Cordyceps sinensis

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Bailing Capsules (BLC) and Yong Chong Cao Capsules (YChCC) share similar medicinal components, but Yong Chong Cao benefit from more advanced cultivation and large-scale production. This study systematically compared their therapeutic effects in patients with mild-to-severe Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). PATIENTS AND METHOD: This study was designed as a multi-center, randomized, active-controlled trial. 240 COPD patients were randomized 1:1 to receive YChCC or BLC for 24 weeks, followed by a 24‑week follow‑up. The primary endpoints were number of acute exacerbations. Secondary outcomes included, time to first exacerbation, and exacerbation duration, forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), FEV1%, forced vital capacity (FVC), FVC%, FEV1/FVC%, modified Medical Research Council dyspnea scale (mMRC), Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Assessment Test (CAT), and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Clinical Questionnaire (CCQ). RESULTS: A total of 208 patients completed the trial (full analysis set, FAS), and 178 comprised the per‑protocol set (PPS). Compared with BLC, YChCC significantly reduced the number of acute exacerbations (FAS: p = 0.002; PPS: p = 0.003) and prolonged time to first exacerbation. No significant between‑group differences were observed in lung function parameters or mMRC, CAT, and CCQ scores. CONCLUSION: YChCC represent a promising adjuvant therapy for patients with stable COPD, ranging from mild to severe. They significantly prolong the time to the first acute exacerbation and reduce the frequency of acute exacerbations, thereby offering potential benefits in managing COPD. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This trial has been registered at ClinicalTrials.gov under the registration number NCT03745261. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER (IF CLINICAL TRIAL): NCT0374526. © 2025 Chinese Cochrane Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

Cordyceps sinensis is a parasitic fungus known to induce immune responses. The impact of Cordyceps supplementation on stem cell homing and expansion to human skeletal muscle after exercise remains unexplored. In this study, we examined how pre-exercise Cordyceps supplementation influences cell infiltration, CD34+ cell recruitment, and Pax7+ cell expansion in human skeletal muscle after high-intensity interval exercise (HIIE) on a cycloergometer. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study was conducted with 14 young adults (age: 24 ± 0.8 years). A placebo (1 g cornstarch) and Cordyceps (1 g Cordyceps sinensis) were administered before exercise (at 120% maximal aerobic power). Multiple biopsies were taken from the vastus lateralis for muscle tissue analysis before and after HIIE. This exercise regimen doubled the VEGF mRNA in the muscle at 3 h post-exercise (P = 0.006). A significant necrotic cell infiltration (+284%, P = 0.05) was observed 3 h after HIIE and resolved within 24 h. This response was substantially attenuated by Cordyceps supplementation. Moreover, we observed increases in CD34+ cells at 24 h post-exercise, notably accelerated by Cordyceps supplementation to 3 h (+51%, P = 0.002). This earlier response contributed to a four-fold expansion in Pax7+ cell count, as demonstrated by immunofluorescence double staining (CD34+/Pax7+) (P = 0.01). In conclusion, our results provide the first human evidence demonstrating the accelerated resolution of exercise-induced muscle damage by Cordyceps supplementation. This effect is associated with earlier stem cell recruitment into the damaged sites for muscle regeneration.

Cordyceps sinensis (C. sinensis) and Gymnema inodorum (Lour.) Decne. (G. inodorum) have been widely used for treating various illnesses. The study focused on exploring the effects of C. sinensis extract (CSE), G. inodorum extract (GIE), using alone and combined (COM) on ameliorating glucose intolerance, dyslipidemia, and obesity in mice fed with a high-fat diet (HFD). The results revealed that the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), and LDL-cholesterol (LDL) exhibited a significant decrease in all groups treated with CSE, GIE, and COM compared to the control (p < 0.05). Obviously, CSE plus GIE exhibited a synergistic effect on amelioration of OGTT, TC, TG, and LDL, which is also the first report. Furthermore, the extracts showed no toxicity in the mice's vital organs. These results suggest that CSE, GIE, and their combined could have the potential as complementary therapeutic approaches for managing hyperglycaemia and dyslipidemia.

