ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE@#Cultivated Cordyceps sinensis powder has been used as clinical drug and healthy food to nourish the lung and kidney, which solves the problem of serious shortage of wild C. sinensis. This study aims to explore the chemical components and compared their anti-fibrotic effects in cultivated C. sinensis.@*METHODS@#Nucleosides, sterols and polysaccharides were separated and purified from cultivated C. sinensis, and analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and chemical chromogenic methods, respectively. In high glucose-induced rat mesangial cell models, fibronectin and type 1 collagen were used as evaluation indicators.@*RESULTS@#There were 10 kinds of nucleosides and one sterol in cultivated C. sinensis. The contents of nucleosides, sterols and polysaccharides in the cultivated C. sinensis were close to 2%, 0.55% and 4.4%, respectively. Furthermore, nucleoside, sterol and polysaccharide components exhibited varying degrees of anti-fibrotic activity. The nucleoside components and sterol components inhibited the expression of extracellular matrix more effectively in the three main components.@*CONCLUSION@#Cultivated C. sinensis remains the similar compounds with the wild C. sinensis, and nucleosides and sterols may be the main active substances that contribute to its anti-fibrotic effects. The project of this study may provide valuable information on further optimization of more effective remedies with few side effects based on cultivated C. sinensis.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE To observe the renal protective effect of cultivated and wild Cordyceps sinensis on the the model mice of kidney-Yang deficiency, and to compare the differences of pharmacological effects between cultivated and wild Cordyceps sinensis. METHODS The model mice of kidney-Yang deficiency was induced by hydrocortisone in male mice which were randomly divided into seven groups: high dose group of cultivated Cordyceps sinensis, low dose of cultivated Cordyceps sinensis, high dose group of wild Cordyceps sinensis, low dose group of wild Cordyceps sinensis, control group, model group and positive drug group. The seven groups'index of physical status, swimming duration, gonad organ and immune organ, renal and testicular histology were observed. RESULTS Both cultivated and wild Cordyceps sinensis increased the body weight, prolonged the swimming time, improved sexual organ and immune organ index, ameliorated the pathological changes in renal and testicular histology, and enhanced the antioxidant ability of the model mice of kidney-Yang deficiency. There was no obvious difference in renal protective effect between cultivated and wild Cordyceps sinensis. CONCLUSION Both cultivated and wild Cordyceps sinensis can improve the kidney-Yang deficiency in male mice induced by hydrocortisone. Cultivated Cordyceps sinensis can be used as the alternative choice of wild Cordyceps sinensis in clinic.