Cordycepin
Cordycepin is a compound found in Cordyceps militaris. Here is what lab and human studies show, what a label can and cannot tell you, and who should be careful.
Content last updated . This page has not been medically reviewed.
Safety first. Supplements can cause side effects and interact with medicines. Read mushroom safety and interactions before you use any mushroom product.
What cordycepin is
Cordycepin (also called 3'-deoxyadenosine) is described as a bioactive nucleoside analog (a molecule that resembles one of the body's own building blocks) from Cordyceps militaris.[2] The species is Cordyceps militaris (L.) Fr., an accepted name in the GBIF taxonomy database (family Cordycipitaceae).[3] Researchers describe it as similar in pharmacological interest to the wild caterpillar fungus, Ophiocordyceps sinensis (Berk.) G.H.Sung et al., which is also an accepted species name.[4][5] Older papers often call the wild fungus "Cordyceps sinensis". The two fungi are different species, so findings do not transfer between them. See Cordyceps militaris vs Ophiocordyceps sinensis and the main cordyceps guide.
Why the product behind the word "cordycepin" matters
Cordycepin content depends on what was grown and how. These are laboratory measurements, not benefits.
| Question | What the source found | Evidence label |
|---|---|---|
| Does the growing material change cordycepin? | In one comparison of C. militaris, cordycepin was highest in fruiting bodies grown on pupae and lowest in the sclerotium (the pupae portion).[6] | Laboratory measurement |
| C. militaris vs "natural" wild cordyceps extracts | Cordycepin and adenosine were higher in the cultured C. militaris extract than in the wild-fungus extract.[7] | Laboratory measurement (2006) |
| Does cordycepin explain antioxidant activity? | In that same study, cordycepin and adenosine themselves showed no significant antioxidant activity.[7] | Laboratory result |
A review of C. militaris production says strain choice and growing material are among the factors that influence cordycepin production.[4] So two products that both say "cordyceps" may differ. On a label, look for the species, the part (fruiting body, mycelium or grain-grown mycelium), and how any cordycepin number was measured. One extract in the research literature was standardized to cordycepin and adenosine; the paper calls its source "Cordyceps sinensis" mycelium, which shows how names can blur.[8]
What research shows
| Question | What the source found | Evidence label | Form and population |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inflammation and other effects | A review says cordycepin acts on several inflammation pathways and offers "the theoretical basis" for future clinical work.[9] A 2025 mouse study reports improved cognitive tests in septic mice.[2] | Preclinical (cells or animals) | Isolated cordycepin |
| Does it reach the body intact? | A 2023 review says cordycepin is rapidly broken down by the enzyme adenosine deaminase in the body, shortening its half-life and lowering bioavailability.[10] | Pharmacology review | Isolated cordycepin |
| Immune markers in healthy adults | A Korean trial gave 39 men 1.5 g a day of ethanol-treated C. militaris capsules versus 40 on placebo for 4 weeks; natural killer cell activity and lymphocyte proliferation rose more, with no significant adverse reaction.[11] A Thai trial of a fermented C. militaris drink containing 2.85 mg of cordycepin versus placebo for 8 weeks (10 men and 10 women per group) reported some rises in natural killer cell activity and no difference in safety measures.[12] | Promising but limited; lab markers, not fewer infections | Whole product, not isolated cordycepin; small trials |
| Kidney disease | A small trial gave 100 mg a day of C. militaris to people with chronic kidney disease for 3 months and reported changes in kidney and lipid measures.[13] The abstract does not state the number of participants. | Preliminary; single report | Whole product |
| Health outcomes from purified cordycepin in people | Proper evidence not found. We searched PubMed for cordycepin human trials and found cell, animal and computer studies, a 2000 note that a trial of cordycepin with pentostatin in leukemia "was initiated", and the product trials above.[14] | Insufficient evidence |
A 2026 review says the immune effects of C. militaris have been the most studied of its activities.[15] Studies of the whole mushroom or a fermented drink cannot tell us what cordycepin alone does, because those products also contain other compounds. Funding was not described in the abstracts we read.
Who should be careful
- Medicines: anticoagulants, antiplatelets and diabetes medicines, as above.[1] Ask a pharmacist about any medicine you take.
- Pregnancy, breastfeeding and children: Proper evidence not found in the sources we read. See pregnancy and breastfeeding.
- Liver and kidney disease: the one kidney trial above is too small to guide anyone. Speak with the treating clinician first.
- Cancer care: cordycepin is not a proven treatment. The National Cancer Institute notes the US FDA has not approved medicinal mushrooms as a treatment for cancer or any other medical condition.[16] Tell the oncology team about every product.
- Quality: a review of testing for "immune health" botanicals, including functional mushrooms, says such products can be adulterated or inaccurately labeled.[17] See quality testing and certifications.
A clinician or pharmacist decides what is right for an individual. This page gives no amounts to take.
Frequently asked questions
Is cordycepin the same as cordyceps?
No. Cordycepin is one compound found in Cordyceps militaris. A cordyceps product also contains polysaccharides and other compounds, and results for one do not stand in for the other.[15]
Does cordycepin support the immune system?
