Chinese Caterpillar Fungus

A genus of 100 species of parasitic fungi, found worldwide. Cordyceps sinensis is parasitic on caterpillars of a rare Himalayan moth. It has been harvested by the Yung people of W China for thousands of years, a process aided by annual burning of the alpine meadows. The fungus is not produced more cheaply on wheat in California but may still be bought in China, in small bundles, tied with red thread (symbol of good fortune), indentical to those collected by 19th-century explorers. Cordyceps sinensis was first described in Chinese medical texts c. CE200. A later account, c.CE1600, compared this bizarre medicinal caterpillar-fungus to ginseng as a tonic. Traditionally, dong chang xia cao consists of both the parastized larva and stroma (spore-producing body) of the fungus, which protrudes from the head of the caterpillar. According to the Chinese Materia Medica "large, fat larvae with yellow insides and short stromata are marks of good quality". It is, however, the fungus and not the caterpillar that posseses the medicinal properties — which explains why modern production techniques, cultivating the fungus on wheat, are equally effective. In China dong chong xia cao is usually cooked with chicken to make a tonic broth, in early spring and early winter, to help the body adjust to seasonal changes. It is also a popular aphrodisiac for men, cooked with gin and soy sauce inside the head of a duck.

Cordyceps, also known as caterpillar fungus or winter worm summer grass, is a fungus that begins its life cycle growing in the backs of caterpillars and later becomes a tiny grasslike mushroom. Some fifteen hundred years ago, Tibetan shepherds noticed that when their sheep and yaks grazed on this little mushroom, they had much more energy and endurance. During the Ming Dynasty, Chinese royalty ate cordyceps cooked inside the stomach of a duck to increase energy and ward off illnesses. Long used in traditional Chinese medicine to restore energy, promote longevity, stimulate the immune system, and improve the quality of life, cordyceps was virtually unheard of in the Western world until 1993, when the Chinese women's track team broke records in the world track and field championships. Their secret, they claimed, was none other than good old caterpillar fungus.

Fungus parasitic on the larvae of Hepialus armoricanus. Larva measures 3-6cm (1¼-2½in) long and up to 7mm (¼in) in diameter. Spores invade the host through the nostrils and consume the entire body contents to form a sclerotium that overwinters beneath the snow. The spring thaw triggers production of stromata (spore-producing bodies), which emerge from the carcass and infect the surrounding soil. The stromata are club-shaped, hollow in the center, and brown to black-brown with white interior tissue.

Common Name:

Other Names:

Cordyceps, Dong Chong Xia Cao, Vegetable Caterpillar, Winter Worm Summer Grass.

Botanical Name:

Cordyceps sinensis

Genus:

Cordyceps

Family:

Clavicipitaceae

Native Location:

Foothills of the Himalayas in grassland above 3,353m (11,000ft).

Cultivation:

Parasitic on moth larvae in the wild. May be cultivated on wheat.

Propagation:

By spores on suitable host.

Harvest:

Fungus is collected in early spring (as the snow melts) in the wild, or from a cultivated grain base, and dried for use as capsules, compressed slices, powder, or tinctures.

Height:

4-8cm (1¼-3in) long.

Width:

3mm (1/8 in) in diameter.

Hardiness:

Hardy

Parts Used:

Whole fungus (dong chong xia cao), Mycellium (main body of the fungus).

Properties:

A sweet energy tonic for lungs and kidneys, and tranquilizer and muscle relaxant, controlling coughs and having anti-bacterial and anti-cancer effects.

Medicinal Uses:

Internally for coughs, tuberculosis, conditions associated with kidney weakness (impotence, back pains, night sweats), menopausal problems, convalescence, and nasopharyngeal cancer.
To improve athletic performance, strengthen the immune system, reduce effects of aging, and promote longevity.

Typical Dose:

A typical daily dose of cordyceps is approximately 3 gm of fermented cordyceps sinensis.

Possible Side Effects:

There is little scientific information about cordycep's side effects.

Drug Interactions:

Taking cordyceps with these drugs may interfere with the action of the drug:
Cyclophosphamide, (Cytoxan, Neosar)	Prednisolone, (Inflamase Forte, Pred Forte)

Taking cordyceps with this drugs may be harmful:

Fondaparinux, (Arixtra)—may increase the risk of bleeding or bruising.

Lab Test Alterations:

Improved liver function in those with chronic Hepatitis B.

Culinary Uses:

Fungus cooked with meat or fish in tonic soups and stews, and in rice porridge (China). Also an ingredient of ginseng elixir and other herbal tonics.

Bibliography:

Encylopedia of Herbs by Deni Brown Copyright ©: 1995, 2001 Dorling Kindersley Limited pp 179-180
The Essential Herb-Drug-Vitamin Interaction Guide by Geo. T. Grossberg,MD & Barry Fox,PhD Copyright©2007 Barry Fox,PhD Pp. 163-164