cordycepin (OVI-123) / OncoVista - LARVOL DELTA

Edible Fungi and Skin Redox Homeostasis: Bioactive Diversity, Processing, Oral Exposure, and Evidence Gaps. (PubMed, Antioxidants (Basel)) - "This review evaluates ergothioneine, polysaccharides and β-glucans, cordycepin, phenolics, and Ganoderma triterpenoids as processing-sensitive dietary bioactives with redox relevance rather than topical cosmetic ingredients...Compared with better-established oral ingredients, edible fungi offer distinctive food technology advantages but a narrower human evidence base. Priorities include processing-aware quality and safety markers, contaminant control, standardized digestion models, dose-realistic exposure estimates, and biomarker-anchored randomized human trials."

Journal • Review

Cordycepin Alleviates Acute Lung Injury by Targeting TAK1 to Inhibit MAPK and NF-κB Signaling Pathways. (PubMed, Biomolecules) - "The results showed that COR can effectively suppress the progression of pulmonary tissue injury; similarly, the expression levels of key proteins and inflammatory factors in the TAK1-MAPK and NF-κB signaling pathways were downregulated. In summary, COR exerts a therapeutic effect on ALI by directly targeting TAK1 to inhibit the activation of the MAPK and NF-κB signaling pathways and concurrently suppressing key inflammatory cytokines."

Journal • Acute Lung Injury • Inflammation • Respiratory Diseases • IL1B • IL6 • MAP3K7 • MAPK14 • MAPK8 • RELA • TGFB1 • TNFA

Integrated Transcriptomic and Metabolomic Analyses Reveal Acyl-CoA Dehydrogenase-Mediated Primordium Formation and Metabolite Synthesis in Cordyceps militaris. (PubMed, J Fungi (Basel)) - "Particularly, adenosine analogs serve as key precursors of the core bioactive nucleoside cordycepin. Key DEGs, including peroxisomal (S)-2-hydroxyacid oxidase, isocitrate lyase 2 and L-ascorbate peroxidase 5, were linked to these metabolic shifts. Our findings demonstrate that ACAD serves as an essential regulator that interconnects carbon metabolism, redox homeostasis, lipid, amino acid and purine metabolism to promote PR formation and secondary metabolite synthesis in C. militaris."

Journal • CCL8

Transposon engineering of Saccharomyces cerevisiae for allantoin-inducible cordycepin production. (PubMed, Eng Life Sci) - "Among them, one engineered strain produced up to 135 mg/L cordycepin, which is significantly higher than that achieved by the episomal plasmid-based strain. This work demonstrated a transposon-based workflow for combinatorial pathway optimization, which will be of particular interest for future microbial cell factory design."

Journal

Microbial transformation and cordycepin co-administration enhanced incretin-related and prebiotic potentials of galactomannans from two herbs. (PubMed, Int J Biol Macromol) - "Chemical and spectroscopic identification of the four active fractions (TF-5, TF_BO, CM-1a02 and CF-1b03) resulted in the elucidation of their possible repeat units or partial fragments. These findings reveal the structure-function relationships between the results of the three incretin-based in vitro screenings and the interaction between a key gut microbe and the tested fractions."

Journal • Diabetes

Research progress in synthesis of cordycepin by microorganisms (PubMed, Sheng Wu Gong Cheng Xue Bao) - "Finally, it provides perspectives on the future development of more efficient, eco-friendly, and intelligent cordycepin biomanufacturing technologies by leveraging enzyme engineering and synthetic biology. And this study offers theoretical support and technical references for constructing high-cordycepin-producing strains, which is critical to facilitate the industrialization of cordycepin."

Journal • Review

Transcriptome analysis reveals the promoting mechanism of corn steep liquor protein hydrolysate on cordycepin biosynthesis of Cordyceps militaris. (PubMed, Bioprocess Biosyst Eng) - "Additionally, a cooperative mechanism by which CSLPH regulates cordycepin biosynthesis was elucidated for the first time in the current study. These results suggest that enzymatically hydrolyzed corn steep liquor is a more suitable alternative nitrogen source than corn steep liquor for efficient cordycepin production at low cost."

