Research progress on the protective effect and mechanism of cordycepin in ischemia-reperfusion injury

Ischemia-reperfusion injury is a common clinical challenge in surgery, which has a significant impact on the prognosis of patients. It is a complex, multi-factor, multi-cell intertwined pathological process. Many scholars had explored its mechanism, but the drugs used in clinical practice still need to be further developed. Cordycepin (3’-deoxyadenosine), a natural derivative of adenosine, is one of the important active ingredients in Cordyceps militaris. It has many pharmacological activities such as anti-inflammatory, anti-aging, anti-tumor, immune regulation and metabolism. In this review, we summarized the protective effects and mechanism of cordycepin in ischemia-reperfusion injury in recent years. Key words: Ischemia-reperfusion injury; Cordycepin; Anti-inflammatory; Anti-oxidation