This systematic review evaluated the effects of Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) plus routine pharmacotherapy (RP) on the objective outcome measures BODE index, 6-minute walk test (6MWT), and 6-minute walk distance (6MWD) in individuals with stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Searches were conducted of six English and Chinese databases (PubMed, EMBASE, CENTRAL, CINAHL, CNKI and CQVIP) from their inceptions until 18th November 2013 for randomized controlled trials involving oral administration of CHM plus RP compared to the same RP, with BODE Index and/or 6MWT/D as outcomes. Twenty-five studies were identified. BODE Index was used in nine studies and 6MWT/D was used in 22 studies. Methodological quality was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool. Weaknesses were identified in most studies. Six studies were judged as 'low' risk of bias for randomisation sequence generation. Twenty-two studies involving 1,834 participants were included in the meta-analyses. The main meta-analysis results showed relative benefits for BODE Index in nine studies (mean difference [MD] -0.71, 95% confidence interval [CI] -0.94, -0.47) and 6MWT/D in 17 studies (MD 54.61 meters, 95%CI 33.30, 75.92) in favour of the CHM plus RP groups. The principal plants used were Astragalus membranaceus, Panax ginseng and Cordyceps sinensis. A. membranaceus was used in combination with other herbs in 18 formulae in 16 studies. Detailed sub-group and sensitivity analyses were conducted. Clinically meaningful benefits for BODE Index and 6MWT were found in multiple studies. These therapeutic effects were promising but need to be interpreted with caution due to variations in the CHMs and RPs used and methodological weakness in the studies. These issues should be addressed in future trials.

CPS-2, a Cordyceps sinensis polysaccharide, has been demonstrated to have significant therapeutic activity against chronic renal failure. However, little is known about the underlying molecular mechanism. In this study, we found that CPS-2 could inhibit PDGF-BB-induced human mesangial cells (HMCs) proliferation in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, CPS-2 notably suppressed the expression of α-SMA, PDGF receptor-beta (PDGFRβ), TGF-β1, and Smad 3 in PDGF-BB-treated HMCs. Furthermore, PDGF-BB-stimulated ERK activation was significantly inhibited by CPS-2, and this inhibitory effect was synergistically potentiated by U0126. CPS-2 could prevent the PDGFRβ promoter activity induced by PDGF-BB, and return expression of PDGFRβ, TGF-β1, and TGFβRI to normal levels while cells were under PDGFRβ and ERK silencing conditions and transfected with DN-ERK. Taken together, these findings demonstrated that CPS-2 reduces PDGF-BB-induced cell proliferation through the PDGF/ERK and TGF-β1/Smad pathways, and it may have bi-directional regulatory effects on the PDGF/ERK cellular signaling pathway.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The extracts of Cordyceps sinensis (Berk) Sacc (CS) have been used as a traditional medicine for centuries. However, few studies have examined the adjuvant action of CS in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). So the aim of this study is to investigate the adjuvant role of CS in the treatment of NSCLC. METHODOLOGY: The effects of the combination treatment of the polysaccharide-rich fraction of CS and cisplatin on H157 NSCLC cells were investigated through MTT assay for cell viability, lactate dehydrogenase and fluorescein diacetate and propidium iodide assay for cytotoxicity, and with flow cytometric analysis for apoptosis. The expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) in H157 cells were detected by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: Compared with the cells treated with cisplatin alone, cell viability was significantly decreased and the expression levels of VEGF and bFGF protein were significantly reduced in the cells treated with a combination of CS and cisplatin. CONCLUSION: The current study indicates that the polysaccharide of CS inhibits tumor growth in NSCLC and that CS may be a potential adjuvant chemotherapeutic agent in NSCLC therapy.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of polysaccharide fraction of Cordyceps sinensis (PSCS) on triptolide (TPL)-induced apoptosis in the HL-60 cells and the involved molecular mechanism. METHODS: The cultured leukemia HL-60 cells were divided into three groups: control group, TPL group (cells were treated with 5 ng/ml TPL only), and PSCS+TPL cells group (cells treated with 5 ng/ml TPL and 100 microg/ml or 200 microg/ml PSCS for 18 h). Cell viability was tested by MTT assay and apoptotic cells were quantitatively measured by flow cytometry with Annexin V/PI double stain.The expressions of Caspase-3, 6, 7, 9 and NF-kappa B proteins were tested by Western blot. RESULT: MTT assay showed that different concentrations of PSCS inhibited the cell viability. Flow cytometry indicated that TPL markedly increased the apoptosis rate of the HL-60 cells, and PSCS enhanced the apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner. Western blot showed that TPL did not inhibit the expression of the Caspase-3, 6, 7, 9 and NF-kappa B proteins, and when cells were treated with PSCS, the expression of proteins decreased with the PSCS concentration rising. CONCLUSION: PSCS can enhance TPL-induced apoptosis in HL-60 cells and inhibit the expression of NF-kappa B and Caspase 3,6,7,9,which might be the possible signaling pathway of inducing apoptosis.

