Cordyceps sinensis

Also called Cordyceps sinensis, it is a strange thing that grows together with insects and grass. In winter, it is the insects, and in summer, the grass grows out of the insects. The worm is the larvae of the Cordyceps bat moth, and the grass is a Cordyceps fungus. How did it grow? In summer, insects lay their eggs on the flowers and leaves of grass, and then fall to the ground with the leaves. After about a month, they hatch into larvae and burrow into the moist and soft soil. There are ascospores of a Cordyceps fungus in the soil, which only attack those fat and well-developed larvae. After being attacked by spores, the larvae burrow into the shallow layer of the ground. The spores grow in the larvae's body. The larvae's internal organs slowly disappear, and the body turns into a body full of hyphae and is buried in the soil. After a winter, when spring comes the next year, mycelium begins to grow. In summer, it grows out of the ground and grows into a piece of grass. In this way, the body of the larvae and the grass combine to form a complete "Cordyceps sinensis".

Meridians of nature and flavor: sweet in taste and warm in nature. Returns to the kidney and lung meridians.

Functions and Indications: It has the effects of nourishing lung yin, nourishing kidney yang, relieving cough and reducing phlegm, anti-cancer and anti-aging. It is a product that balances yin and yang and is suitable for all kinds of food (can be eaten by men, women, old and young, it is the most suitable for everyone) It is a wide range of supplements, and does not require dietary restrictions. It is very beneficial to the body. It nourishes the lungs and kidneys and replenishes the essence. It has mild medicinal properties, unlike ginseng, which can cause dryness and heat in people. It has the benefits of ginseng but no harm). It can be used for pulmonary tuberculosis, coughing up blood, impotence and spermatorrhea. Such as Dongbao Gantai, Bailing Capsule, Jinshuibao. In addition, if the body is no longer weak after the disease, spontaneous sweating, chills, etc., you can stew Cordyceps sinensis with duck, chicken, pork, etc., which has the effect of tonifying deficiency and supporting the weak. Modern research shows that Cordyceps has antiasthmatic effects. This product is usually taken as pills and powder, and the dosage is 5g-10g each time.

Cordyceps is a plant of the Clavicepsaceae family. The dried cordyceps body is connected to the fungus base. It is 9 to 12 centimeters in length. The body of the cordyceps is like an old silkworm, 3 to 6 centimeters long and about 0.4 centimeters thick. 0.7 cm. The surface is brownish-yellow and rough, with many horizontal wrinkles on the back. There are 8 pairs of legs on the abdomen, and the middle 4 pairs of legs are more obvious. Its characteristics are like the body of a silkworm, which is light and brittle and easy to break. The cross-section is off-white, and the periphery is dark yellow. Full within. The fungus base produced from the head of the insect body is rod-shaped, curved, and the upper part is slightly enlarged. The surface is grey-brown or dark brown, up to 4 to 8 cm long. The shorter one is better.

When Cordyceps is soaked in boiling water, the insect body becomes enlarged and soft, and the color of the fungus base becomes dark brown. The insect body and the fungus base are closely connected and will not fall off. The infusion has a slight odor.

Because Cordyceps is expensive, requires a large amount of medicine, and is in short supply, some unscrupulous traders are trying their best to make fake Cordyceps. Some use silkworms, bamboo shoots, etc. to make fake cordyceps, which can be confused with the real ones, making it difficult for some traditional Chinese medicine experts with strong identification skills to identify them without physical and chemical identification methods.

However, as long as you have high identification ability and observe carefully, you can still identify it. The color of false Cordyceps is slightly yellower and duller than that of true Cordyceps. If you look closely, it is yellow with dots and smells bad. The cross section is off-white with dark spots and a medullary cavity. The other appearance is exactly the same as Cordyceps sinensis. After soaking the fake Cordyceps in boiling water for 10 minutes, it will slowly show its original shape, the yellow embryo will fall off, and the pseudofungus base will also begin to fall off and separate from the insect body. Some of the insect bodies turned into plant roots and ground silkworms, and some turned into zombie silkworm bodies. The fungus base slowly turned into an off-white daylily, and the dark brown color completely faded away. The soaked boiling water gradually turned into light black, slightly Sticky. We hope that users will pay attention to identification and strictly prevent fake Cordyceps from endangering people's health.

English name cordyceps

Also known as Cordyceps sinensis, Cordyceps sinensis, Cordyceps sinensis

Source: This product is the fungus Cordyceps sinensis (berk.) sacc. The complex of the stroma and the larvae body parasitic on the larvae of bats. In early summer, when the spores are unearthed and the spores have not dispersed, dig them out, dry them in the sun until they are 60 to 70% dry, remove any fibrous attachments and impurities, and dry them in the sun or at low temperature.

Note: The fruiting bodies and worm bodies of cordyceps militaris (l.) link. can also be used as cordyceps for medicinal purposes.

Characteristics: This product is composed of the insect body connected with the fungal spores growing out of the insect head.

