Immunostimulatory effects of cordycepin-enriched WIB-801CE from Cordyceps militaris in splenocytes and cyclophosphamide-induced immunosuppressed mice.

From the paper

Abstract

The medicinal mushroom Cordyceps militaris has been reported to possess anticancer and immunomodulatory effects. We investigated the immunostimulatory effects of culture supernatant of C. militaris (WIB-801CE) by examining its in vitro enhancing effects on cell proliferation and cytokine releases in splenocytes and its in vivo effects on cyclophosphamide-induced immunosuppressed mice. WIB-801CE enhanced normal and methotrexate-induced cell proliferation. WIB-801CE significantly ameliorated interleukin (IL)-2, interferon-γ, and tumor necrosis factor-α secretion in methotrexate-induced splenocytes. Oral administration of WIB-801CE effectively increased the cyclophosphamide-suppressed splenocyte proliferation and natural killer cytotoxic activity. WIB-801CE effectively recovered cyclophosphamide-induced decreases in IL-2, interferon-γ, tumor necrosis factor-α, and IL-10 level. The collective data implicate WIB-801CE as a therapeutic candidate in ameliorating the immunosuppression through immunostimulatory properties.