Cordyceps Cicadae (Jin Chan Hua)

Also known as "Insect Flower" or "Big Insect Grass," Cordyceps cicadae is a complex formed by the fungus Cordyceps cicadae (belonging to the family Clavicipitaceae) parasitizing the nymphs of cicadas (such as Cicada flammata). It consists of both the sclerotium and the sporophore. Similar to Cordyceps sinensis (Caterpillar Fungus), it is a product of the "insect-fungus combination" and is sometimes referred to as "Southern Cordyceps" in some regions.

---

Efficacy and Functions of Cordyceps Cicadae

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Cordyceps cicadae is characterized by its cold nature and sweet taste. It primarily targets the Liver and Lung meridians. Its core functions revolve around "clearing heat, calming wind, and improving vision."

1. Calming Wind and Relieving Convulsions

· Meaning: Pacifying liver wind and stopping spasms and convulsions.

· Application: This is its most important function. It is used to treat convulsions, spasms, opisthotonos (arching of the back), and other symptoms caused by internal stirring of liver wind, such as infantile convulsions, night crying, epilepsy, and tetanus. It is particularly effective for febrile seizures.

2. Dispersing Wind-Heat and Clearing Eye Obstructions

· Meaning: Dispersing external wind-heat and clearing visual obstructions.

· Application: Used to treat eye conditions such as redness, swelling, pain, photophobia, tearing, corneal opacities, and blurred vision caused by wind-heat common cold or liver fire flare-up. It is often combined with chrysanthemum and cassia seeds.

3. Relieving Spasms and Pain

· Meaning: Alleviating muscle spasms and pain.

· Application: Modern research and clinical practice often use it to treat headaches, toothaches, joint pain, and especially neuropathic pain.

4. Other Potential Functions (Modern Research and Folk Uses)

· Calming the Mind: Used to improve insomnia and restlessness.

· Adjuvant Antitumor Effects: Some modern pharmacological studies suggest its extracts have the potential to inhibit tumor cell growth, often used as an auxiliary therapy.

· Immune Regulation: Similar to Cordyceps, it has bidirectional immune-modulating effects.

· Lowering Blood Pressure: It may assist in reducing blood pressure in cases of liver-yang hyperactivity hypertension.

· Anti-Fatigue and Kidney Protection: Folk uses include nourishing the kidneys, improving soreness and weakness in the lower back and knees, and reducing fatigue.

---

Key Points of TCM Differentiation (How to Use and Identify)

The most critical aspect of using Cordyceps cicadae is pattern differentiation-based treatment. Incorrect use may not only be ineffective but could also cause adverse effects.

1. Core Differentiation: Suitable for "Heat Patterns" and "Wind Patterns"

· Heat Nature: Patients typically exhibit "heat signs," such as fever, red face and eyes, dry mouth, sore throat, dark urine, red tongue with yellow coating, etc. Due to its cold nature, Cordyceps cicadae is particularly suitable for convulsions and eye diseases caused by heat pathogens.

· Wind Mechanism: Mainly "internal stirring of liver wind" or "external wind-heat." Symptoms include convulsions, tremors, dizziness, and headaches.

2. Applicable Populations and Patterns

· Liver-Heat Generating Wind Pattern: High fever with limb convulsions, delirium (common in pediatric acute convulsions, Japanese encephalitis, etc.).

· Liver-Fire Flare-Up Pattern/Wind-Heat Attacking Upper Body Pattern: Red, swollen, painful eyes with excessive discharge, photophobia, tearing, headache, bitter taste in the mouth.

· Liver-Yang Hyperactivity Pattern: Dizziness, headache, tinnitus, irritability, often accompanied by hypertension.

3. Contraindications and Unsuitable Populations (Opposite of the Above)

· Use with Caution in Spleen-Stomach Deficiency Cold: Its cold nature may damage spleen and stomach yang. Symptoms include poor appetite, cold abdominal pain, loose stools, and aversion to cold. It should not be used alone in such cases.

