3. Medicinal values
I. Anticancer Agent
Cordycepin (3′-deoxyadenosine) exhibits
antimicrobial, anticancer, antimetastatic,
immunomodulatory and insecticidal
effects, and is one of the most important
bioactive anticancer agents found in
Cordyceps species (summer grass-winter
worm). However, due to the requirements
of specific hosts and strict growth
environments, Cordyceps militaris is very
scarce in nature. Therefore, the production
of the anticancer agent cordycepin from
Cordyceps militaris in a large scale is
currently an acute issue that might be
solved by a repeated batch operation of
surface liquid culture[11].
II. Antioxidant activity
Antioxidant activities of CM-hs-CPS2
were evaluated by various methods in
vitro . Results showed that DPPH·
scavenging activity, reducing power and
ferrous ion chelating activity of CM-hs-
CPS2 (8 mg/ml) were 89%, 1.188 and
85%, respectively[12].
III. Improvement of Sperm Production
The present study shows that the CM
supplement increased the total sperm
number, the percentage of motile sperm
cells and normal morphology in subfertile
adult boars. The beneficial effect of CM
supplement continued after stopping the
supplement for 2 weeks. Since plasma
concentration of cordycepin was increased
by the supplementation with CM
mycelium, it is suggested that cordycepin
might be responsible for the increased
semen production and sperm quality in
boars[13].
IV. Anti-influenza Virus Activity
An acidic polysaccharide (APS) was
isolated from the extract of
Cordycepsmilitaris grown on germinated
soybeans. APS might have beneficial
therapeutic effects on influenza A virus
infection at least in part by modulation of
the immune function of macrophages[14].