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Chinese Cordyceps is a valuable source of natural products with various therapeutic effects. It is rich in various active components, of which adenosine, cordycepin and polysaccharides have been confirmed with significant immunomodulatory and antitumor functions. However, the underlying antitumor mechanism remains poorly understood. In this review, we summarized and analyzed the chemical characteristics of the main components and their pharmacological effects and mechanism on immunomodulatory and antitumor functions. The analysis revealed that Chinese Cordyceps promotes immune cells' antitumor function by via upregulating immune responses and downregulating immunosuppression in the tumor microenvironment and resetting the immune cells' phenotype. Moreover, Chinese Cordyceps can inhibit the growth and metastasis of tumor cells by death (including apoptosis and autophagy) induction, cell-cycle arrest, and angiogenesis inhibition. Recent evidence has revealed that the signal pathways of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), nuclear factor kappaB (NF-κB), cysteine-aspartic proteases (caspases) and serine/threonine kinase Akt were involved in the antitumor mechanisms. In conclusion, Chinese Cordyceps, one type of magic mushroom, can be potentially developed as immunomodulator and anticancer therapeutic agents., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Background and Objectives: 20(S)-Ginsenoside Rg3 could significantly inhibit tumor growth and metastasis in animals and in in vitro tumor cell invasion. This first-in-human pharmacokinetic study investigated the pharmacokinetics of 20(S)-ginsenoside Rg3 (hip intramuscular injection) in healthy Chinese volunteers., Methods: Study 1 investigated single, ascending intramuscular doses of 10-60 mg of 20(S)-ginsenoside Rg3 in 24 healthy adults; study 2 evaluated multiple intramuscular doses of 30 mg of 20(S)-ginsenoside Rg3 administered for 15 days in 9 healthy adults., Results: In both studies, 20(S)-ginsenoside Rg3 was rapidly absorbed, with a time to reach maximum plasma concentration (T max ) of 4 h. After single-dose administration, elimination half-life t ½ was 32.0 ± 26.7, 51.7 ± 15.4 and 53.9 ± 25.7 h; maximum plasma concentration (C max ) was 135.4 ± 35.3, 162.1 ± 47.2 and 399.8 ± 217.0 ng/mL; area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC) from time zero to infinity (AUC 0-∞ ) was 3474.1 ± 1312.3, 8156.5 ± 1782.7 and 25,666.8 ± 9401.1 ng·h/mL; clearance CL/F was 3.2 ± 0.9, 3.8 ± 0.7 and 2.7 ± 1.3 L/h; urine excretion percentage during 72 h was 0.5 ± 0.1, 0.4 ± 0.1 and 0.4 ± 0.2 % after 10, 30 and 60 mg 20(S)-ginsenoside Rg3, respectively. After multiple-dose administration, C max was 457.0 ± 165.7 and 770.2 ± 275.4 ng/mL; AUC 0-48h was 10,530.0 ± 4073.9 and 16,871.3 ± 6939.3 ng·h/mL after the first and the last 20(S)-ginsenoside Rg3 doses, respectively; fluctuation percentage was 183.0 ± 46.3 %. Accumulation ratio was 1.7 ± 0.6 at steady state., Conclusions: 20(S)-ginsenoside Rg3 was generally well tolerated. In these studies, 20(S)-ginsenoside Rg3 exhibited a pharmacokinetic profile suitable for once-every-2-days dosing.

Breast milk fatty acid composition may be affected by the maternal diet during gestation and lactation. The influence of dietary and breastmilk fatty acids on breast milk immune factors is poorly defined. We determined the fatty acid composition and immune factor concentrations of breast milk from women residing in river/lake, coastal and inland regions of China, which differ in their consumption of lean fish and oily fish. Breast milk samples were collected on days 3–5 (colostrum), 14 and 28 post-partum (PP) and analysed for soluble CD14 (sCD14), transforming growth factor (TGF)-b1, TGF-b2, secretory IgA (sIgA) and fatty acids. The fatty acid composition of breast milk differed between the regions and with time PP. The concentrations of all four immune factors in breast milk decreased over time, with sCD14, sIgA and TGF-b1 being highest in the colostrum in the river and lake region. Breast milk DHA and arachidonic acid (AA) were positively associated, and g-linolenic acid and EPA negatively associated, with the concentrations of each of the four immune factors. In conclusion, breast milk fatty acids and immune factors differ between the regions in China characterised by different patterns of fish consumption and change during the course of lactation. A higher breast milk DHA and AA concentration is associated with higher concentrations of immune factors in breast milk, suggesting a role for these fatty acids in promoting gastrointestinal and immune maturation of the infant.