Can Cordyceps mushrooms benefit sufferers of arthritis?
There are a lot of studies ongoing about the role of cordycepin in alleviating arthritis - one noted below right, and also the one conducted at Nottingham University, found via the below hyperlink.
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/324761.
“The natural compound cordycepin is derived from a caterpillar fungus which is famous in the Far East for its medicinal properties,” explains the study’s lead author, associate professor Cornelia de Moor, Ph.D.
In the new research — the resultsTrusted Source of which appear in the journal Scientific Reports — de Moor and colleagues studied the effects of cordycepin in mouse and rat models of osteoarthritis and found that it can both reduce pain and stop the condition from progressing.
“Intriguingly,” the researcher adds, “[the compound] does this by a different mechanism than any other known anti-inflammatory painkiller,” which, she contends, “means that medicines derived from cordycepin may help patients for whom other treatments have failed.”
In osteoarthritis, the synovial membrane — which lines certain joints, including knee joints — becomes inflamed, which causes pain and discomfort.
Moreover, synovial inflammation happens as a result of the loss of cartilage surrounding the bones that come together in the joint, meaning that those bones become more exposed to damage.
In the current study, the research team found that, in osteoarthritis, individuals see increased expression of a protein called polyadenylation factor CPSF4, which is linked with synovial inflammation.
Essentially, CPSF4, in conjunction with other proteins, calls for the activation of macrophages, a type of immune cell that contributes to inflammation.
When the scientists administered cordycepin, orally, to the rodents with osteoarthritis, they saw that the compound blocked the mechanism set into motion by excess CPSF4 levels, and thus it suppressed inflammation.
Moreover, cordycepin also appeared to reduce pain and prevent further damage related to the progression of osteoarthritis.
Stephen Simpson, Ph.D., a researcher who specializes in immunology and inflammation and who works for Versus Arthritis, a UK-based registered charity that funded the current study, notes that the current findings may just be the game-changer that people with osteoarthritis need.
“Persistent pain is life-changing for people with arthritis. This is not good enough, and so we are delighted to support this research that has led to these fascinating findings,” says Simpson.
“Although in its early stages, the study has great potential for helping people suffering [the] pain of musculoskeletal conditions, and [it] demonstrates the high value and impact of novel discovery-led research on understanding and treating diseases,” he adds.
The study’s authors concur, expressing hope that the compound they are studying may eventually provide better treatments with fewer side effects.
“We hope that cordycepin will prove to be the founder of a new class of painkiller: the polyadenylation inhibitors. There is a long way to go before a cordycepin-derived medicine reaches patients, but our work is very promising — we are very excited about the prospects.” - Cornelia de Moor, Ph.D.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7356751/
Cordyceps effects on Arthritis
Arthritis, an autoimmune disease affecting bone joints, is mainly characterized by joint stiffness as well as joint pain, among other symptoms such as swelling, warmth, redness, and reduction in joint motility.
There is no known specific effective treatment for arthritis, although many drugs such as glucocorticosteroids, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and other biological agents are used to improve the symptoms, such as pain, fatigue, and disability. Long-term usage of these drugs decreases their effectiveness and increases side effects.
Recently, studies were conducted looking for effective anti-arthritic drugs with increased therapeutic effects and fewer side effects. Traditional herbal medicine, which is shown to be more effective, safer, and economical, has attracted more attention in the area of arthritis treatment. Moreover, cordycepin has been found to modulate glycosaminoglycan (GAG) release by suppressing stimulation of IL-1β. In addition, levels of proteases that have been reported in cartilage matrix degradation, such as MMP-13, cathepsin K, MMP-1, cathepsin S, ADAMTS-5 and ADAMTS-4, were decreased by cordycepin in a dose-dependent manner.
Chondroprotective effect of cordycepin by preventing cartilage denegation as well as interfering inflammatory response in osteoarthritis pathogenesis has also been reported [106]. Cordycepin has been reported to reduce excessive inflammatory cell infiltration via down-regulation of macrophages, interferon gamma-induced protein 10 (IP-10) and Mig expressions through terminating protein coding gene (STAT1) phosphorylation [107].
There are some reports suggesting that inflammation of T-cell infiltration could be inhibited by using a cordycepin concentration of 10 mg/kg. According to that report, cordycepin can regulate the T-cell receptor, a protein complex found on the surface of T-cells, that signals to suppress excessive T-cell activation in inflammation [108].
Therefore, based upon these reports, it can be concluded that cordycepin has therapeutic potential in both anti-catabolic and anti-inflammatory actions against arthritic diseases [107,108].