The severe side-effects of Cyclosporin A (CsA) limited its long term clinical application in allograft recipients. In the present study, we investigated the potential synergistic effects of cordyceps sinensis (Cs) with CsA in an allograft kidney transplant rat model. Cs alone or a low dose of CsA treatment did not prolong graft survival. However, the combined therapy of a low dose of CsA with Cs significantly prolonged graft survival in rats. The allografts showed significantly improved function in a combined therapy in rats as determined by urine volume and serum creatinine levels. Furthermore, significantly less mononuclear cell infiltration in kidney grafts, lower levels of CD4+ T cells in peripheral blood, and less serum IL-2 and IFN-gama Production was observed in recipients treated with combined therapy, as compared with recipients treated with Cs alone or a low dose of CsA. These data indicate that Cs and CsA have synergistic effects to block allogeneic graft rejection, which may be applied in transplant recipients to decrease the dose of CsA and avoid CsA associated side-effects.

Immunosuppressive treatments are available to suppress acute cardiac rejection; however, no viable treatment exists for long-term cardiac graft failure. Moreover, extended use of calcineurin inhibitor immunosuppressants, the mainstay of the current therapeutic for cardiac transplantation, leads to significant associated pathologies such as nephrotoxicity and increased risk of cardiac disease. For the last ten years alternatives to calcineurin inhibitors, or adjuvant therapies designed to complement their activities, have been explored. In tandem with this development, there has been considerable interest in Traditional Chinese Medicines (TCM) as sources for novel therapeutics. Our study examines the ability of the TCM Cordyceps sinensis to reduce acute and chronic rejection associated with cardiac transplantation. The objectives of this study were to first determine if oral delivery of the extract could reduce acute rejection in a rat heterotopic heart model of transplantation. The second objective was to determine, in vitro, if a sterile, aqueous extract of C. sinensis could decrease CD8+ T cell activity. The third objective was to determine if oral delivery of the extract could ablate allograft vasculopathy in a mouse abdominal aortic transplant model. We found that oral delivery of the extract demonstrated a reduction in acute rejection when used in conjunction with a sub-therapeutic dose of Cyclosporine. Further, we found, using a mixed lymphocyte reaction, that the extract was able to significantly reduce CD8+ T cell activity. Finally, we demonstrate that oral delivery of the extract, used with a therapeutic dose of Cyclosporine to suppress acute rejection, ablates allograft vasculopathy.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of compound preparation of Cordyceps sinensis and Tripterygium hypoglaucum (CSTHC) on survival time of grafted pigskin after allogeneic transplantation and its mechanism. METHODS: The pigskin was treated with CSTHC solution before allogeneic transplantation, and CSTHC ointment was applied for external use on the grafted pigskin after skin transplantation. Cyclosporine A (CsA) and normal saline were served as control. The survival time, the appearance and the histomorphological changes of the grafted pigskin were observed. The histomorphological changes of testicles in pigs were also examined. The CD4 and CD8 expressions in the grafted pigskins were measured by immunohistochemical method. The white blood cell count in peripheral blood and the liver and renal functions were also examined. RESULTS: The survival time of the grafted pigskin in the CSTHC-treated group was (28.50+/-3.26)d, which was much longer as compared with (10.60+/-1.52)d in the untreated group (P<0.01). The survival time of the grafted pigskin in the CsA-treated group was (28.33+/-3.50)d, and there was no remarkable difference in the survival time of the grafted pigskin between the CsA-treated group and the CSTHC-treated group. The expressions of CD4 and CD8 were lower in the CSTHC-treated group than those in the untreated group on the 7th and 14th day after skin graft (P<0.05), while there was no significant difference in the indices between the CSTHC-treated group and the CsA-treated group. The WBC count was higher in the untreated group than that in the CSTHC-treated group or CsA-treated group on the 7th day after skin graft (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: CSTHC can prolong the survival time of allogeneic grafted pigskin. Its mechanism of inhibiting the immunological rejection may relate to decreasing the expressions of CD4(+) and CD8(+) in the grafted pigskin and reducing the local inflammatory reaction.

