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| Latin: |
Cordyceps sinensis |
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| Origin: |
Caterpillar fungus is the dried fruiting body (mushroom) and the mummified caterpillar of fungal content called Cordyceps sinensis (Berk) Sacc., a species of the cordyceps genus, belonging to the fungi kingdom.
Specifically, the parasitic species, cordyceps sinensis, is of the cordyceps genus, that belongs to the clavicipitaceae family of the hypocreales order, of the hemiascomycetes class, under the ascomycota phylum of the fungi kingdom. The caterpillar that is being infested upon is the larva of a moth species of the thitarodes genus, which belongs to the hepialidae family of the lepidoptera order, under the insecta class of the arthropoda phylum.
The cordyceps genus has about 400 species of fungi, which are all parasitic on insects and other arthropods (invertebrate animals that have a segmented body); a few are parasitic on other fungi. The most famous one is of course Cordyceps sinenesis that is infested on Thitarodes caterpillars. Others like Cordyceps cicadae, is parasitic on cicadae.
Winter Worm, Summer Grass
Cordyceps sinensis's host, the Thitarodes caterpillar, lives underground in alpine grass and shrublands in the high and cold elevations of China's mountainous regions like Qinghai, Tibet, Yunnan, and the Himalayan countries like Nepal, Bhutan and India's Himachal Pradesh, at an altitude between 3,000 and 5,000 meters. Spending up to five years underground before pupating, every year in summer the caterpillar becomes active, feeding up on roots of trees and shrubs, getting ready for hibernation. Eggs are being laid at this time as well. About a month later, larvae are hatched and they crawl into the surface of the soft and moist soil. It is during this period that the easily-infected larvae are attacked and infested, possibly by ingesting fungal spores through their breathing pores.
During winter, the infected and hibernating larva is slowly eaten away until its entire body cavity is filled with the fungus mycelium and eventually killed and mummified. The larvae die near the tops of their burrows. By the following spring or early summer, the fungus would sprout a long stalk of fruiting body (mushroom or stroma) that is grown out of the forehead of the dead larva and emerge from the ground. The fruiting body is dark brown to black in color, reaches 5-15 cm above the surface and releases spores in the summer, once again repeating the cycle by infesting more Thitarodes larvae. Uninfected larvae would mature into caterpillars, and eventually Thitarodes moths.
When snow melts between spring and summer, the stalk of the fruiting body is revealed. This signals the picking time for Cordyceps for the locals. The entire caterpillar-fungus combination is hand-collected. They are collected at dawn because the dew drops formed on the heads of the stalks radiate off the sunlight causing them to become iridescent and thus easier to see. The locals would try to collect Cordyceps before they release their spores. Once the spores are released, the compound body of the caterpillar-fungus would wilt and dry off. The picking period therefore is relatively short and lasts only for about 30 days. Since snow melts at different times in different locations, the picking month varies.
After the fungi are picked, some locals would first clean them with water, then spray with yellow liquor to soften them before laying them out straight. The locals then would tie ten each with a little string, dry them, and the caterpillar fungi are ready to be sold. Other locals would remove the dirt right after picking, then dry the fungi under the sun or in a baker before selling them in bulk.
Tibetan caterpillar fungi are generally considered the best in quality, while Sichuan province produces the most.
The name Dong Chong Xia Cao in Chinese, literally means 'Winter Worm, Summer Grass,' comes about due to the unique lifecycle of the fungus-infected caterpillar.
Prized Tonic
Cordyceps sinensis is highly prized by practitioners of Tibetan medicine, Chinese medicine and traditional herbal folk medicines, in which it is used as an aphrodisiac and as a treatment for a variety of ailments from coughs to cancer. It is regarded as having an excellent balance of yin and yang as it is apparently both animal and vegetable (though it is in actuality not vegetable, but fungal). Traditionally in Chinese medicine, it is known to regulate and ensure the normal functioning of various parts of the body, improve the immune system, promote overall vitality and longevity. In modern medicine, studies have confirmed that Cordyceps species do produce many pharmacologically active substances.
Cordyceps attracted the attention of the general public and the health profession in August 1993 when three Chinese runners, Wang Junxia, Qu Yunxia and Liu Dong won gold medals for the 1,500, 3,000 and 10,000 metre runs, and broke two world records, in the World Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Germany. The coach attributed those results to the athletes' regular use of a cordyceps based tonic.
