Researchers at the University of Nottingham have discovered that cordycepin, a chemical produced by a fungus growing on caterpillars, can slow cancer cell growth. The study, published in FEBS Letters, found that cordycepin disrupts cell growth signals often overactive in cancer cells. This discovery could lead to the development of new cancer treatments with fewer side effects.
New research on a chemical produced by a fungus growing on caterpillars has found that it slows the cancer cell growth.
Scientists at the University of Nottingham’s School of Pharmacy, studied how a parasitic fungus that grows on caterpillars could work as a potential treatment for a range of diseases. They studied the
cordycepin
, a chemical produced by this parasitic fungus, and found that it interacts with the genes to interrupt cell growth signals. This caterpillar fungi has been consumed as a delicacy and health food in Asia, and also used in traditional medicine.
The research published in the journal FEBS Letters, titled ‘Cordycepin generally inhibits growth factor signal transduction in a systems pharmacology study.’ According to the study, the chemical cordycepin, produced by Cordyceps militaris, a pretty orange fungus that infects the caterpillars, shows potential as a cancer medicine. This chemical interrupts the cell growth signals that are overactive in cancer, and this approach that could be less damaging to healthy tissues than most currently available treatments.
Dr. Cornelia de Moor from the School of Pharmacy, who has led the research explained that her team has been studying the potential effects of cordycepin on various diseases over the years. She noted that advancements in technology have made it easier and more cost-effective to conduct large-scale experiments, allowing them to analyze thousands of genes simultaneously. She stated that the research indicates that cordycepin could serve as a promising starting point for developing new cancer treatments. Dr. Cornelia de Moor further added that the derivatives of cordycepin could aim to produce the triphosphate form of the drug to have the same effect.
(Pic courtesy: iStock)
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