Study: Caterpillar Fungus Slows Cancer Cell Growth

British researchers have uncovered how cordycepin, a compound from the caterpillar fungus Cordyceps militaris used in traditional Chinese medicine, can slow cancer cell growth by interfering with cell growth signals. This discovery, published by the University of Nottingham, highlights cordycepin's potential as a basis for new cancer treatments that may be less harmful to healthy tissues. The study found that cordycepin is converted into cordycepin triphosphate, which mimics ATP and disrupts cancer cell growth pathways.