Journal • Oncology

Overcoming cordycepin limitations with SLNs-based nanoformulation: formulation development and cytotoxicity evaluation against human breast cancer cells. (PubMed, Med Oncol) - "Improved cellular uptake and greater drug accumulation inside cells led to improved apoptotic activity and thus, more clonogenic activity. These findings suggest that SLNs-based nanoencapsulation is a promising approach for enhancing the therapeutic efficacy and safety of COR for breast cancer therapy."

Journal • Breast Cancer • Oncology • Solid Tumor

Exploring the potential targets and molecular mechanisms of cordycepin against gastric cancer based on bioinformatics analysis and network pharmacology. (PubMed, J Clin Biochem Nutr) - "Functionally, cordycepin suppressed cell proliferation and induced apoptosis by the inhibition of the PI3K/AKT pathway, and these effects were reversed by overexpression of FN1. In conclusion, cordycepin inhibited GC cell growth partially through the downregulation of FN1 and inactivation of the PI3K/AKT pathway, suggesting that FN1 was a novel potential target for cordycepin in the treatment of GC."

Journal • Gastric Cancer • Oncology • Solid Tumor • FN1 • NECTIN1

Fermentation Technology of Ganoderma lucidum and Cordyceps militaris: Advances in Process Optimization, Bioactive Compound Transformation, and Functional Food Development. (PubMed, Lett Appl Microbiol) - "Ganoderma lucidum and Cordyceps militaris are the two most widely recognised medicinal mushrooms in China, each possessing a well-characterised repertoire of bioactive compounds including polysaccharides, triterpenoids, and cordycepin...The translation of fermentation outputs into functional food formats is surveyed, and the persistent gap between in vitro bioactivity data and clinical validation is highlighted. Future progress will require multi-omics-guided strain engineering, artificial-intelligence-driven process control, and rigorous human intervention trials to substantiate functional efficacy claims."

Journal

Gut microbiome-targeted bile acid metabolomics integration reveals dietary cordycepin alleviates NAFLD in diabetic mice by enriching Clostridia and affecting the PXR/Sult2a1/CA7S. (PubMed, J Nutr Biochem) - "And CA7S activated TGR5 to stimulate glucagon‑like peptide‑1 (GLP‑1) secretion, thereby improving glucose and lipid homeostasis. Therefore, these findings demonstrate that dietary cordycepin improves T2DM combined with NAFLD by modulating gut microbiota, particularly Clostridia, and affecting the PXR/Sult2a1/CA7S/GLP‑1 pathway, thereby exerting beneficial effects on glucose and lipid homeostasis."

Journal • Preclinical • Diabetes • Dyslipidemia • Hepatology • Inflammation • Liver Failure • Metabolic Disorders • Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease • Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Metabolic effects of Cordyceps militaris ethanol extract and cordycepin in mice with type 2 diabetes and hyperlipidaemia: gut microbial and bile acid-related changes. (PubMed, Food Funct) - "Responses to 100 mg kg-1 cordycepin were less consistent, indicating no simple dose-dependent relationship under the present conditions. Overall, EAE and cordycepin were associated with improved metabolic status and coordinated changes in the gut microbial composition, serum metabolism, and bile acid-related molecular readouts."

Journal • Preclinical • Diabetes • Dyslipidemia • Metabolic Disorders • Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus • PPARA

Glycolytic Reprogramming in Parkinson's Disease: From Bioenergetic Crosstalk to Therapeutic Modulation. (PubMed, Med Res Rev) - "By bridging these mechanistic insights with cross-disease metabolic links to type 2 diabetes and oncology, we evaluate the therapeutic potential of emerging metabolic modulators, including terazosin, cordycepin, and GLP-1 receptor agonists. Finally, we outline the pressing translational bottlenecks, particularly blood-brain barrier penetrance and cell-specific targeting, which must be overcome to successfully harness glycolytic modulation as a disease-modifying strategy for neurodegenerative disorders."