Combining nutritional supplements to achieve synergistic benefit is a common practice in the nutraceutical industry. However, establishing added health benefit from a combination of natural ingredients is often assumed, untested and without regard to the principle of metabolic competition between the active components. Here, we report on the combination of a cat's claw water extract (C-Med-100, carboxy alkyl esters = active ingredients) + medicinal mushroom extracts (Cordyceps sinensis, Grifola blazei, Grifolafrondosa, Trametes versicolor and Ganoderma lucidum, polysaccharides = active ingredients) + nicotinamide + zinc into a formulation designed to optimize different modes of immunostimulatory action, and yet that would avoid metabolic antioxidant competition yielding less than expected efficacious effects. Isobole curve analyses of these two active classes of ingredients determined by growth inhibition of HL-60 human leukemic cells in vitro confirmed they were indeed synergistic when in combination, and not metabolically competitive. Furthermore, an in vivo study showed significant health benefit for 14 subjects treated for 4 weeks with the unique C-Med-100/mushroom extract formulation in that they had reduced pain, reduced fatigue, weight loss and a reduced presence of DNA damage in peripheral blood assessed by (8-OH) guanine DNA adducts and elevation in serum protein thiols. Because this broad-based panel of clinical parameters indicating clinical efficacy has never been demonstrated before for either of the active ingredients evaluated alone in humans, these data were taken as strong evidence that the combination of C-Med-100 + mushroom extracts + nicotinamide + zinc gave additive or synergistic effects to health benefit, and thus supported no efficacious limits from metabolic competition regarding this particular formulation.

AIM: To investigate the inhibitive effect and its possible mechanism of Cordyceps Sinensis (CS) on CCl(4)-plus ethanol-induced hepatic fibrogenesis in experimental rats. METHODS: Rats were randomly allocated into a normal control group, a model control group and a CS group. The latter two groups were administered with CCl(4) and ethanol solution at the beginning of the experiment to induce hepatic fibrosis. The CS group was also treated with CS 10 days after the beginning of CCl(4) and ethanol administration. All control groups were given corresponding placebo at the same time. At the end of the 9th week, rats in each group were humanely sacrificed. Blood and tissue specimens were taken. Biochemical, radioimmunological, immunohistochemical and molecular biological examinations were used to determine the level change of ALT, AST, HA, LN content in serum and TGFbeta(1), PDGF, collagen I and III expression in tissue at either protein or mRNA level or both of them. RESULTS: As compared with the model control group, serum ALT, AST, HA, and LN content levels were markedly dropped in CS group (86.0+/-34.4 vs 224.3+/-178.9, 146.7+/-60.2 vs 272.6+/-130.1, 202.0+/-79.3 vs 316.5+/-94.1 and 50.4+/-3.0 vs 59.7+/-9.8, respectively, P<0.05). Tissue expression of TGFbeta(1) and its mRNA, collagen I mRNA were also markedly decreased (0.2+/-0.14 vs 1.73+/-1.40, 1.68+/-0.47 vs 3.17+/-1.17, 1.10+/-0.84 vs 2.64+/-1.40, respectively, P<0.05). More dramatical drop could be seen in PDGF expression (0.87+/-0.43 vs 1.91+/-0.74, P<0.01). Although there was no statistical significance, it was still strongly suggested that collagen III mRNA expression was also decreased in CS group as compared with model control group (0.36+/-0.27 vs 0.95+/-0.65, P=0.0615). In this experiment, no significant change could be found in PDGF mRNA expression between two groups (0.35+/-0.34 vs 0.70+/-0.46, P>0.05). CONCLUSION: Cordyceps sinensis could inhibit hepatic fibrogenesis derived from chronic liver injury, retard the development of cirrhosis, and notably ameliorate the liver function. Its possible mechanism involves inhibiting TGFbeta(1) expression, and thereby, down regulating PDGF expression, preventing

