Anti-tumour and immuno-stimulating activities of the fruiting bodies of Paecilomyces japonica, a new type of Cordyceps spp

• Published in: Phytotherapy research 2003-08, Vol.17 (7), p.830-833
• Main Authors: Shin, Kuk Hyun, Lim, Soon Sung, Lee, Sanghyun, Lee, Yeon Sil, Jung, Sang Hoon, Cho, Sae Yun
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: acid phosphatase; Adjuvants, Immunologic - administration & dosage; Adjuvants, Immunologic - pharmacology; Adjuvants, Immunologic - therapeutic use; Animals; anti-tumor activity; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic - administration & dosage; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic - pharmacology; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic - therapeutic use; Biological and medical sciences; cabon clearance; Carbon - metabolism; Cordyceps sinensis; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Fruit; General pharmacology; immuno-stimulating activity; Macrophages - drug effects; Macrophages - enzymology; Male; Medical sciences; Mice; Mice, Inbred ICR; Paecilomyces; Paecilomyces japonica; Phagocytosis - drug effects; Pharmacognosy. Homeopathy. Health food; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Phytotherapy; Plant Extracts - administration & dosage; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; Plant Extracts - therapeutic use; Sarcoma 180 - prevention & control; Sarcoma-180 ascitc tumor cell; Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms
• ISSN: 0951-418X; 1099-1573
• DOI: 10.1002/ptr.1253

The anti‐tumor and immuno‐stimulating activities of the fruiting bodies of Paecilomyces japonica (PJ), grown on silk‐worm larvae and of Cordyceps sinensis (CS), a wild form of Cordyceps Fungi, were investigated. Ethanol extracts of both fungi, when administered for 9 consecutive days, at 50 and 100 mg/kg i.p., caused a significant increase in life span and a significant decrease in tumor weights and volumes, in mice inoculated with Sarcoma‐180 tumor cells. Both fungal extracts were demonstrated to exhibit phagocytosis enhancing activity as measured by carbon clearance in mice. PJ extracts, when administered i.p. at 50 mg/kg/day for 3 consecutive days, exhibited a significant enhancement of phagocytosis, its potency as expressed by the regression coefficient ratio, RCtr/RCc, being 1.64 (the phagocytosis index = 2). This was approximately the same for that of zymosan (RCtr/RCc = 1.55, PI = 2), a typical phagocytosis enhancer, whereas CS extracts exhibited a moderate phagocytosis enhancing activity at the same dose level (RCtr/RCc = 1.30, PI = 1). Both fungal extracts caused a significant increase in an acid phosphatase activity, representing lysosomal enzymes, in macrophages at 20 and 100 µg/ml in vitro, in compliance with in vivo results. These results suggest that the anti‐tumor activity of both fungi might be related to an immuno‐stimulating function. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.