Scientists at the University of Nottingham said that while their study of cordyceps mushrooms led them to believe it could be an effective painkiller Scientists at the University of Nottingham said that while their study of cordyceps mushrooms, commonly used in Chinese medicine, was a “long shot”, their tests led them to believe it could be an effective painkiller. Arthritis Research UK have awarded a three-year grant of A 260,000 to fund further development with the hope clinical trials in humans could start within six to ten years.