This article reviews mushrooms with anti-breast cancer activity. The mushrooms covered which are better known include the following: button mushroom Agaricus bisporus, Brazilian mushroom Agaricus blazei, Amauroderma rugosum, stout camphor fungus Antrodia camphorata, Jew's ear (black) fungus or black wood ear fungus Auricularia auricula-judae, reishi mushroom or Lingzhi Ganoderma lucidum, Ganoderma sinense, maitake mushroom or sheep's head mushroom Grifola frondosa, lion's mane mushroom or monkey head mushroom Hericium erinaceum, brown beech mushroom Hypsizigus marmoreus, sulfur polypore mushroom Laetiporus sulphureus, Lentinula edodes (shiitake mushroom), Phellinus linteus (Japanese "meshimakobu," Chinese "song gen," Korean "sanghwang," American "black hoof mushroom"), abalone mushroom Pleurotus abalonus, king oyster mushroom Pleurotus eryngii, oyster mushroom Pleurotus ostreatus, tuckahoe or Fu Ling Poria cocos, and split gill mushroom Schizophyllum commune. Antineoplastic effectiveness in human clinical trials and mechanism of anticancer action have been reported for Antrodia camphorata, Cordyceps sinensis, Coriolus versicolor, Ganoderma lucidum, Grifola frondosa, and Lentinula edodes.

Cordyceps sinensis (Berk.) Sacc. (Ophiocordyceps sinensis) is an edible and medicinal fungus used as a natural superior tonic. It is considered as scarce fungus with a high market demand. Therefore, as an alternative, fermentation technology has been proposed to produce artificial cordyceps (fermented C. sinensis) to address the shortage of cordyceps resources for industrialization and commercial utilization. Numerous studies have proved that polysaccharides are the important bioactive substances in the fermented C. sinensis, but the research data lack systematic review. In this review, current relevant research data regarding the preparation (including extraction, fractionation, and purification), structural characterization (including molecular weight, monosaccharide composition, glycosidic bond type, structural and conformational features), bioactivities, structure-activity relationships (SAR) and applications of polysaccharides from different sources of fermented C. sinensis last decade were analyzed and discussed. The findings highlight that the most commonly employed methods for preparing fermented Cordyceps sinensis polysaccharides (FCSPs) involve water extraction and alcohol precipitation, combing with sophisticated chromatographic techniques such as ion exchange and gel permeation chromatography. From these processes, 34 different polysaccharides were identified including 5 glucans and 7 heteropolysaccharides that were thoroughly characterized. FCSPs exhibited a broad spectrum of biological activities, ranging from antioxidant and renal protective effects to immunomodulatory, antitumor, and hypolipidemic properties. The structure-activity relationships (SAR) demonstrated that key factors, such as molecular weight, monosaccharide composition and glucosidic bond types, play critical roles in determining the bioactivity of FCSPs. Nevertheless, there remain unknown elements that continue to influence SAR, leaving room for further exploration. Furthermore, the limitation of existing studies and some new perspectives for future investigations on FCSPs were proposed.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Cordyceps sinensis (CS) is a fungus parasitic on lepidopteran larvae which is often used to treat lung diseases and regulate immune function. AIM OF THE STUDY: This review aimed to evaluate the efficacy of CS in the adjuvant treatment of lung cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: As of June 2022, the electronic database search was conducted in PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, China Biomedical Literature Database (CBM), China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Database and China Science Journal Database (VIP database). Randomized clinical trials (RCTs) that evaluated the efficacy of CS as an adjuvant treatment for lung cancer were included. After the quality evaluation, meta-analysis was performed with Stata 16.0 software. RESULTS: A total of 12 RCTs with 928 patients were identified for this meta-analysis, which showed that as an adjuvant treatment, CS has the following advantages in the treatment of lung cancer: (1) Improved tumor response rate (TRR) (RR: 1.17， 95%CI: 1.05-1.29，P = 0.00); (2) improved immune function, including increased CD4 (MD: 4.98, 95%CI: 1.49-8.47, P = 0.01), CD8 (MD: 1.60, 95%CI: 0.40-2.81, P = 0.01, I2 = 0.00%), NK (MD: 4.17, 95%CI: 2.26-6.08, P = 0.00), IgA (MD: 1.29, 95%CI: 0.35-2.24, P = 0.01), IgG (MD: 3.95, 95%CI: 0.98-6.92, P = 0.01) and IgM (MD: 6.44, 95%CI: 0.63-12.26, P = 0.03); (3) improved patients' quality of life based on the mean ± SD of Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) (MD: 8.20, 95%CI: 6.87-9.53, P = 0.00); (4) reduced the incidence of adverse drug reactions (ADRs), including the incidence of myelosuppression (RR: 0.38, 95%CI: 0.19-0.75, P = 0.01), leukopenia (RR: 0.76, 95%CI: 0.63-0.92, P = 0.00), and thrombocytopenia (RR: 0.52, 95%CI: 0.31-0.86, P = 0.01) (5) reduced the incidence of radiation pneumonitis (RR: 0.74, 95%CI: 0.62-0.88, P = 0.00). However, the number of improved patients based on KPS (RR: 1.47, 95%CI: 0.98-2.20, P = 0.06) were similar between two groups, liver and renal damage (RR: 0.32, 95%CI: 0.09-1.10, P = 0.07) and gastrointestinal adverse reactions (RR: 0.80, 95%CI: 0.47-1.37, P = 0.42) as well. Subgroup analysis showed that CS could increase the TRR in the t

