The Therapeutic Effect of Cordyceps on Hashimomoto's Disease and Graves' Disease

In 2016, a clinical trial was conducted in China that aimed to investigate the therapeutic effect of cordyceps on Hashimoto's disease and Graves' disease.

The research paper was entitled, “Dual-Directional Effects of Corbrin Capsule on Autoimmune Thyroid Diseases” and was published in the journal Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine.

Let's find out what this research paper showed if cordyceps could help Hashimoto's disease and Graves' disease.

What is Cordyceps?

Cordyceps, also known as Cordyceps sinensis Sacc., is a fungus closely related to the mushroom. While it is not officially classified as a mushroom taxonomically speaking, it has been described as an exotic medicinal mushroom used in traditional Chinese and Tibetan medicine for over 2,000 years.  This fungus has active components that have been determined to have highly positive effects on human health including these roles:

* Increased oxygen utilization of ATP production

* Stabilization of blood sugar metabolism

* Regulation of the immune system by exerting anti-tumor effects, modulating the immune system in organ transplantation and the prevention of kidney, liver and heart disease.

In recent years, studies have revealed that cordyceps has immune-mediating effects on autoimmune inflammatory diseases including lupus, chronic hepatitis, chronic kidney disease and diabetes.

The active constituents in Cordyceps include: cordycepin, polysaccharide, cordycepic acid, nucleosides, ergosterol, aminophenol, and trace elements.

Background Information on Autoimmune Thyroid Diseases

Autoimmune thyroid diseases come in a few forms. They include:

Graves’ disease

Hashimoto’s thyroiditis

Idiopathic hypothyroidism (atrophic Hashimoto’s)

Graves’ ophthalmopathy (GO)

Post-partum thyroid dysfunction

A main characteristic of autoimmune thyroid disease is an elevated level of auto-antibodies and hyperactive T and B lymphocytes that are reactive to thyroid auto-antibodies.

The researchers in this study identified a unique opportunity to investigate the effect of cordyceps on autoimmune thyroid disease because despite the administration of anti-thyroid drugs and thyroid hormone replacement to control symptoms of autoimmune thyroid disease, a means to actually target thyroid autoimmunity has been lacking in scientific research.

The study authors pointed out that if the immunoinflammatory process in autoimmune thyroid disease cannot be intervened, what will consequently occur is that the disease will just end up progressing and become full-blown in afflicted individuals.  Likewise, those who had success managing their autoimmune thyroid disease at ear...