· Avoid in Yang Deficiency with External Cold: Symptoms include lethargy, cold limbs, sore and cold lower back and knees, frequent nighttime urination. Absolute contraindication, as it may exacerbate cold signs.

· Use with Caution in Absence of Wind or Heat: If there are no signs of heat or wind patterns and the patient simply has general deficiency, it should not be used as a general tonic.

· Pregnant Women and Infants: Should be used with extreme caution under medical guidance.

4. Identification Points

· Difference from Cicada Molting (Chan Tui): Cicada molting is the exuviae of cicada nymphs after metamorphosis. While it shares similar functions (dispersing wind-heat, soothing the throat, promoting rash eruption, improving vision, calming wind, and relieving convulsions), cicada molting is more effective at dispersing external pathogens (treating colds, hoarseness, measles不透). In contrast, Cordyceps cicadae, due to its fungal mycelium, has stronger effects on clearing liver wind, relieving spasms, and pain, and is considered to have certain tonifying properties.

· Difference from Cordyceps Sinensis (Dong Chong Xia Cao): Cordyceps sinensis has a neutral nature and focuses on tonifying the lungs and kidneys, with an emphasis on "tonifying deficiency." It is a mild tonic for balancing yin and yang. Cordyceps cicadae, with its cold nature, focuses on "clearing heat and calming wind." Despite being called "Southern Cordyceps," its clearing and purging effects far outweigh its tonifying properties, and the two should not be confused or substituted for each other.

---

Summary and Recommendations

Cordyceps cicadae is a unique and potent Chinese herb, particularly skilled at treating internal stirring of liver wind and wind-heat eye diseases.

· Core Memory: Cold nature, enters the Liver meridian, excels at treating convulsions caused by extreme heat and eye diseases due to liver fire.

· Key to Usage: Must be used with accurate pattern differentiation. Use only when heat and wind are present; avoid if there is no heat or wind or if the constitution is cold and deficient.

· Final Advice: Although it is commonly used in folk practices for soups and health maintenance, due to its cold nature and the complexity of pattern differentiation, it is strongly recommended to use it under the guidance of a TCM practitioner or pharmacist.

---

🔬 Main Active Components of Cordyceps Cicadae with Antitumor Effects

The components believed to be associated with antitumor effects in Cordyceps cicadae include:

Component Potential Main Antitumor Mechanisms

Cordyceps Polysaccharides Immune regulation, inducing tumor cell apoptosis, inhibiting tumor cell proliferation

Cordycepin Interfering with tumor cell DNA/RNA synthesis

Ergosterol Activating Caspase-3/9 pathways to induce apoptosis

Myriocin Immunosuppressive activity (may regulate specific immune pathways)

⚙️ Mechanisms of Antitumor Action

Research on the antitumor effects of Cordyceps cicadae involves multiple mechanisms:

· Immune Regulation and Enhancement: Cordyceps polysaccharides can activate immune cells such as macrophages and T lymphocytes, enhancing the body's own anticancer ability. Studies show that Cordyceps cicadae polysaccharides can counteract the immunosuppressive effects of cyclophosphamide, increase the spleen index in tumor-bearing mice, and enhance the antitumor effects when combined with low-dose cyclophosphamide.

· Direct Inhibition of Tumor Cell Proliferation and Induction of Apoptosis:

· Cordyceps polysaccharides (e.g., JCHP) can induce cancer cell apoptosis, for example, by increasing reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in HeLa cells, regulating BAX (pro-apoptotic) and BCL2 (anti-apoptotic) gene and protein expression, and mediating apoptosis via the P53 signaling pathway.

· Crude extracts and polysaccharides of Cordyceps cicadae can inhibit tumor cell proliferation, such as in lung cancer cell line PAA, human gastric cancer cells SGC-7901, and human cervical cancer cells HeLa.

· Active components (e.g., cordycepin) can interfere with tumor cell DNA/RNA synthesis.