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate current evidence on the efficacy and safety of Cordyceps sinensis (cordyceps) or its fermented products used as an adjunctive treatment in patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis. METHODS: The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), EMBASE, MEDLINE, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) and Wanfang Database were searched for relevant randomized controlled trials up to March 2016. Two review authors independently selected trials for inclusion, extracted data, assessed the methodological quality and rated the quality of evidence with the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation approach. RESULTS: Twelve studies involving 655 participants were included. Evidence of low to moderate-quality showed that cordyceps plus conventional treatment compared to conventional treatment alone significantly improved C-reactive protein [standardized mean difference (SMD) －0.61; 95% confidence intervals (CI) －1.00 to －0.22], high-sensitivity C-reactive protein [weighted mean difference (WMD) －3.44 mg/L; 95% CI －3.89 to －2.99], serum albumin (WMD 3.07 g/L; 95% CI 1.59 to 4.55), malondialdehyde (WMD －1.95 nmol/L; 95% CI －2.24 to －1.66), and hemoglobin (WMD 9.56 g/L; 95% CI 3.65 to 15.47) levels. However, there was no significant improvement for serum creatinine and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Overall, most trials either did not monitor adverse events or poorly documented them. CONCLUSION: Given the small number of trials included, the unclear methodological quality of the included trials, and the high heterogeneity in pooled analyses, the evidence obtained in this review is insufficient to recommend the use of cordyceps as adjunctive treatment in hemodialysis patients.

OBJECTIVES: Cordyceps sinensis (cordyceps) is a fungus used in traditional Chinese medicine as adjuvant immunosuppressive agent in patients with kidney transplant. This review evaluates current evidence on the efficacy and safety of natural and fermented cordyceps preparations in patients with kidney transplant. METHODS: English and Chinese electronic databases including The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, EMBASE, MEDLINE, and CNKI (China National Knowledge Infrastructure) were searched up to December 2015 for relevant randomized controlled trials. Journals and conference proceedings were also searched. Two review authors independently selected trials for inclusion, extracted data, and assessed methodological quality. The primary outcome measures were incidence of acute graft rejection in the first year post-transplantation, one-year graft survival rate (defined as the percentage of patients with functioning grafts) and patient survival rate (or all-cause mortality). RESULTS: Nine studies were eligible for inclusion. These studies were considered to be at moderate risk of bias due to poor reporting of methods. Four studies that compared cordyceps-based therapy with azathioprine-based therapy gave comparable acute rejection rates, and graft and patient survival. The cordyceps-treated group however showed better kidney function and lower incidences of hyperuricemia, hyperlipidemia, hyperglycemia and liver injury. Cordyceps used with different combinations of immunosuppressant therapy showed significant reduction in proteinuria after 6-12 months. Compared to the group receiving cyclosporine A monotherapy, treatment with a combination of cordyceps and cyclosporine A showed less treatment-induced nephrotoxicity. Adverse events were either not monitored or poorly documented in most trials. CONCLUSIONS: Current evidence shows that cordyceps as an adjuvant to routine immunosuppressant therapy may benefit kidney transplant patient, however, better quality evidence is still required.