As the sourcing and gathering of the herb is rare and difficult, so its supply often falls short of demand. Cordyceps sinensis is worth like gold. In 2002, the herb cost about US$1,500/kg. By 2007, the price has jumped to US$3,000 (lowest quality) to over US$15,000 (best quality) per kilogram.
Economics and Impact
Cordyceps sinensis has developed to be the most important source of cash income in the rural growing provinces in China and the Himalayan countries. Inter village conflicts over grasslands have become more often and posted problems for local governing bodies. The excessive collecting of the herb for sale has also posed threats for the environment of the Sichuan, Qinghai and Tibetan plateau where it grows.
The value of the herb even gives it a role in the Nepalese civil war, as the Nepalese Maoists and government forces fight for control of the lucrative export trade during the June-July harvest season.
The high price of wild Cordyceps sinensis has also led unscrupulous harvesters to insert twigs or even lead wires into the herb body, increasing the weight and thus the price paid.
The major consuming countries and places are China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, the United States, Japan and Korea.
New Species Found in Lower Elevations
Medical researchers in China discovered in May 2005 a new species of Cordyceps in regions of lower elevations such as Sichuan, Guizhou and Hunan. They named this new species "Golden Cordyceps," because there is a layer of yellowish green mycelium on the body of the host larva while it is evolving. This species shows a stronger effect promoting the immune system. According to the experts, this marks the first time a substantial amount of "Golden Cordyceps" has been discovered in the lower elevations in China.
Cultivated Alternative
Cultivated Cordyceps sinensis mycelium is a more sustainable alternative to wild-harvested Cordyceps sinensis, and may offer improved consistency, particularly since 1986 when Dan Bensky, codirector of the Seattle Institute of Oriental Medicine, has shown that laboratory-grown Cordyceps sinensis mycelium has similar clinical efficacy and less associated toxicity (see D. Bensky, A. Gamble, S. Clavey, E. Stoger, and L. Lai Bensky, Chinese Herbal Medicine: Materia Medica Seattle: Eastland Press, 1st ed. 1986, 3rd ed. 2004).
Grades of Cordyceps sinensis:
Tibetan Cordyceps is the best. Harvested in July, this is a super-sized Cordyceps. Both tail and body are long, the color is golden, and it has a good aroma.
Qinghai Cordyceps are harvested in June. This is moderate in size with a golden color. It is the most aromatic of all the Cordyceps.
Sichuan Cordyceps are harvested in May. Cordyceps from this region are the smallest and brownish in color with short tails. The aroma is ordinary.
Other Names
Also called Chinese cordyceps, Chinese caterpillar fungus, caterpillar mushroom, vegetable caterpillar, vegetable worm, or as aweto in China and Tibet, as yartsa gunbu or yarchagumba in Tibet, as keera jhar or keeda ghas in India, as tochukaso in Japanese, as tong ch'ug ha ch'o in Korean, and as bub in Bhutanese. |
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| Properties: |
| Sweet in flavor, mild in nature; it is related to the lung and kidney channels. |
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| Functions: |
| Benefit the kidneys and improve sex drive; supplement the lungs and relieve asthma; stop bleeding and reduce phlegm. |
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| Applications: |
1. For kidney-deficiency with impotence, lumbago and spermatorrhea:
30 g. caterpillar fungus, 30 g. wolfberry fruit, 1 kg. Chinese liquor. Infuse caterpillar fungus and wolfberry fruit in Chinese liquor for 1 week, then drink a small cup of it twice a day;
or 10 g. caterpillar fungus, paired with 10 g. epimedium, 5 g. morinda root, and 10 g. dodder seeds, 10 g. eucommia bark, 10 g. gordon euryale seeds for reinforcing the kidney and strengthening the yang.
2. For deficiency of both the lung and kidney, treating pulmonary tuberculosis, chronic coughs, night sweating, shortness of breath, tiredness and hemoptysis:
Treating pulmonary tuberculosis, hemoptysis, customary pantings of seniors, use 30 g. caterpillar fungus with 10 g. sha shen, 10 g. Sichuan fritillary bulb, 10 g. ejiao, 10 g. ophipogon root, 10 g. bletilla tuber, and 20 g. lily;
or for asthma and shortness of breath, use 10 g. caterpillar fungus with 5 g. ginseng, 10 g. walnut, 5 g. gecko, and 4 g. magnolia vine fruit;
those who also have hot flashes and night sweating, use 10 g. caterpillar fungus with 10 g. rehmannia root, 10 g. ejiao, 10 g. Zhejiang figwort root, and 15 g. ophipogon root.
