Antihyperuricemic and Renal Protective Effect of Cordyceps chanhua (Ascomycetes) Fruiting Bodies in Acute Hyperuricemia and Chronic Gout Rodent Models.

Cordyceps chanhua has been widely used in traditional Chinese medicine. The uric acid-lowering effect of artificially cultivated fruiting bodies of C. chanhua (FBCC) was studied using the acute hyperuricemia (AH) and chronic gout (CG) animal models. The AH mice and CG rats were randomly divided into 6 groups: the negative control group, model group, positive control group, low-dose group, medium-dose group, and high-dose group of FBCC, respectively. Serum uric acid, creatinine, urea nitrogen, and liver xanthine oxidase (XOD) activity were detected. Renal tubulointerstitial injury and urate crystals in CG rats were evaluated. The results showed that the uric acid content in AH mice with the high-dose FBCC group decreased statistically (P < 0.05). In the CG rats, the serum uric acid level in all FBCC groups and the serum creatinine value in the high-dose group exhibited a significant decrease (P < 0.05); the scores of renal tubulointerstitial damage and urate deposit were reduced in the high-dose group of FBCC. FBCC can reduce uric acid and improve renal function, demonstrating it as a beneficial supplement for uric acid-lowering and gout-relieving drugs.

Review on Research Progress and Prospects of Cicada Flower, Isaria cicadae (Ascomycetes).

Cicada flower, Isaria cicadae Miq., has been a traditional Chinese medicine for approximately 1600 years. Many works on its identification, bioactivities, and clinical use against some disorders have been published, but some inaccuracies and inconsistencies need to be further clarified. In combination with our > 20 years of research and application of cicada flower and examination of the literature and patents published in recent years, this article summarizes and reviews the life cycle and taxonomy, genome size and mating type, molecular systematic classification and cultivation, active ingredients, and pharmacological functions of I. cicadae.

Analysis of radical scavenging active components in the fermented mycelia of Ophiocordyceps formosana.

The rates of 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryhydrazyl (DPPH)-free radical scavenging and hydroxyl radical eliminating were employed as indexes to qualitatively and quantitatively analyse the radical scavenging activity of the extracts with different solvents from fermented mycelia of Hirsutella huangshanensis RCEF0868, the anamorph of Ophiocordyceps formosana (FMOF). The results showed that both the aqueous extract and the methanol extract had significant radical scavenging activity. The half maximal inhibitory concentrations (IC50) of the aqueous extract on DPPH-free radical and hydroxyl radical are 0.85 and 1.37 mg/mL, respectively, while the IC50 of methanol extract is 1.23 and 2.91 mg/mL, respectively. The combined liquid chromatography-diode array detector-high resolution mass spectrometer(HRMS) analysis and activity determination revealed that the molecular formulas of three radical scavengers in aqueous extract were C6H14O6(1), C14H17N5O8(2) and C20H33N5O9(3). In addition to the compound 1, the methanol extract had another three radical scavengers as C30H22O11(4), C30H22O10(5) and C30H18O10(6). All the six kinds of components exhibited the DPPH radical scavenging activity, and compounds 1, 4 and 5 also showed the hydroxyl radical eliminating activity at the same time. By querying the database of natural products and reference to the relevant reports, compound 3 may be a new entity. The others were respectively cordycepic acid, succinoadenosine, 4α-oxyrugulosin, rugulosin and skyrin and, among them, succinoadenosine and 4α-oxyrugulosin were found in entomogenous fungi for the first time.

Identification and determination of myriocin in Isaria cicadae and its allies by LTQ-Orbitrap-HRMS.

A hybrid linear ion trap-quadrupole-Orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry (LTQ-Orbitrap-HRMS) was used to qualitatively and quantitatively analyse the myriocin in Isaria cicadae and its allies. The samples were prepared with 95% methanol for 30 min by ultrasonic-assisted extraction. The target compound was purified by ODS solid-phase extraction (SPE) column. The enriched samples were identified by mass spectrometry. The results showed that the contents of myriocin in both wild and artificial Isaria cicadae were below the detection limit, while a strain of Ophiocordyceps longissima and Cordyceps cicadae Shing (Dujiaolong), both closely related to the Isaria cicadae, and its asexual mycelia are rich in myriocin. It suggests that it may be wrong to consider C. cicadae as I. cicadae's teleomorph in Genbank or Mycobank in many published reports based on chemical classification, and the species rich in myriocin is probably not Isaria cicadae.

