Yung-Chia Chen ^a,b, Ying-Hui Chen ^c, Bo-Syong Pan ^d,e, Ming-Min Chang ^d,
Bu-Miin Huang ^d,f,*

^a Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
^b Graduate Institute of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
^c Department of Anesthesia, Chi-Mei Medical Center, Liouying, Tainan, Taiwan
^d Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, College of Medicine,
National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
^e Department of Cancer Biology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine,
Winston Salem, NC, USA
^f Department of Medical Research, China Medical University Hospital,
China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan

 

Cordyceps sinensis has various biological and pharmacological functions, and it has been claimed as a tonic supplement for sexual and reproductive dysfunctions for a long time in oriental society. In this article, the in vitro and in vivo effects of C. sinensis and cordycepin on mouse Leydig cell steroidogenesis are briefly described, the stimulatory mechanisms are summarized, and the recent findings related to the alternative substances regulating male reproductive functions are also discussed.

 

Keywords: cordycepin, Cordyceps sinensis, Leydig cell, male, reproduction, steroidogenesis, testosterone