The Chinese caterpillar fungus Ophiocordyceps sinensis (Berk.) is a valuable traditional medicine, also known throughout Asia by its Tibetan name དབྱར་རྩྭ་དགུན་འབུ (Yartsa Gunbu), meaning “summer grass, winter worm”. The mature fungus O. sinensis contains abundant active biological components, including polysaccharides, alkaloids, amino acids, inorganic elements, and others. Studies have previously confirmed that O. sinensis possesses multiple pharmacological activities. Therefore, it holds high value in the commercial market and is in increasing demand. However, the unique formation process and harsh growth environment contribute to the preciousness and scarcity of the species. To meet market demand, multiple mycelium types have been isolated from natural O. sinensis and cultivated artificially using fermentation technology. Currently, both natural and cultivated O. sinensis products are available as healthy Chinese herbal medicines on the market. However, there is a lack of comparative reviews on the two types of O. sinensis in terms of their compositions and medicinal functions. This mini-review will focus on the bioactive ingredients and medicinal functions of both natural and cultivated O. sinensis, intending to elucidate their medical values as traditional Chinese medicines for human use.

In combination with radiation therapy, treatment vastly improved mouse survival

Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M) has presented three scientific research projects contributing to the fight against tuberculosis, the leading cause of death from infectious disease in the world. The ultimate goal of the three projects, called ERA4TB, TAINT-TB and TCOLF-TC312, is to accelerate the development of new drugs and contribute to the fulfilment of the World Health Organization's (WHO) End TB Strategy 2030.

Kyoto, Japan -- Smartphones may often feel like a source of stress, feeding us an endless stream of bad news and social comparison. But what if they could also be the solution?

A team of researchers from Kyoto University believes they can be. The team has developed a smartphone app that delivers core techniques of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)—a proven treatment for depression and anxiety—straight into the hands of users, and tested it in the largest-ever individually randomized trial of its kind.

Their resilience training app, called RESiLIENT, was tested on nearly 4,000 adults across Japan experiencing subthreshold depression—a form of low-level but persistent depressive symptoms that doesn’t meet criteria for major depressive disorder but can still be debilitating. This condition affects an estimated 11% of people worldwide and often goes untreated.