Nutritional Composition and Bioactive Constituents of Artificial Culture of Ophiocordyceps longissima (Ascomycetes).

In this study, the compositions of Ophiocordyceps longissima mycelia, synnemata, and fruiting bodies were first analyzed in order to clarify its chemical basis for development as a health food or medicine. We found that the contents of crude protein, polysaccharides, and macroelements were highest in mycelia, whereas effective components, including mannitol, ergosterol, adenosine, inosine, Zn, and Se, were lowest in mycelia. Polysaccharide, mannitol, and ergosterol levels in synnemata (2.33, 4.54, and 0.66 g/100 g, respectively) were similar to those in fruiting bodies, but was significantly different from those of mycelia (4.79, 1.77, and 0.43 g/100 g). Trehalose content in fruiting bodies (2.15 g/100 g) was >4 times higher than that in synnemata (0.5 g/100 g). Adenosine content in fruiting bodies (0.024 g/100 g) was 3-4 times higher than that of synnemata, whereas inosine, cytosine, guanosine, and uridine (0.093, 0.145, 0.053, and 0.073 g/100 g) were highest in synnemata. Cu and Se were lower in mycelia (3.30 × 10⁻4 and 3.1 × 10⁻5 g/100 g) than in synnemata (1.85 × 10⁻³ and 7.2 × 10⁻5 g/100 g) and fruiting bodies (1.67 × 10⁻³ and 4.3 × 10⁻5 g/100 g). As, Hg, Cd, and Pb in mycelia were under the limit of edible fungus health standard; Pb was not found, but Cd, Hg, and As were detected in fruiting bodies. These findings suggest that O. longissima could be utilized in different culture methods according to market demand and might be a possible health food or medicinal resource.

Comparison of cytotoxic extracts from fruiting bodies, infected insects and cultured mycelia of Cordyceps formosana.

A resazurin method was employed to test and compare cytotoxicity of extracts from fruiting bodies, insects and cultured mycelia of Cordyceps formosana against Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. Results showed that the cultured mycelia had much stronger cytotoxicity than that of the fruiting bodies and infected insects. This suggests that using cultured mycelia to substitute a natural Cordyceps may result in poisoning. A combined method of HPLC-PAD-HRMS and cytotoxic analysis revealed that the most toxic compound (Compound 1) was found mainly in the cultured mycelia and also a small amount in the infected insect body of the Cordyceps, but not in the fruiting body. The second toxic compound (Compound 2) was found in all structures of Cordyceps and in cultured mycelia. Different contents of the toxic compounds resulted in the different cytotoxicity of the extracts. Compound 1 and Compound 2 were prepared with preparative HPLC as yellow and orange powders, respectively. Cytotoxic tests showed that the median lethal dose (LD50) against CHO cells of Compound 1 was 18.3 ± 0.2 and 103.7 ± 5.9 µg/mL for Compound 2. Compound 1 and Compound 2 were identified as rugulosin and skyrin by HRMS, UV and NMR data. The two compounds were never previously isolated from the genera Cordyceps and Hirsutella and their cytotoxicity against CHO cells was also reported for the first time.

Identification and production of a novel natural pigment, cordycepoid A, from Cordyceps bifusispora.

A novel yellow pigment, cordycepoid A, was isolated and identified from the entomogenous fungi Cordyceps bifusispora. Cordycepoid A exhibited no significant toxicity against Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells and mice, and showed high stability against food addictives, metal ions and heat. A liquid/solid double-phase cultural process for the production of the pigment was optimized as follows: 3 days aged liquid seed, 7.5 % inoculums, incubation temperature at 25 °C, 10 days of solid culture, and the last 5 days exposed to 200 Lx scattered light. The liquid seed medium and the solid culture medium were also optimized. Ethanol was selected as extracting solvent for its scale-up production. The optimal extracting conditions were determined as liquid/solid ratio at 20:1, extracting temperature at 40 °C, ultrasonic power at 400 W, and extracting time of 40 min.

