Research Progress of Cordyceps sinensis and Its Fermented Mycelium Products on Ameliorating Renal Fibrosis by Reducing Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition

Abstract

Renal fibrosis is a hallmark and common outcome of various chronic kidney diseases (CKDs) and manifests pathologically as accumulation and deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM) in the kidney. Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) has been shown to be an important mechanism involved in renal fibrosis. Cordyceps sinensis, a traditional Chinese medicine, has long been used for the treatment of renal fibrosis. As research on the mycelium of C. sinensis progressed, a variety of medicines developed from fermented mycelium were used to treat CKD. However, their efficacies and mechanisms have not been fully summarized. In this review, five medicines developed from fermented mycelium of C. sinensis are presented. The pharmacodynamic effects of C. sinensis on different animal models of renal fibrosis are summarized. The in vitro studies and related mechanisms of C. sinensis on renal cells are detailed. Finally, the application and efficacy of these five commercial medicines that meet national standards in different types of CKD are summarized. From this review, it can be concluded that C. sinensis can alleviate various causes of renal fibrosis to some extent, and its mechanism is related to TGF-β1 dependent signaling, inhibition of inflammation, and improvement of renal function. Further research on rigorously designed, large-sample, clinically randomized controlled trial studies and detailed mechanisms should be conducted.

Use of bailing capsules (cordyceps sinensis) in the treatment of chronic kidney disease: a meta-analysis and network pharmacology

“…For the parts that have not yet been studied, we can further verify and explore through in vivo and in vitro experiments. (Zhao-Long et al, 2000;Pan et al, 2013;Du et al, 2015;Song et al, 2016;Takakura et al, 2017;Xiao et al, 2018;Zheng et al, 2018;Wang et al, 2019;Cai et al, 2021;Zhang et al, 2023a;Zhang et al, 2023b).…”

Effect of the Combination of Clostridium butyricum and Mycelium of Phellinus igniarius on Intestinal Microbiota and Serum Metabolites in DSS-Induced Colitis

“…Mycelium has good flavor, high-quality protein, and essential micronutrients that bring benefits to public health [ 15 ]. The mycelium of Cordyceps sinensis , obtained by fermentation, has been widely used in developing various drugs, mainly for treating chronic kidney disease [ 16 ]. Lu et al found through animal experiments that the mycelia of Antrodia camphorata and Armillariella tabescens have protective effects on the liver [ 17 ].…”