The human trials we found used whole C. militaris products and measured lab markers of immune cells, with small groups.[11][12] That is promising but limited. It is not proof of fewer illnesses.
Why do labels list cordycepin?
It is a convenient marker that labs can measure. The number depends on the species, the growing material and the method, and it does not show that a product works.[6]
Is wild cordyceps the same as cultivated cordyceps?
No. The wild caterpillar fungus is a different species, and one lab comparison found less cordycepin in its extract.[7]
Can cordycepin cause bleeding?
Laboratory work suggests it can inhibit platelet clumping, and a case report links cordyceps to bleeding after dental work.[1] Tell your dentist or surgeon about any cordyceps product.
More details: evidence, limits and cautions
The details behind this page: cautions, limits of the evidence and where sources disagree. Open any note to read it.
Safety first: bleeding, blood sugar and surgery
Cordycepin is a laboratory compound with a lot of cell and animal research and very little human research. Memorial Sloan Kettering (a US cancer center) reports that cordycepin inhibits platelet aggregation, the clumping that helps blood clot, in laboratory work.[1] It also lists a case report of excessive bleeding after a tooth extraction in a person using cordyceps daily as a tonic, and laboratory signals that cordyceps may add to the effects of blood thinners and diabetes medicines. Those entries describe cordyceps in general, not one species or a measured cordycepin amount.[1]
If you take anticoagulants, antiplatelet medicines, insulin or other diabetes medicines, or have a procedure planned, ask a pharmacist or the prescriber before using any cordyceps product, and tell the surgical team about it. See how interactions are classed and mushroom products before surgery.
References
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Integrative Medicine, Cordyceps (About Herbs, Botanicals & Other Products). Read 2026-10-23.
- Cordycepin Mitigates Sepsis-Associated Encephalopathy by Promoting Microglial M2 Polarization via the IL-17a/IL-17RA/NF-κB Axis. Molecular neurobiology. 2025. PubMed 41254325. Read 2026-10-23.
- GBIF Secretariat, GBIF Backbone Taxonomy record for Cordyceps militaris (L.) Fr. (accepted name, family Cordycipitaceae). Read 2026-10-23.
- Biomass and Cordycepin Production by the Medicinal Mushroom Cordyceps militaris-A Review of Various Aspects and Recent Trends towards the Exploitation of a Valuable Fungus. Journal of fungi (Basel, Switzerland). 2021. PubMed 34829273. Read 2026-10-23.
- GBIF Secretariat, GBIF Backbone Taxonomy record for Ophiocordyceps sinensis (Berk.) G.H.Sung, J.M.Sung, Hywel-Jones & Spatafora (accepted name, family Ophiocordycipitaceae). Read 2026-10-23.
- Comparison of Major Bioactive Compounds of the Caterpillar Medicinal Mushroom, Cordyceps militaris (Ascomycetes), Fruiting Bodies Cultured on Wheat Substrate and Pupae. International journal of medicinal mushrooms. 2016. PubMed 27481299. Read 2026-10-23.
- Comparison of protective effects between cultured Cordyceps militaris and natural Cordyceps sinensis against oxidative damage. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry. 2006. PubMed 16608242. Read 2026-10-23.
- NAD-Driven Sirtuin Activation by Cordyceps sinensis Extract: Exploring the Adaptogenic Potential to Promote Skin Longevity. International journal of molecular sciences. 2024. PubMed 38673866. Read 2026-10-23.
- Anti-inflammatory effects of cordycepin: A review. Phytotherapy research : PTR. 2020. PubMed 33090621. Read 2026-10-23.
- Cordycepin: A review of strategies to improve the bioavailability and efficacy. Phytotherapy research : PTR. 2023. PubMed 37329165. Read 2026-10-23.
- Cordyceps militaris Enhances Cell-Mediated Immunity in Healthy Korean Men. Journal of medicinal food. 2015. PubMed 26284906. Read 2026-10-23.
- A randomized controlled clinical trial examining the effects of Cordyceps militaris beverage on the immune response in healthy adults. Scientific reports. 2024. PubMed 38580687. Read 2026-10-23.
- Cordyceps militaris Improves Chronic Kidney Disease by Affecting TLR4/NF-κB Redox Signaling Pathway. Oxidative medicine and cellular longevity. 2019. PubMed 31049139. Read 2026-10-23.
- Combination therapy with purine nucleoside analogs. Oncology (Williston Park, N.Y.). 2000. PubMed 10887642. Read 2026-10-23.
- An Immunomodulatory Mushroom, Cordyceps militaris, and Its Constituents: A Review of In Vitro/In Vivo Studies and Clinical Trials. Phytotherapy research : PTR. 2026. PubMed 41432716. Read 2026-10-23.
- National Cancer Institute, Medicinal Mushrooms (PDQ) health professional version, updated November 6, 2024. Read 2026-10-23.
- Label compliance for ingredient verification: regulations, approaches, and trends for testing botanical products marketed for "immune health" in the United States. Critical reviews in food science and nutrition. 2024. PubMed 36123797. Read 2026-10-23.