Long-term preservation, regeneration, and cultivation of Paecilomyces tenuipes (Peck) Samson (Ascomycetes), an entomopathogenic fungus inoculated into the silkworm larva of Bombyx mori.

Paecilomyces tenuipes reportedly have anticancer and immune activities, along with various other medicinal uses. Cultured products with P. tenuipes are certified for use in food in South Korea, and processed goods containing this fungus have been developed in many countries, particularly South Korea, Japan, and China. Research on mass production technology-procured raw materials for the manufacture of P. tenuipes is very important; however, cultures of the fungus have been unstable. This study identified stable cultivation conditions, focusing on growth inhibition and revitalization. Moisture regulation and preservation of pupae inoculated with P. tenuipes were used to control growth inhibition and revitalization. When inoculated silkworm pupae were dehydrated to 4% moisture and preserved freeze-dried or at -70 degrees C, -20 degrees C, or 4 degrees C, the mycelia in their bodies were able to survive for 14 d. Inoculated silkworm pupae were rehydrated for 3 h and the mycelia within their bodies were recovered at 94.3-96.3%. Silkworm pupae at 4% moisture were able to survive for 135 d at temperatures < 4 degrees C and for 1 y after freeze-drying. Optimal conditions for synnemata induction were 25 degrees C and 100-300 1x.

Anti-tumor Effects of Exo- and Endo-biopolymers Produced from Submerged Cultures of Three Different Mushrooms.

The anti-tumor effects of exo- (EX) and endo-biopolymers (EN) produced from submerged mycelial cultures of Ganoderma applanatum (GA), Collybia confluens (CC), and Pleurotus eryngii (PE) were studied using Sarcoma 180 bearing mice. Solid tumor growth was inhibited most effectively when 40 mg/kg body weight (BW) of GA-EX or PE-EN was administered to the intraperitoneal (i.p.) cavity of BALB/c mice. The spleen and liver indexes were increased in mice following i.p. administration of GA-EX and PE-EN fractions. GA-EX and PE-EN reduced the tumor formation by 30.7% and 29.4%, respectively. GA-EX and PE-EN increased the natural killer (NK) cell activity of splenocytes by 41.3% and 28.9%, respectively.

Bioactive compounds from Paecilomyces tenuipes regulating the function of the hypothalamo-hypophyseal system axis in chronic unpredictable stress rats.

BACKGROUND: A bioactive compound from Paecilomyces tenuipes (BCPT) has an inhibitory effect on monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A) and monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B) in vitro and in vivo, which indicates BCPT may be a potential antidepressant. In this study we aimed to study the antidepressant effects of BCPT in the chronic unpredictable stress (CUS) model in rats and explore underlying mechanisms in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. METHODS: The antidepressant effects of BCPT were studied in the chronic unpredictable stress model in rats. Animals were housed isolated, except the control group. Rats were exposed daily to different random stressors from day 1 to 21. Awarding response was detected by calculating the 24-hour consumption of sucrose water. Cortisol (CORT) and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ATCH) contents in serum and arginine vasopressin (AVP) contents in the pituitary body were detected by radio immunoassays. Total RNA of hippocampus or hypothalamus was extracted and subjected to reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for the measurement of corticotrophin releasing hormone (CRH) mRNA or mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) mRNA and glucocorticoid receptor (GR) mRNA levels. Statistical analyses were performed using one way analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Student-Newman-Keuls (SNK) test. RESULTS: Chronic unpredictable stress resulted in reduction of sensitivity to reward and abnormality in the HPA axis in the animal model. BCPT improved the reward reaction as measured by increasing sucrose consumption, remarkably reduced serum CORT and ACTH levels and the AVP content in the pituitary body in the CUS-treated rats, decreased the expression of CRH mRNA, enhanced the expression of hippocampus MR mRNA, GR mRNA and decreased the ratio of MR/GR. CONCLUSIONS: BCPT has potentially antidepressant-like activity and normalized the HPA axis hyperactivity in a CUS model of depression in rats. This may be an important mechanism of its antidepressant effect.