotrexate alone, indicating that some water
extracts of C. sinensis may be benefi cial in the
prevention of tumor metastasis.28
Antitumor and immunostimulating activities
were observed in the treatment of mice inoculated
with Sarcoma 180 tumor cells, when treated
with an ethanol extract of C. sinensis,29 whereas
a study using murine models verifi ed that oral
administration of a hot water extract of C. sinensis
consequently resulted in the activation of
macrophages, thereby increasing the production
of granulocyte monocyte colony-stimulating factor
([GM-CSF] a naturally occurring substance
that is made by the body in response to infection
or infl ammation) and IL-6, which act on the
systemic immune system.30 In a study of mice
subcutaneously implanted with lymphoma cells,
oral administration of an extract of C. sinensis
led to a decrease in tumor size and a prolonged
survival time.31 Furthermore, mice treated with
cyclophosphamide, which suppresses immune
function, also treated with the same hot water
extract, saw their immune function return to normal,
as measured by the IgM and IgG response
and macrophage activity.31 Further evidence of
the immune-enhancing action of C. sinensis was
provided by another study treating mice inoculated
with Erhlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) cells with
a warm water extract of Cordyceps. The median
survival time of the treated mice compared to
untreated controls was over 300%, and the lack
of activity of the extract against EAC cells grown
in vitro indicated that the antitumor effect in the
mice may be attributed to a host-mediated immune
response, rather than direct cytotoxicity.32
Oral administration of polysaccharide fractions
CI-P and CI-A, derived from C. sinensis, in doses
of 1–10 mg/kg per day, demonstrated antitumor
activities in mice inoculated with Sarcoma 180.
Similar results were observed with an alkali-soluble
polysaccharide (CI-6P), derived from the species
C. sobolifera, when administered in doses of 10 mg/
kg/day.2 In a related study, β-(1-3)-D-glucan, fraction
CO-1, and the galactosaminoglycan fraction
CO-N, derived from C. ophioglossoides, inhibited
the growth of ascitic Sarcoma 180. Increased immune
function was noted as well, quantifi ed by an
increase in carbon clearance activity.33,34
It is well established that numerous fungalderived
simple- and protein-bound polysaccharides
exert a signifi cant potentiation of immune
function.17 This is thought to be one of the major
mechanisms of antitumor activity in Cordyceps.
Among the multiple polysaccharides produced
by C. sinensis, β-D-glucans are one class of
polymers that have been shown to increase both
innate and cell-mediated immune response. These
polysaccharides increase the production of such
cytokines as TNF-α, interleukins, interferons, NO,
and antibodies by the activated immune cells. This
activation of an immune response may be triggered
by polysaccharide binding to specifi c receptors on
the surface of the immune system cells, such as the
CR3 receptors, and other receptors.35,36 They are also
thought to be involved in cell-to-cell communications,
perhaps acting as messenger molecules.
There is evidence of another mechanism at
play in the antitumor response of Cordyceps, as
well, pertaining to the structure of at least one, and
possibly more, of the altered nucleosides found in
some species of Cordyceps and exemplifi ed by the
compound cordycepin [3′-deoxyadenosine] (see
Fig. 6). These deoxynucleosides interfere with
DNA replication in tumor cells. Such interference
is reduced in normal healthy cells by the operation
of a DNA repair mechanism, which is absent
in tumor cells, and by the fact that tumor cells
generally multiply at a rate well in excess of that
of normal cells.
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JOHN HOLLIDAY & MATT CLEAVER
2. Clinical Trials
Clinical studies have been conducted in China
and Japan involving cancer patients,37 yielding
positive results. In one study of 50 patients with
lung cancer who were administered C. sinensis
at 6 grams per day, in conjunction with chemotherapy,
tumors were reduced in size in 46% of the
patients studied. A trial involving cancer patients
with several different types of tumors found that
C. sinensis, taken over a 2-month period at 6 g per
day, improved subjective symptoms in the majority
of patients. White blood cell counts were kept
at 3000 per cubic millimeter or higher, and even
with radiation or chemotherapy, other immunological
parameters showed no signifi cant change,
whereas tumor size was signifi cantly reduced in
approximately half of the patients observed, indicating
an improved tolerance for radiation and/
or chemotherapy.5
A serious side effect to the use of conventional
cancer chemotherapy and radiation therapy is the
suppression of the patient’s immune system. The
use of C. sinensis in combination with conventional
chemotherapy appears to have an immunostimulatory
effect, which enhances the effectiveness
of conventional chemotherapy by balancing its
side effects.
The belief in the effi cacy of C. sinensis against
cancer is widespread in the Orient, and many cancer
patients in Japan, Korea, and China are taking
Cordyceps or some other mushroom-derived immunomodulator
(such as PSK, PSP, Lentinan, AHCC,
heteropolysaccharide complex formula [Immune
Assist™], and arabinoxylanes [MGN3™]) while
undergoing conventional treatment.5,37,38
D. Immunomodulating Effects
The immune-enhancing effects of C. sinensis have
been alluded to in the above discussions. It is of
interest to note that the fungus that produces the immunosuppressive
drug cyclosporin, Tolypocladium
infl atum, was discovered in 1996 to be the asexual
stage of yet another Cordyceps species, C. subsessilus.
15 Thus, the same genus of fungus that was used
for centuries to provide immune stimulation was
now known to provide an immune suppressant that
is valuable in organ transplantation surgery.
Other such experiments demonstrating both inhibiting
as well as potentiating effects of Cordyceps
are controversial, and the effects observed are possibly
the result of differing experimental conditions
and variables. However, with such evidence of a
possibly bi-directional immune-modulating effect,
further research is in order.
Although the drug cyclosporin has enabled
some advances in medicine by facilitating the
transplant of organs, there has been a drawback to
its use. The high toxicity of cyclosporin has caused
many patients to suffer from serious kidney damage
related to the use of the drug. In 1995, a study was
undertaken in China in which 69 kidney transplant
patients were given either cyclosporin alone or in
conjunction with C. sinensis, at 3 grams per day.
After 15 days it was clearly evident that the group
receiving C. sinensis in addition to cyclosporin had
a much lower incidence of kidney damage than the
group receiving only cyclosporin, as measured by
the levels of urinary NAG, serum creatinine, and
blood urea nitrate.39
E. Kidney Ailments
Traditional views of the Cordyceps species held that
its consumption strengthened the kidneys. Studies
have shown that much of the kidney-enhancing
potential of Cordyceps stems from its ability to increase
17-hydroxy-corticosteroid and 17- ketosteroid
levels in the body.5
Chronic renal failure is a serious disease, one
often affecting the elderly. In a study among 51
patients suffering from chronic renal failure, it
was found that the administration of 3–5 grams
per day of C. sinensis signifi cantly improved both
kidney function and overall immune function of
treated patients, compared to the untreated control
group.40
Patients with chronic renal failure or reduced
kidney function often suffer from hypertension,
proteinuria, and anemia. In a study with such
patients, it was found that after one month on
C. sinensis, a 15% reduction in blood pressure
was observed. Urinary protein was also reduced.
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MEDICINAL VALUE OF THE GENUS CORDYCEPS (FR.) LINK (ASCOMYCETES). A REVIEW
Additionally, increases in superoxide dismutase
(SOD) were seen. The increase in SOD, coupled
with an observed decrease in serum lipoperoxide,
suggests an increase in the oxygen-free radicalscavenging
capacity, resulting in reduced oxidative
cellular damage.41
In another human clinical study, 57 patients
with gentamicin-induced kidney damage were either
treated with 4.5 grams of Cordyceps per day or by
other more conventional methods. After 6 days,
the group that received Cordyceps had recovered
89% of their normal kidney function, whereas the
control group had recovered only 45% of normal
kidney function. The time-to-recovery was also
signifi cantly shorter in the Cordyceps group when
compared to the control group.5
F. Hypoglycemic Effect
Another area of particular interest is the effect of
Cordyceps spp. on the blood glucose metabolism
system. Cordyceps sinensis has been tested in animal
and human trials to investigate its potential as an
agent in blood sugar regulation. In one randomized
trial, 95% of patients treated with 3 grams
per day of C. sinensis saw improvement in their
blood sugar profi les, whereas the control group
showed only a 54% improvement with

