Treatment with a fungus called Ophiocordyceps sinensis eased disease signs and improved survival in a rat model of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), suggesting a potential to treat patients.
The findings were in the study “Substantial involvement of TRPM7 inhibition in the therapeutic effect of Ophiocordyceps sinensis on pulmonary hypertension,” published in Translational Research.
Ophiocordyceps sinensis, abbreviated OCS, is an entomopathogenic fungus — a type of fungus that can cause disease in certain kinds of arthropods (e.g., insects and crustaceans). OCS is used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat conditions including liver inflammation, high blood pressure, and cancer. Recent research has shown that OCS can lessen fibrosis (scarring) and inflammation in various animal models of disease.