3. For weakness, dizziness, due to deficiency of qi and blood, recovering after illnesses, sweating but feeling cold, or seniors with deficiency of yang, manifesting in easy tears and getting cold and flu often:
In addition to taking herbal formulas, one could also supplement daily with the nourishing soup: cook caterpillar fungus with chicken or pork in soup; drink the soup and eat the food.
4. For chronic nephritis:
Supplement in the form of wine infusion, or ground caterpillar fungus into powder and consume 1.5 g. daily.
5. For anemia, weakness after illness, impotence and spermatorrhea:
30 g. milk vetch root and 15 g. caterpillar fungus in decoction. |
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| Dosage and Administration: |
5-10 g., decoction or steamed, wine infusion.
1.5-3 g., ground into powder and consume. |
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| Cautions on Use: |
| There has not been found of interaction with medications or side effects of Caterpillar fungus, but those with exterior syndrome should avoid consuming it until well. |
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| Reference Materials: |
Duan Chengshi Suibi (Random Notes of Duan Chengshi) (863): "The fungus is grown on the peak."
Wu Yiluo, Bencao Congxin (New Compilation of Materia Medica) (1757): "(Caterpillar fungus) protects the lungs and benefits the kidneys, stops bleeding and reduces phlegms, stops coughs due to fatigue."
Zhao Xuemin, Bancao Gangmu Shiwei (Supplement to the Compendium of Materia Medica) (1795) : "The winter worm and the summer grass are the same thing. In the winter, it is the worm; but in the summer, it becomes the grass..."
Yaoxing Kao (Investigation of Medications): "Protects the essence and benefits energy; nourishes specially the kidneys."
Ganyuan Xiaoshi (Little Knowledge in the Tangerine Garden) : "Chew a few pieces of (Caterpillar fungus) that have been steeped in liquor would serve to relief pain between the waist and the knees. It is good for the kidneys."
Zhongguo Yaodian (Chinese Pharmacopoeia) : "(Caterpillar fungus) is sweet in flavor, mild in nature; it nourishes the lungs, is good for the kidneys; also helps stop bleeding and reduces phlegms. It is used to treat coughing due to fatique, as well as impotence and wet dreams, sore waist and knees." |
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| Toxic or Side Effects: |
| The toxicity of Caterpillar fungus is very low. The tolerance dose of experimental mice is 45 g/kg, which is 250 times the therapeutic dose of humans. |
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| Modern Researches: |
Caterpillar fungus contains nucleotides such as adenosine, adenine, hypoxanthine nucleoside, uracil, thymine, uridine, guanine, thymidin, 3'-deoxyadenosine (cordycepi), etc. There are also sterols such as ergosterol peroxide, cholesteryl stearate, and ergosterol; polysaccharides like galactomannan; and alcohols like D-mannitol (Cordycepic acid). In addition, it contains 25.32% crude proteins, 8.4% fat (saturated fatty acid 13.0%, unsaturated fatty acid 82.2%), essential amino acids, trace elements among which phosphorous is the most bountiful, followed by sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, aluminum, manganese, iron, copper, zinc, boron, nickel and others; and vitamins A, C and B12 (see Zhao Zhong Zhen and Xiao Pei Gen, ed., Encyclopedia on Contemporary Medicinal Plants ˇeHong Kong: Hong Kong Jockey Club Institute of Chinese Medicine, 2006ˇf, Vol. 2, pp. 252-255).
Antioxidant and Anti-ageing Activities
Tested through 6 assays, it is shown that natural Cordyceps sinensis and cultured Cordyceps militaris could be used as natural antioxidants (see Y.X. Gu, Y.W. Song, L.Q. Fan, and Q.S. Yuan, "Antioxidant activity of natural and cultured Cordyceps sp.," Zhongguo Zhongyao Zazhi (China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica) Vol. 32, No. 11 (June 2007), pp. 1,028-1,031).