Journal • Review • CNS Disorders • Diabetes • Inflammation • Metabolic Disorders • Movement Disorders • Oncology • Parkinson's Disease • Proteinopathy • Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus • PTEN

Cordycepin ameliorates ischemia/reperfusion-induced acute kidney injury via inhibiting apoptosis and necroptosis. (PubMed, Iran J Basic Med Sci) - "COR alleviated AKI by ameliorating renal morphology injury and pathological injury in vivo, manifested as a decrease in Scr and BUN levels, a significant reduction in the mRNA expression levels of KIM-1 and NGAL, and a decrease in p-MLKL at the immunohistochemical level. COR may ameliorate I/R-induced AKI by inhibiting apoptosis and RIPK1/RIPK3/p-MLKL-mediated necroptosis."

IO biomarker • Journal • Acute Kidney Injury • Cardiovascular • Nephrology • Renal Disease • Reperfusion Injury • BAX • BCL2 • CASP3 • KIM1 • RIPK1

Antitumor properties of fungal-derived compounds: potential applications in skin cancer therapy. (PubMed, Mol Biol Rep) - "This review summarizes current evidence on representative fungal compounds - including cordycepin, ganoderic acid D, and immunomodulatory polysaccharides such as lentinan - with particular focus on their activity against skin cancer cells in vitro, in vivo, and in early clinical trials. We further discuss key translational challenges, including production, bioavailability, and toxicity, and highlight the potential of fungal metabolites in combination with chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and immunotherapy. Collectively, the available data indicate that fungal-derived compounds represent promising, though still largely preclinical, candidates for the treatment of skin cancer, warranting further mechanistic and clinical investigation."

Journal • Review • Basal Cell Carcinoma • Genetic Disorders • Melanoma • Non-melanoma Skin Cancer • Oncology • Skin Cancer • Solid Tumor • Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Multi-Target Neuroprotective Effects of Cordycepin and Adenosine from Cordyceps militaris Against Amyloid-β-Induced Neurotoxicity. (PubMed, Biomedicines) - " SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells were pretreated with cordycepin (COR), adenosine (ADE), or donepezil (DNPZ) prior to Aβ42 exposure, and cell viability was assessed using the MTT assay. COR and ADE exert neuroprotective effects through coordinated modulation of multiple AD-related signaling pathways rather than a single molecular target. These findings provide mechanistic insights into the neuroprotective activities of C. militaris-derived nucleosides and support further investigation of their potential as multi-target therapeutic candidates for AD and other neurodegenerative disorders."

Journal • Alzheimer's Disease • CNS Disorders • Neuroblastoma • Oncology • Solid Tumor • Aβ42

Cordyceps sinensis and Sonodynamic Therapy in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Pharmacological Basis, Therapeutic Potential, and Future Directions. (PubMed, Int J Nanomedicine) - "Extracts of Cordyceps sinensis (CORS), a medicinal fungus, contain cordycepin, cordyceps polysaccharides (CSP), and various sterols that suppress NSCLC cell proliferation and induce apoptosis in preclinical models...Compared with immune checkpoint inhibitors, which require PD-L1 positivity and carry a risk of serious immune-related adverse events, our platform operates through multi-targeted mechanisms independent of a single biomarker. Sonodynamic ROS may also induce immunogenic cell death, suggesting potential synergy with immunotherapy.In our view, this nano-enabled approach to traditional Chinese medicine represents one way to bring the pharmacology of CORS into the era of evidence-based oncology."

IO biomarker • Journal • Review • Lung Cancer • Non Small Cell Lung Cancer • Oncology • Solid Tumor

Deciphering the Potential Mechanism of Cordycepin in Alleviating Ulcerative Colitis via the AKT1 Signaling Pathway: An Integrated Approach Combining Network Pharmacology, Molecular Docking, and Experimental Validation. (PubMed, J Inflamm Res) - "In Caco-2 cells, AKT inhibition with MK2206 attenuated the protective effects on tight junction integrity and mitochondrial function against LPS-induced injury. These findings suggest that prophylactic administration of cordycepin, a promising natural compound, alleviates experimental colitis, potentially through modulation of the PI3K/AKT1 signaling pathway and restoration of epithelial barrier integrity."

