Imma Perfetto
Cosmos science journalist
A chemical produced by the fungus Cordyceps militaris has been widely researched as a potential cancer medicine.
Commonly known as the caterpillar fungus, C. militaris forms 1-8cm club-shaped fruiting bodies which grow out of dead underground caterpillar pupae.
A new study has finally confirmed that the chemical behind its therapeutic effects, cordycepin, works by interrupting the cell growth signals that are overactive in cancer.
“We have been researching the effects of cordycepin on a range of diseases for a number of years,” says Dr Cornelia de Moor of The University of Nottingham in the UK, who led the research.
“With each step we get closer to understanding how it could be used as an effective treatment.”
De Moor and colleagues also confirmed that cordycepin is converted to cordycepin triphosphate in the cell. This is the likely cause of its effects on cell growth and therefore the molecule that can directly affect cancer cells.
“Our data confirms that cordycepin is a good starting point for novel cancer medicines and explains its beneficial effects,” says de Moor.
“For instance, derivatives of cordycepin could aim to produce the triphosphate form of the drug to have the same effect.
“In addition, the data will help with monitoring the effects of cordycepin in patients, as our data indicate particular genes whose activity reliably responds to cordycepin, which could be measured in blood cells.”
The study is published in FEBS Letters.
