| Summary: | <i>Background and objectives:</i> Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is characterized by the vasoconstriction and abnormally proliferative vascular cells. The available allopathic treatment options for PH are still not able to cure the disease. Alternative medicine is becoming popular and drawing the attention of the general public and scientific communities. The entomogenous fungus <i>Yarsagumba</i> (<i>Cordyceps sinensis</i>) and its biologically active ingredient cordycepin may represent the therapeutic option for this incurable disease, owing to their anti-inflammatory, vasodilatory and anti-oxidative effects. <i>Methods:</i> In this study, we investigated whether <i>Yarsagumba</i> extract and cordycepin possess anti-proliferative and vasorelaxant properties in the context of PH, using 5-bromo-2’-deoxyuridine assay and isolated mice lungs, respectively. <i>Results:</i> Our results revealed that <i>Yarsagumba</i> extract and its bioactive compound cordycepin significantly attenuated the proliferation of human pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells derived from donor and PH subjects. In isolated murine lungs, only <i>Yarsagumba</i> extract, but not cordycepin, resulted in vasodilatation, indicating the probable existence of other bioactive metabolites present in <i>Yarsagumba</i> that may be responsible for this outcome. <i>Conclusion:</i> Future comprehensive in vivo and in vitro research is crucially needed to discover the profound mechanistic insights with regard to this promising therapeutic potency of <i>Yarsagumba</i> extract and to provide further evidence as to whether it can be used as a strategy for the treatment of PH.
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