The potential application of Cordyceps in metabolic‐related disorders

Changes in the global economy resulted in sedentary lifestyle and excessive calorie intake, increasing the incidence of metabolic diseases, which subsequently became a universal public concern. The difficulties of managing chronic diseases did not dampen researchers' enthusiasm for studying new therapeutics or adjuvant treatments. Cordyceps spp. is a kind of traditional Chinese herbal medicine; however, our understanding of this medicine remains at an initial stage. Recently, an increasing number of studies have demonstrated the potential of Cordyceps as a therapeutic agent for the effective treatment of metabolic-related disorders by exerting a variety of activities, including but not limited to anti-inflammatory, immunoregulatory, hypoglycemic, renoprotective and cardiovascular-protective effects. This article reviews the potential efficacy and underlying mechanisms of Cordyceps and its major bioactive ingredients in metabolic syndrome and its associated comorbidities.