PROSPECTS OF POTENT MEDICINAL MUSHROOM, Cordyceps militaris (CORDYCEPS): REALM OF PHARMACOLOGICAL ACTIVITIES

The mushroom Cordyceps militaris (CM) is a renowned Chinese traditional remedy found in many Asian countries and some parts of Europe and North America. Cordyceps militaris an entomopathogenic fungus can be cultivated easily and commercially available than other Cordyceps species. It helps in the revitalization of the body system from ancient time and had the potential to treat cancer patients without harming the host. The objective of this article is to review the C. militaris chemical constituents, its production and its pharmacological activities. Extracts from C. militaris, therapeutic agents or bioactive compounds such as cordycepin, ergosterol, exopolysaccharides and their subunits have a significant nutrient powerhouse and potential to exhibit anti-tumour, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antidiabetic, antiangiogenic activity, hypoglycaemic, antimicrobial, and possible in prognosis. Among all the compounds found in C. militaris, a sophisticated potent cordycepin is much abundantly found in cultured C. militaris. C. militaris has been cultivated under the lab-scale with standard nutrition and climatic conditions. Submerged mycelia produce more cordycepin than the aerial mycelia in the C. militaris culture media and upregulate the gene of biological process and molecular function. Hence, C. militaris is providing a deep understanding of all its components and creating novel therapeutic strategies to cure many diseases.