Enhanced Macrophage Phagocytosis by the Polysaccharides from Fruiting Body of Cordyceps militaris

Cordyceps species, including C. sinensis, C. militaris, C. pruinosa and C. ophioglossoides, are prized traditional medicinal materials. Cordyceps militaris has been widely used due to its folkloric activities, which are not based on scientific studies. Cordycepin (3'-deoxyadenosine), metabolite of Cordyceps militaris, has been showed to inhibit the growth of various tumor cells.Furthermore, it revealed potent growth inhibiting activity toward some human intestinal bacteria such as Clostridium paraputrificum and Clostridium perfringens without adverse effects on the growth of bifidobacteria and lactobacilli, suggesting that cordycepin could be useful as a new preventive agent against various diseases cause by clostridia. However, only a few findingshave been reported on the pharmacological actions of polysaccharides from Cordyceps militaris. This study aimed to elucidate immuno-stimulating activity of polysaccharides from Cordyceps militaris.