BACKGROUND: Kidney transplantation is the treatment of choice for patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD). Rising ESKD prevalence has substantially increased numbers of kidney transplants performed. Maintenance immunosuppression is long-term treatment to prevent acute rejection and deterioration of graft function. Although immunosuppressive treatment using drugs such as calcineurin inhibitors (CNIs, such as cyclosporin A (CsA) or tacrolimus) reduce acute rejection rates, long-term allograft survival rates are not significantly enhanced. CNI-related adverse effects contribute to reduced quality of life among kidney transplant recipients. Adjuvant immunosuppressive therapies that could offer a synergetic immunosuppressive effect, while minimising toxicity and reducing side effects, have been explored recently. Cordyceps sinensis, (Cordyceps) a traditional Chinese medicine, is used as an adjuvant immunosuppressive agent in maintenance treatment for kidney transplantation recipients in China, but there is no consensus about its use as an adjuvant immunosuppressive treatment for kidney transplantation recipients. OBJECTIVES: This review aimed to evaluate the benefits and potential adverse effects of Cordyceps as an adjuvant immunosuppressive treatment for kidney transplant recipients. SEARCH METHODS: We searched the Cochrane Kidney and Transplant Specialised Register through contact with the Trials Search Co-ordinator to 7 September 2015 using search terms relevant to this review. We also searched Chinese language databases and other resources. SELECTION CRITERIA: We included all randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-RCTs evaluating the benefits and potential side effects of Cordyceps sinensis for kidney transplant recipients, irrespective of blinding or publication language. An inclusion criterion was that baseline immunosuppressive therapy must be the same in all study arms. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two authors extracted data. We derived risk ratios (RR) for dichotomous data and mean differences (MD) for continuous data with 95% confidence intervals (CI). MAIN RESULTS: Our review included five studies (six reports; 447 participants) that assessed

BACKGROUND: Cordyceps sinensis (Cordyceps, Dong Chong Xia Cao), a herbal medicine also known as Chinese caterpillar fungus, is one of the most commonly used ingredients in traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of people with chronic kidney disease (CKD). OBJECTIVES: This review aimed to evaluate the therapeutic effects and potential adverse effects of Cordyceps sinensis for the treatment of people with CKD. SEARCH METHODS: We searched the Cochrane Renal Group's Specialised Register to 14 April 2014 through contact with the Trials' Search Co-ordinator using search terms relevant to this review. We also searched CINAHL, AMED, Current Controlled Trials, OpenSIGLE, and Chinese databases including CBM, CMCC, TCMLARS, Chinese Dissertation Database, CMAC and Index to Chinese Periodical Literature. SELECTION CRITERIA: Randomised and quasi-randomised trials comparing Cordyceps or its products with placebo, no treatment, or conventional treatment were considered for inclusion in the review. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two authors independently assessed data quality and extracted data. Statistical analyses were performed using the random-effects model and the results expressed as risk ratio (RR) for dichotomous outcomes or mean difference (MD) for continuous data with 95% confidence intervals (CI). MAIN RESULTS: We included 22 studies that involved 1746 participants. Among people with CKD who were not receiving dialysis, Cordyceps preparations were found to significantly decrease serum creatinine (14 studies, 987 participants): MD -60.76 μmol/L, 95% CI -85.82 to -35.71); increase creatinine clearance (6 studies, 362 participants): MD 9.22 mL/min, 95% CI 3.10 to 15.34) and reduce 24 hour proteinuria (4 studies, 211 participants: MD -0.15 g/24 h, 95% CI -0.24 to -0.05). However, suboptimal reporting and flawed methodological approaches meant that risk of bias was assessed as high in four studies and unclear in 18 studies, and hence, these results need to be interpreted with caution. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: We found that Cordyceps preparation, as an adjuvant therapy to conventional medicine, showed potential promise to decrease serum creatinine, increase creatine cle