Cordyceps sinensis mycelium protects mice from group A streptococcal infection.
Group A streptococcus (GAS) infection can cause severe invasive diseases, including necrotizing fasciitis and streptococcal toxic shock syndrome. Cordyceps sinensis, a Chinese herbal medicine, is an immunomodulator. In this study the air-pouch bacterial inoculation model was used to investigate the protective efficacy of C. sinensis mycelium extract against GAS infection. Force-feeding mice with C. sinensis mycelium extract for 3 consecutive days before GAS infection increased the survival rate and reduced local skin-tissue injury compared with mice fed PBS. Bacterial numbers in the air pouch exudates from C. sinensis-treated mice were lower than those from PBS-treated mice. Blood and organs in PBS-treated mice showed bacterial dissemination, but those in C. sinensis-treated mice did not. Three days of pretreatment with C. sinensis extract followed by C. sinensis treatment every other day after GAS infection resulted in 100% survival. The post-GAS-infection levels of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase and blood urea nitrogen in the sera of C. sinensis-treated mice were lower than those of PBS-treated mice. Taken together, these results show that C. sinensis mycelium extract protects by decreasing bacterial growth and dissemination, thereby increasing mouse survival rate. IL-12 and IFN-gamma expression and macrophage phagocytic activity also increased after C. sinensis treatment.
Kuo
Chih-Feng
CF
Department of Nursing, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan 2,3,4Departments of 2Microbiology and Immunology, 3Medicine and 4Biochemistry, National Cheng Kung University Medical College, Tainan, Taiwan 5Simpson Biotech Company Ltd, Taipei, Taiwan.
Chen
Cheng-Chih
CC
Department of Nursing, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan 2,3,4Departments of 2Microbiology and Immunology, 3Medicine and 4Biochemistry, National Cheng Kung University Medical College, Tainan, Taiwan 5Simpson Biotech Company Ltd, Taipei, Taiwan.
Luo
Yueh-Hsia
YH
Department of Nursing, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan 2,3,4Departments of 2Microbiology and Immunology, 3Medicine and 4Biochemistry, National Cheng Kung University Medical College, Tainan, Taiwan 5Simpson Biotech Company Ltd, Taipei, Taiwan.
Huang
Robert Y
RY
Department of Nursing, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan 2,3,4Departments of 2Microbiology and Immunology, 3Medicine and 4Biochemistry, National Cheng Kung University Medical College, Tainan, Taiwan 5Simpson Biotech Company Ltd, Taipei, Taiwan.
Chuang
Woei-Jer
WJ
Department of Nursing, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan 2,3,4Departments of 2Microbiology and Immunology, 3Medicine and 4Biochemistry, National Cheng Kung University Medical College, Tainan, Taiwan 5Simpson Biotech Company Ltd, Taipei, Taiwan.
Sheu
Chia-Chin
CC
Department of Nursing, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan 2,3,4Departments of 2Microbiology and Immunology, 3Medicine and 4Biochemistry, National Cheng Kung University Medical College, Tainan, Taiwan 5Simpson Biotech Company Ltd, Taipei, Taiwan.
Lin
Yee-Shin
YS
Department of Nursing, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan 2,3,4Departments of 2Microbiology and Immunology, 3Medicine and 4Biochemistry, National Cheng Kung University Medical College, Tainan, Taiwan 5Simpson Biotech Company Ltd, Taipei, Taiwan.
D000818:Animals; D032661:Cordyceps / Q000737:chemistry*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D051379:Mice; D025282:Mycelium / Q000737:chemistry*; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013297:Streptococcus pyogenes / Q000187:drug effects
D016207:Cytokines