ผลลัพธ์ (ไทย) 3:

การรักษาโรคมะเร็ง C .

อาจมีคุณค่าของ Cordyceps มีศักยภาพเป็นรักษามะเร็ง
รวมทั้งการใช้เคมีบำบัด , รังสี , และอื่น ๆและการรักษามะเร็งแบบ

แบบดั้งเดิม 1,2,3,17
1 การศึกษาสัตว์
ความอยู่รอดเวลาหนูใส่ ~
b16 เนื้องอกเซลล์และการรักษาด้วยการรวมกันของน้ำสกัดจากไซแนนซิส

C และเคมีบำบัดตัวแทนเมโธเทรกเซท มีการแสดง
จะลดลงอย่างมีนัยสําคัญเมื่อ signifi นานกว่าการอยู่รอดของ
ทั้งดิบ กลุ่มควบคุมหรือผู้ปฏิบัติ
กับ methotrexate อย่างเดียว แสดงว่าน้ำสกัดของ ไซแนนซิส

อาจจะ benefi ่ในการป้องกันมะเร็ง metastasis . เหมาะสม 28 และกิจกรรม

เข้าสู่กล้วยไม้สกุลหวายพบใน การรักษาเชื้อ
หนูSarcoma 180 กับเซลล์มะเร็ง เมื่อการรักษาด้วยสารสกัดเอทานอลของ C .

ไซแนนซิส , 29 และการศึกษาโดยใช้ ~ รุ่น verifi เอ็ดที่การบริหารช่องปาก
ของสารสกัดน้ำร้อนของ ไซแนนซิส
จึงส่งผลในการกระตุ้น
macrophages , จึงช่วยเพิ่มการผลิตของเวอร์โก้ ชากะโมโนไซต์ colony-stimulating ปัจจัย

( [ gm-csf ] เกิดขึ้นตามธรรมชาติสาร