Journal • Gastroenterology • Gastrointestinal Disorder • Immunology • Inflammation • Inflammatory Bowel Disease • Ulcerative Colitis • AKT1 • RELA • TJP1 • TP53

Cordycepin Combined with Photodynamic Therapy Induces Pyroptosis in Breast Cancer Cells via the ROS/NLRP3/Caspase-1/GSDMD Signaling Pathway. (PubMed, Photodiagnosis Photodyn Ther) - "Cor synergistically enhances the anti-proliferative effect of PDT on breast cancer cells. This combinatorial treatment induces GSDMD-dependent pyroptosis via caspase-1 activation. Our findings offer new experimental evidence and research insights for the potential use of active components from traditional Chinese medicine in tumor therapy."

Journal • Breast Cancer • Oncology • Solid Tumor • NLRP3

Cordycepin inhibits the progression of liver cancer by suppressing the YAP/TAZ pathway. (PubMed, Exp Anim) - "These results suggest that YAP plays a crucial role in cordycepin-mediated suppression of HepG2 cell proliferation. In conclusion, our study indicates that cordycepin exerts its anti-tumorigenic effects by modulating cellular proliferation through the downregulation of the YAP/TAZ pathway."

Journal • Liver Cancer • Oncology • Solid Tumor • CASP3 • CDKN1A • MMP2 • MMP9 • TAFAZZIN • TP53

Cordycepin protects against simulated microgravity-induced osteogenic impairment involving ferroptosis-related signaling. (PubMed, Biochem Pharmacol) - "In a tail-suspension mouse model, cordycepin administration mitigated bone loss, reduced oxidative stress, and increased circulating GPX4 and glutathione levels. Collectively, these findings indicate that cordycepin alleviates SMG-induced BMSC dysfunction and bone loss in association with ferroptosis-related stress signaling."

Journal • Metabolic Disorders • Osteoporosis • ADORA2A • GPX4 • THBS1

Elucidating the potential and mechanistic roles of the Cordycepin molecule in overcoming TMZ-resistance in Glioblastoma multiforme via experimental and computational studies (EANO 2026) - "Abstract is embargoed at this time."

Brain Cancer • Glioblastoma • Oncology • Solid Tumor

Cordyceps militaris granules reduce EMT/ECM marker expression and alleviate pulmonary fibrosis. (PubMed, J Ethnopharmacol) - "In vitro and in vivo studies indicated that CC and CCE alleviated pulmonary fibrosis, which associated with reduced EMT/ECM marker expression, in particular inhibiting overproduction of ECM components (fibronectin, collagen I, and collagen III). C. militaris granules represent a potential anti-fibrotic candidate that merits further preclinical investigation."

Journal • Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis • Immunology • Interstitial Lung Disease • Lung Adenocarcinoma • Lung Cancer • Non Small Cell Lung Cancer • Oncology • Pulmonary Disease • Respiratory Diseases • Solid Tumor • CDH1 • CDH2 • FN1 • TGFB1 • VIM

Cordycepin Alleviates Non Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Progression by Stabilizing GCH1 to Inhibit Ferroptosis. (PubMed, Phytother Res) - "COR elevates GCH1 levels to inhibit ferroptosis. COR is a small molecule with potential for treating NAFLD."

Journal • Addiction (Opioid and Alcohol) • Hepatology • Metabolic Disorders • Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease • Targeted Protein Degradation • GCH1 • GPX4

A C-Nucleoside Analogue of Cordycepin With High Metabolic Stability and Potent Anti-Psoriatic Activity via Microneedle Delivery. (PubMed, Adv Sci (Weinh)) - "Moreover, CPD3a-MN was well‑tolerated, with good biocompatibility. Collectively, CPD3a represents a superior therapeutic alternative to cordycepin for topical psoriasis treatment."

Journal • Dermatology • Immunology • Inflammation • Psoriasis • AMPK • IL17A