Promising Potential Pharmaceuticals from the Genus Cordyceps for COVID-19 Treatment: A Review Study

ABSTRACT

A novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV), named as severe acute respiratory syndrome-CoV-2 (SARS-CoV-2) later, was first detected at Wuhan, China, in December 2019. COVID-19, the disease caused by SARS-CoV-2, is highly contagious and has mild to severe symptoms ranging from generalized weakness, headache, dizziness, fever, cough, and dyspnea to severe hypoxia with acute respiratory distress syndrome and multiorgan failure. The unclarity of the virus' pathophysiology and lack of a targeted therapy make the disease very challenging to treat for physicians. Cordyceps sinensis and Cordyceps militaris are entomopathogenic fungi which are used for their anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, lung improving, and antiviral functions in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Thus, advanced search for C. sinensis and C. militaris has proven several compounds from these fungi have the functions that they are thought to have. This review aims to discuss whether C. sinensis and C. militaris can be used for COVID-19 treatment in light of previous studies.