Cordyceps militaris, well known for its therapeutic potential in managing type-2 diabetes through the inhibition of α-amylase and α-glucosidase enzymes, was the central focus of this research, which investigated the influence of various cultivation substrates on its enzymatic inhibitory properties and bioactive compound content. Previous studies have primarily focused on the general pharmacological benefits of C. militaris but have not thoroughly explored how different substrates affect its bioactive profile and enzyme inhibitory activities. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of substrate selection on the enzyme inhibition activities and the levels of bioactive compounds such as cordycepin and adenosine in C. militaris, demonstrating that substrate selection markedly affects both these enzymes’ inhibition activities and bioactive compound levels. Particularly, C. militaris fruiting bodies grown on Brihaspa atrostigmella showed the highest concentrations of cordycepin (2.932 mg/g) and adenosine (1.062 mg/g). This substrate also exhibited the most potent α-glucosidase inhibition with an IC₅₀ value of 336.4 ± 16.0 µg/mL and the most effective α-amylase inhibition with an IC₅₀ value of 504.6 ± 4.2 µg/mL. Conversely, C. militaris cultivated on the solid residues of Gryllus bimaculatus displayed the strongest xanthine oxidase (XOD) inhibition, with the lowest IC₅₀ value of 415.7 ± 11.2 µg/mL. These findings highlight the critical role of substrate choice in enhancing the medicinal properties of C. militaris, suggesting that optimized cultivation can enhance the bioactive properties for more effective natural therapies for diabetes and other metabolic disorders. This study not only extends the understanding of C. militaris’ pharmacological potential but also illustrates its applicability in developing customized treatment options.

Cordyceps militaris is a valued medicinal fungus in folk medicine in East Asia. It contains two major nucleosides, cordycepin and adenosine, which have been reported to have potential antineoplastic, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities. This paper aimed to study the effect of C. militaris extract on the reproductive function of a mouse model, evaluating possible toxicity, androgenic activity, and protective and rehabilitative effects against damages caused by sodium valproate (VPA). There was no death and abnormalities observed in mice. Androgen activity was also shown in young male rats by an improvement in several sexual organs. The protective effect of C. militaris extract was explained by the gain of sexual organs’ weight, testosterone concentration, and seminiferous tubule size as well as the enhancement of sperm density, alive sperm percentage, and the progressive forward movement of sperm. The pregnancy rate of female rats paired with VPA-administered male rats (500 mg/kg/day) increased proportionally with the higher dose of C. militaris extract. In the rehabilitation study, an incline in the weight of the Cowper’s gland and glans (0.112 g/kg/day) and testicle and prostate (0.336 g/kg/day) as well as an improvement of the sperm forward progressive movement was observed. The percentage of unprogressive sperm and immotile sperm has reduced. These results suggest that C. militaris is a potential supplement to reduce the negative effects of VPA and improve reproductive function, in which the two major constituents cordycepin and adenosine may play an active role.

Lactiplantibacillus pentosus is a lactic acid bacterium frequently detected in various fermented foods; however, the genomic traits related to its biotechnological potential have been underexplored. In this study, 34 catalase-negative isolates were obtained from pickled mustard greens, among which strain P7 exhibited the highest exopolysaccharide (EPS) yield (781.9 ± 14.7 mg/L) and was capable of growing in a chemically defined medium lacking riboflavin. Whole-genome sequencing revealed a 3,749,478 bp circular chromosome with 46.5% G + C content and 3389 protein-coding genes. A phylogenomic analysis identified P7 as L. pentosus. Functionally, 1 mg/mL EPS extracted from P7 demonstrated strong antioxidant activity, with DPPH and hydroxyl radical scavenging capacities of 89.8 ± 4.6% and 76.5 ± 9.5%, respectively. The use of 0.2 mg/mL EPS also protected Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells from oxidative stress. A comparative genomic analysis indicated the presence of nearly complete biosynthetic pathways for riboflavin, folate, and pyridoxine. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) confirmed the production of 23.8 ± 0.4 µg/mL riboflavin, 36.6 ± 0.6 µg/mL folic acid, and 0.42 ± 0.02 µg/mL pyridoxine in the culture supernatant, which have not been previously reported. Additionally, strain P7 produced 91.2 ± 12.3 g/L of lactic acid after 24 h of incubation. These results support the potential of L. pentosus P7 as a candidate for industrial applications in the production of EPS, B-group vitamins, and lactic acid.

Tuberculosis is one of the most common infectious diseases in the world, caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The outbreak of multiple drug-resistant tuberculosis has become a major challenge to prevent this disease worldwide. ClpC1 is a Clp ATPase protein of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, functioning as a chaperon when combined with the Clp complex. ClpC1 has emerged as a new target to discover anti-tuberculosis drugs. This study aimed to explore the ClpC1 inhibitors from actinomycetes, which have been known to provide abundant sources of antibiotics. Two cyclic peptides, including nocardamin (1), halolitoralin A (3), and a lactone pleurone (2), were isolated from the culture of Streptomyces aureus (VTCC43181). The structures of these compounds were determined based on the detailed analysis of their spectral data and comparison with references. This is the first time these compounds have been isolated from S. aureus. Compounds 1–3 were evaluated for their affection of ATPase activity of the recombinant ClpC1 protein. Of these compounds, halolitoralin A (1), a macrocyclic peptide, was effective for the ATPase hydrolysis of the ClpC1 protein.

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Endophytic fungi isolated from medicinal plants are known as prolific sources of bioactive compounds for medicinal exploitation. The present study focused on the evaluation of the distribution of fungal endophytes from Ixora chinensis collected in Ba Vi National Park and their antibacterial and anticancer activities. A total of 14 endophytic fungi were isolated from I. chinensis, among them, the highest number of endophytic fungal isolates were found in leaves (28.6%), followed by branches (21.4%), roots (21.4%), flowers (14.3%), and stems (14.3%). A combination of ITS gene sequence and morphological analysis indicates that they belonged to 8 genera, including Phyllosticta, Diaporthe, Neopestalotiopsis, Botryosphaeria, Pestalotiopsis, Lasiodiplodia, Talaromyces, and Colletotrichum. Among them, Diaporthe tectonae IBV6R1 was found to show the strongest inhibitory effect on A549 cells with the percentage inhibition of 71.8 ± 2.3% and antibacterial activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 9027, Escherichia coli ATCC 11105, and Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923 with the inhibition zones ranging from 1.5 - 21.6 mm. Further analysis also revealed that D. tectonae IBV6R1 produced 115.6 μg/L camptothecin using HPLC analysis. This is the report demonstrating the antibacterial and anticancer properties of D. tectonae. These findings recommend that D. tectonae IBV6R1 may aid in the development of novel compounds and fungal camptothecin. Future investigations are required to purify and elucidate antibacterial compounds as well as optimize camptothecin productivity.