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Cicada flower, Isaria cicadae Miq., has been a traditional Chinese medicine for approximately 1600 years. Many works on its identification, bioactivities, and clinical use against some disorders have been published, but some inaccuracies and inconsistencies need to be further clarified. In combination with our > 20 years of research and application of cicada flower and examination of the literature and patents published in recent years, this article summarizes and reviews the life cycle and taxonomy, genome size and mating type, molecular systematic classification and cultivation, active ingredients, and pharmacological functions of I. cicadae.

Nucleosides and nucleobases are one of the most important indicators of quality control. A sensitive and reliable high performance liquid chromatography-ultraviolet method was applied to analyse 13 nucleosides and nucleobases simultaneously in 15 batches of nine Ophiocordyceps species and its allies in China. Principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis were conducted by SPSS 22.0 software (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA). The 15 samples of Cordyceps were differentiated successfully based on their nucleoside and nucleobase content. Total nucleosides content in mycelium was significantly higher than that in the natural fruiting bodies of Ophiocordyceps sinensis (NFOS). Five nucleosides or nucleobases – adenine (A), guanosine (Gu), uracil (U), uridine (Ur) and guanine (G) – were the major components contributed to the total variance according to PCA. The profiles of the 13 tested nucleosides and nucleobases (including adenosine, cytidine, guanosine, inosine, thymidine, uridine, cordycepin, adenine, cytosine, guanine, thymine, uracil and hypoxanthine) can discriminate different samples and can be candidate indicators applied for the quality control of Ophiocordyceps and its allies.

A hybrid linear ion trap-quadrupole-Orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry (LTQ-Orbitrap-HRMS) was used to qualitatively and quantitatively analyse the myriocin in Isaria cicadae and its allies. The samples were prepared with 95% methanol for 30 min by ultrasonic-assisted extraction. The target compound was purified by ODS solid-phase extraction (SPE) column. The enriched samples were identified by mass spectrometry. The results showed that the contents of myriocin in both wild and artificial Isaria cicadae were below the detection limit, while a strain of Ophiocordyceps longissima and Cordyceps cicadae Shing (Dujiaolong), both closely related to the Isaria cicadae, and its asexual mycelia are rich in myriocin. It suggests that it may be wrong to consider C. cicadae as I. cicadae’s teleomorph in Genbank or Mycobank in many published reports based on chemical classification, and the species rich in myriocin is probably not Isaria cicadae.

The rates of 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryhydrazyl (DPPH)-free radical scavenging and hydroxyl radical eliminating were employed as indexes to qualitatively and quantitatively analyse the radical scavenging activity of the extracts with different solvents from fermented mycelia of Hirsutella huangshanensis RCEF0868, the anamorph of Ophiocordyceps formosana (FMOF). The results showed that both the aqueous extract and the methanol extract had significant radical scavenging activity. The half maximal inhibitory concentrations (IC50) of the aqueous extract on DPPH-free radical and hydroxyl radical are 0.85 and 1.37 mg/mL, respectively, while the IC50 of methanol extract is 1.23 and 2.91 mg/mL, respectively. The combined liquid chromatography-diode array detector-high resolution mass spectrometer(HRMS) analysis and activity determination revealed that the molecular formulas of three radical scavengers in aqueous extract were C6H14O6(1), C14H17N5O8(2) and C20H33N5O9(3). In addition to the compound 1, the methanol extract had another three radical scavengers as C30H22O11(4), C30H22O10(5) and C30H18O10(6). All the six kinds of components exhibited the DPPH radical scavenging activity, and compounds 1, 4 and 5 also showed the hydroxyl radical eliminating activity at the same time. By querying the database of natural products and reference to the relevant reports, compound 3 may be a new entity. The others were respectively cordycepic acid, succinoadenosine, 4α-oxyrugulosin, rugulosin and skyrin and, among them, succinoadenosine and 4α-oxyrugulosin were found in entomogenous fungi for the first time.

In this study, the compositions of Ophiocordyceps longissima mycelia, synnemata, and fruiting bodies were first analyzed in order to clarify its chemical basis for development as a health food or medicine. We found that the contents of crude protein, polysaccharides, and macroelements were highest in mycelia, whereas effective components, including mannitol, ergosterol, adenosine, inosine, Zn, and Se, were lowest in mycelia. Polysaccharide, mannitol, and ergosterol levels in synnemata (2.33, 4.54, and 0.66 g/100 g, respectively) were similar to those in fruiting bodies, but was significantly different from those of mycelia (4.79, 1.77, and 0.43 g/100 g). Trehalose content in fruiting bodies (2.15 g/100 g) was >4 times higher than that in synnemata (0.5 g/100 g). Adenosine content in fruiting bodies (0.024 g/100 g) was 3-4 times higher than that of synnemata, whereas inosine, cytosine, guanosine, and uridine (0.093, 0.145, 0.053, and 0.073 g/100 g) were highest in synnemata. Cu and Se were lower in mycelia (3.30 × 10⁻⁴ and 3.1 × 10⁻⁵ g/100 g) than in synnemata (1.85 × 10⁻³ and 7.2 × 10⁻⁵ g/100 g) and fruiting bodies (1.67 × 10⁻³ and 4.3 × 10⁻⁵ g/100 g). As, Hg, Cd, and Pb in mycelia were under the limit of edible fungus health standard; Pb was not found, but Cd, Hg, and As were detected in fruiting bodies. These findings suggest that O. longissima could be utilized in different culture methods according to market demand and might be a possible health food or medicinal resource.