· Cell Cycle Arrest: Cordyceps polysaccharides can arrest the cell cycle of tumor cells. For example, JCHP can cause G1 phase arrest in SGC-7901 cells and S phase arrest in HeLa cells. Crude extracts can selectively kill G2/M phase cells and significantly inhibit the growth of lung cancer cell line PAA.

· Antioxidant Effects: Cordyceps polysaccharides have free radical-scavenging abilities, which may indirectly help reduce oxidative stress damage to cells and create an unfavorable microenvironment for tumor development.

· Alleviating Chemotherapy Side Effects: Some studies suggest that Cordyceps cicadae may mitigate side effects of radiotherapy and chemotherapy, such as leukopenia, hair loss, loss of appetite, and vomiting, improving cachexia and quality of life.

🔍 Preclinical Research Evidence

Current research primarily comes from in vitro cell experiments and animal models:

· In Vitro Cell Experiments: Cordyceps cicadae extracts (especially polysaccharides) show inhibitory effects on various cancer cell lines, such as human cervical cancer HeLa cells, human gastric cancer SGC-7901 cells, and leukemia cell lines U937 and K562.

· Animal Models: Some studies report that Cordyceps cicadae polysaccharides can increase white blood cell counts in tumor-bearing mice, alleviate cyclophosphamide-induced leukopenia, improve the spleen index, and significantly enhance the antitumor effects when combined with low-dose cyclophosphamide.

💊 Clinical Application and Precautions

Although laboratory research shows promising prospects, the antitumor effects of Cordyceps cicadae are still in the research stage and far from mature clinical application.

Do not self-administer Cordyceps cicadae as a primary or alternative treatment for tumors. Cancer treatment should follow evidence-based modern medical protocols (e.g., surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy).

If considering Cordyceps cicadae as an adjuvant therapy, note the following:

1. Consult a Professional Doctor: Before using any Chinese medicine or health product, consult your primary doctor or an experienced TCM practitioner. They can assess your specific situation, determine suitability, and avoid interactions with ongoing treatments (e.g., chemotherapy drugs, immunosuppressants).

2. Contraindicated Populations: Pregnant women, nursing mothers, infants, and children should avoid use. People with rheumatoid diseases, persistent fever during colds, internal bleeding, or cerebral hemorrhage should also use with caution or avoid it entirely.

3. Beware of "Cordyceps-Lookalike" Poisoning: Foraging in the wild may lead to mistakenly consuming toxic lookalikes (e.g., fungi parasitizing wasps or other insects), which can cause poisoning symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting, fainting, and nerve paralysis. Purchase from reputable sources to ensure the product is reliable and properly processed.

4. Adverse Reaction Monitoring: If rashes, diarrhea, or other discomfort occur during use, stop immediately and seek medical attention.

🔮 Future Research Directions

Future research on Cordyceps cicadae for antitumor purposes may include:

· In-Depth Mechanism Exploration: More precise analysis of the antitumor mechanisms and synergistic effects of various active components in Cordyceps cicadae.

· High-Quality Clinical Research: Conducting rigorously designed human clinical trials to verify its efficacy and safety in humans.

· Process Optimization and Standardization: Research on artificial cultivation techniques (e.g., using silkworm pupae as alternative hosts to cultivate "Jin Can Hua") and establishing standardized extraction and quality control processes to ensure consistent composition and effects.

· Structural Modification and Efficacy Enhancement: Structural modification of active components (e.g., cordycepin) to improve bioavailability and efficacy.

💎 Summary

Cordyceps cicadae shows potential in modern antitumor research, with its active components (e.g., polysaccharides, cordycepin) possibly acting through multiple pathways such as immune regulation, apoptosis induction, and cell cycle arrest. However, current evidence mainly comes from laboratory studies, and more high-quality clinical research is needed to confirm its efficacy and safety in humans.

For cancer patients, the priority is to follow standardized treatment protocols from recognized hospitals. If interested in Cordyceps cicadae, use it under professional medical guidance and view it as a potential auxiliary option rather than a primary treatment.