Inhibition of Ehrlich mouse ascites tumor growth by cordycepin.

Cordycepin, a nucleoside isolated from cultures of the mold Cordyceps militaris , has been demonstrated to increase the survival time of mice bearing the Ehrlich mouse ascites tumor. In all these studies the drug was administered daily for a 7-day period. When drug inoculations were started the same day as tumor inoculations, inhibition of tumor growth was noted at levels of from 15 to 200 mg/kg body weight. When the initial administration of drug was begun on animals in which the tumor was 5 days old, a dosage of 150 mg/kg body weight resulted in a significantly increased survival time.