Immuno-pharmacological activity of cordyceps

Conclusion

The results of investigation on the immuno-pharmacologic activity of natural cordyceps and the cultivated mycelium of cordyceps indicate that they act at multiple sites of the immune systems. They stimulate or inhibit the function of lymphocyte subunits and their toxicity was shown to be very low⁽⁶⁾. Neither effect on bone marrow and hemopoiesic function of the spleen nor toxicity to lymphocytes were found⁽¹⁴⁾. It appears, therefore, that cordyceps would be a potential new type of immuno-suppressive agent. For earlier recommending cordyceps to the clinic for anti-cancer and anti-rejection to the grafts and immunomodulation, the separation and purification of the active principles from cordyceps as well as studying the mechanisms of its actions at the molecular level are very important.