Beauvericin was analyzed in three forms of the Lepidoptra pathogenic fungus Isaria tenuipes (4 isolates): (a) natural specimen, (b) cultivated synnemata on rice media, and (c) mycelia from fermentation in liquid media. Beauvericin was detected in very low amounts in all tested natural specimens. Synnemata on rice contained much higher concentrations of beauvericin than the corresponding natural materials, although the concentrations were lower than mycelia from liquid fermentation. The results casted a caution that beauvericin concentration should be carefully checked, as a possible toxic constituent, upon mass production of a selected strain of Isaria tenuipes for health food purposes.

The anti-tumor effects of exo- (EX) and endo-biopolymers (EN) produced from submerged mycelial cultures of Ganoderma applanatum (GA), Collybia confluens (CC), and Pleurotus eryngii (PE) were studied using Sarcoma 180 bearing mice. Solid tumor growth was inhibited most effectively when 40 mg/kg body weight (BW) of GA-EX or PE-EN was administered to the intraperitoneal (i.p.) cavity of BALB/c mice. The spleen and liver indexes were increased in mice following i.p. administration of GA-EX and PE-EN fractions. GA-EX and PE-EN reduced the tumor formation by 30.7% and 29.4%, respectively. GA-EX and PE-EN increased the natural killer (NK) cell activity of splenocytes by 41.3% and 28.9%, respectively.

Paecilomyces tenuipes reportedly have anticancer and immune activities, along with various other medicinal uses. Cultured products with P. tenuipes are certified for use in food in South Korea, and processed goods containing this fungus have been developed in many countries, particularly South Korea, Japan, and China. Research on mass production technology-procured raw materials for the manufacture of P. tenuipes is very important; however, cultures of the fungus have been unstable. This study identified stable cultivation conditions, focusing on growth inhibition and revitalization. Moisture regulation and preservation of pupae inoculated with P. tenuipes were used to control growth inhibition and revitalization. When inoculated silkworm pupae were dehydrated to 4% moisture and preserved freeze-dried or at -70 degrees C, -20 degrees C, or 4 degrees C, the mycelia in their bodies were able to survive for 14 d. Inoculated silkworm pupae were rehydrated for 3 h and the mycelia within their bodies were recovered at 94.3-96.3%. Silkworm pupae at 4% moisture were able to survive for 135 d at temperatures < 4 degrees C and for 1 y after freeze-drying. Optimal conditions for synnemata induction were 25 degrees C and 100-300 1x.

Ultrasonic technology was applied to extract mycelial polysaccharides fromPaecilomyces hepiali and the process was optimized by response surface methodology. Antioxidant activity of polysaccharides was also investigated by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity (%DPPHsc). Three independent variables were ratio of water to raw material (x1), ultrasonic power (x2) and extraction time (x3). Statistical analysis indicated that x1, x2, x12, x32, x1x2, x1x3and x2x3 had significant effect on the yields. Besides, x2, x12 and x22 shaped the %DPPHsc of polysaccharides significantly. Three dimensional surface plots and contour plots were drawn from the mathematical model. The optimal conditions for yield and %DPPHsc were as follows: condition (1) x1 = 125 mL/g, x2 = 300 W, x3 = 12 min, and condition (2) x1 = 125 mL/g and x2 = 500 W, x3 = 11 min, respectively. Under these conditions, the yield was 9.37%, and %DPPHsc was 45.34%. There existed good agreement between experimental and predicted values. Key words: Ultrasonic extraction, polysaccharides, Paecilomyces hepiali, response surface methodology, antioxidant activity.

Background A bioactive compound from Paecilomyces tenuipes (BCPT) has an inhibitory effect on monoamine oxidase A (MAC-A) and monoamine oxidase B (MAC-B) in vitro and in vivo,which indicates BCPT may be a potential antidepressant.In this study we aimed to study the antidepressant effects of BCPT in the chronic unpredictable stress (CUS) model in rats and explore underlying mechanisms in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Methods The antidepressant effects of BCPT were studied in the chronic unpredictable stress model in rats.Animals were housed isolated,except the control group.Rats were exposed daily to different random stressors from day 1 to 21. Awarding response was detected by calculating the 24-hour consumption of sucrose water.Cortisol (CORT) and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ATCH) contents in serum and arginine vasopressin (AVP) contents in the pituitary body were detected by radio immunoassays.Total RNA of hippocampus or hypothalamus was extracted and subjected to reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for the measurement of corticotrophin releasing hormone (CRH) mRNA or mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) mRNA and glucocorticoid receptor (GR) mRNA levels.Statistical analyses were performed using one way analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Student-Newman-Keuls (SNK) test. Results Chronic unpredictable stress resulted in reduction of sensitivity to reward and abnormality in the HPA axis in the animal model.BCPT improved the reward reaction as measured by increasing sucrose consumption,remarkably reduced serum CORT and ACTH levels and the AVP content in the pituitary body in the CUS-treated rats,decreased the expression of CRH mRNA,enhanced the expression of hippocampus MR mRNA,GR mRNA and decreased the ratio of MR/GR. Conclusions BCPT has potentially antidepressant-like activity and normalized the HPA axis hyperactivity in a CUS model of depression in rats.This may be an important mechanism of its antidepressant effect. Chin Med J 2007;120(12):1088-1092