Another study shows that the polyphenolic and flavonoid contents in natural Cordyceps sinensis and cultured Cordyceps militaris display antioxidant activities; and that the protective effects of both Cordyceps against oxidative damage are a result of their free radical scavenging abilities (see Hui Mei Yu, Bor-Sen Wang, Shiow Chyn Huang, and Pin-Der Duh, "Comparison of Protective Effects between Cultured Cordyceps militaris and Natural Cordyceps sinensis against Oxidative Damage," Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry Vol. 54, No. 8 (April 19, 2006), pp. 3,132-3,138). Cordycepi and Cordycepic acid are shown to clear up free radicals in the system. Various studies have confirmed that caterpillar fungus has anti-ageing effect.
Improve Pulmonary Fibrosis
Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is a respiratory disease in humans which in 2003 has caused 774 deaths. In fatal cases, the lungs showed organizing pneumonitis and pulmonary fibrosis. A research monitoring treatment effects of 42 convalescing SARS patients, with fifteen convalescing SARS patients under Western medical care served as controls, were given single-agent Cordyceps sinensis. The result showed Cordyceps sinensis could improve pulmonary fibrosis if used within 120 days after onset of symptom (see Hui Pak-Kwan and Chan Ming Houng, "Cordyceps sinensis Improved Post-SARS Pulmonary Fibrosis," Hua Xia Yi Yao Vol. 1, Issue 3 (2006), pp. 172-176).
Anti-Cancer
The methanol extract from Cordyceps sinensis has been shown to have tumor-cell growth inhibitory activities towards leukemia, prostate cancer and breast cancer (see Yerra Koteswara Raoa, Shih-Hua Fang, and Yew-Min Tzeng, "Evaluation of the anti-inflammatory and anti-proliferation tumoral cells activities of Antrodia camphotata, Cordyceps sinensis, and Cinnamomum osmophlpeum bark extracts," www.aseanbiodiversity.info).
Another study has shown that Cordyceps extract can inhibit the proliferation of colon cancer cells (see H. Huang, H. Wang, and R.C. Luo, "Inhibitory effects of Cordyceps extract on growth of colon cancer cells," Zhong Yao Cai (Journal of Chinese Medicinal Materials) Vol. 30, Issue 3 (March 2007), pp. 310-313).
Antifatigue and Antistress
A study has shown the hot water fraction of mycelia of Cordyceps sinensis has significant effect in lessening fatigue and lowering stress in mice (see Jong-Ho Koh, Kyung-Mi Kim, Jin-Man Kim, Jae-Chul Song and Hyung-Joo Suh, "Antifatigue and Antistress Effect of the Hot-Water Fraction from Mycelia of Cordyceps sinensis," Biological & Pharmaceutical Bulletin Vol. 26, No. 5 (May 2003), pp. 691-694).
Anti-inflammatory Effect
The methanol extract from Cordyceps sinensis has been shown to have anti-inflammatory effect (see Yerra Koteswara Raoa, Shih-Hua Fang, and Yew-Min Tzeng, "Evaluation of the anti-inflammatory and anti-proliferation tumoral cells activities of Antrodia camphotata, Cordyceps sinensis, and Cinnamomum osmophlpeum bark extracts," www.aseanbiodiversity.info).
Effects on the Respiratory System
A study has demonstrated Cordyceps sinensis methanolic extracts has therapeutic activity on bronchial airway inflammation, confirming its traditional use for treating asthma, bronchial and lung inflammation (see Yuh-Chi Kuo, Wei-Jern Tsai, Jir-Yenn Wang, Shi-Chung Chang, Ching-Yuang Lin, and Ming-Shi Shiao, "Regulation of bronchoalveolar lavage fluids cell function by the immunomodulatory agents from Cordyceps sinensis," Life Sciences Vol. 68, Issue 9 (January 19, 2001), pp. 1,067-1,082).
Treats Chronic Hepatitis
A clinical research observed 8 cases of chronic hepatitis patients, who were given oral administration of caterpillar fungus mycelium capsules for three months. The result showed the effective rate reached 75%.
Treats Chronic Kidney Failure
Another clinical research was to observe 18 cases of patients who suffered from chronic kidney failure. The patients were given oral administration of cultured cordyceps for a treatment course of 30 days. The result showed that 44.4%-50% have improved on their kidney functions; 33.3%-38.9% did better with their anemia; and 50%-80% improved their cellular immune responses.
Treats Hypertension
Yet another clinical study observed 16 cases of patients with high blood pressure. They were given cultured caterpillar fungus mycelium capsules for a course of 30 days. Result showed that 4 cases have improved significantly; 6 cases with moderate improvement; and 6 cases with no improvement. The overall effective rate was 62.5%. |
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