Isolation and purification of cordycepin from fruiting bodies of Cordyceps militaris cultivated in Vietnam

Abstract

Cordycepin (3’-deoxyadenosine) is the major bioactive compound found in the medicinal fungus C. militaris. This nucleoside analog is not only considered a chemical marker for evaluating the quality and authenticity of C. militaris products, but it also possesses significant potential for pharmaceutical applications. However, previously reported methods for cordycepin purification are technically complex, time-consuming, expensive, and yield low efficiency. In this study, we successfully developed a simplified and efficient procedure for the isolation and purification of cordycepin from artificially cultivated C. militaris fruiting bodies. The optimised protocol involves a combination of solvent extraction, normal phase column chromatography, and impurity removal through selective precipitation. This intergrated approach allows for the recovery of cordycepin with high purity, which was confirmed by a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analysis and comparison with reference data. Notably, the overall isolation yield achieved represents the highest reported to date, indicating a significant improvement over existing methods. Our protocol provides a practical and scalable solution for cordycepin production and may serve as a foundation for further pharmaceutical development of this promising compound.