The body of the insect is like a silkworm, 3-5cm long, 0.3-0.8cm in diameter; the surface is dark yellow to yellow-brown, with 20-30 rings, and the rings near the head are thinner; the head is reddish-brown, with 8 pairs of legs, and the middle part 4 pairs are more obvious; they are brittle and easy to break, the cross section is slightly flat, and they are light yellowish white. The pedestal is slender and cylindrical, 4 to 7cm long and about 0.3cm in diameter; the surface is dark brown to tan, with fine longitudinal wrinkles, and the upper part is slightly enlarged; the texture is flexible and the cross-section is off-white. The smell is slightly fishy and the taste is slightly bitter.

Content determination: Determine according to high performance liquid chromatography (Appendix ⅵ d).

The chromatographic conditions and system suitability test used octadecylsilane bonded silica gel as the filler; phosphate buffer (ph6.5) [take 0.01mol/l sodium dihydrogen phosphate 68.5ml and 0.01 mol/l disodium hydrogen phosphate 31.5ml, mixed (ph6.5)]-methanol (17:3) as the mobile phase; the detection wavelength is 260nm. The number of theoretical plates should not be less than 2000 based on the adenosine peak.

Preparation of reference substance solution: Precisely weigh an appropriate amount of adenosine reference substance, add 90% methanol to prepare a solution containing 20 μg per 1 ml, and shake well.

Preparation of test solution: Take about 0.5g of this product powder (passed through No. 3 sieve), weigh it accurately, place it in a stoppered conical flask, add 10ml of 90% methanol accurately, seal the stopper, and shake Evenly, weigh, heat and reflux for 30 minutes, let cool, weigh again, make up for the lost weight with 90% methanol, shake well, filter, and take the filtrate to obtain.

Measurement method: Precisely draw 10 μl each of the reference solution and the test solution, inject them into the liquid chromatograph, and measure.

This product contains adenosine (c10h13n5o4) not less than 0.010%.

The nature and flavor are sweet and flat. Returns to the lung and kidney meridians.

Its main functions are to nourish the lungs and kidneys, stop bleeding and resolve phlegm. It is used for chronic cough, shortness of breath, labored cough and hemoptysis, impotence and spermatorrhea, and soreness in the waist and knees.

Usage and dosage: 3 ~ 9g.

Storage in a cool, dry place to prevent moth.

Excerpt from "National Compilation of Chinese Herbal Medicine"

The dosage of Cordyceps sinensis varies depending on the disease. During the winter season, many people like to use Cordyceps sinensis as a supplement. Let’s talk about the effects of Cordyceps sinensis and how to use it.

Ten major effects: Cordyceps sinensis is a traditional precious medicinal tonic in my country. It has a mild nature and a sweet taste. It has the functions of nourishing the lungs and kidneys, relieving coughs, replenishing deficiency, and nourishing essence and qi.

According to clinical research reports, Cordyceps sinensis has ten major functions: ① antibacterial, ② immune regulation, ③ anti-cancer, ④ anti-inflammatory, ⑤ nourishing the kidneys, ⑥ increasing adrenal cortisol content, ⑦ anti-arrhythmia, ⑧ Anti-fatigue, ⑨ expectorant and asthma, ⑩ sedative and hypnotic.

Applicable to the crowd: It is suitable for diseases such as lung and kidney deficiency, insufficient essence and Qi, cough and shortness of breath, spontaneous sweating and night sweats, soreness and weakness of the waist and knees, impotence and spermatorrhea, labor cough and bloody phlegm. Because it has a gentle nature and can replenish yin and yang, it is also a good food and medicine for the elderly and infirm, those who are weak after illness and those who are weak after childbirth.

How to choose: When purchasing, you should first pay attention to the appearance and color. Cordyceps sinensis has a silkworm-like body, about 3-5cm long, with a dark yellow to yellow-brown surface, 20-30 rings, and 8 pairs of legs (the 4 pairs in the middle are more obvious). The subbase is slender and cylindrical, about 4-7cm long and 0.3cm in diameter. The surface is dark reddish brown to tan, with fine longitudinal wrinkles, and the upper part is slightly enlarged. The cross section is white, the smell is slightly fishy, ??and the taste is slightly bitter. When selecting, the insects should be complete, plump and enlarged, bright yellow on the outside, white on the inside, and with short bases. It should be noted that some empty-shell Cordyceps sinensis is sold after extracting its active ingredients. This kind of Cordyceps has less content and is not plump in appearance. You can also break it open and take a closer look. If there is any foreign matter such as iron wire inserted into the cordyceps, it is a fake product. It is recommended to purchase products from regular stores or reputable manufacturers.

Usage: Taking Cordyceps sinensis to replenish deficiency depends on the person and the disease. It can be taken alone or in combination with other medicines. It can be boiled in water, stewed in soup, taken as a medicinal meal, or brewed into wine, tea, etc. For example, if you have symptoms such as low back pain and weakness, nocturnal emissions, impotence and premature ejaculation, tinnitus, forgetfulness, and confusion, you can use 2 grams of Cordyceps sinensis alone each time, grind it into powder, and take it on an empty stomach, once a day in the morning and evening; you can also use 5 grams of Cordyceps sinensis, mixed with Eucommia ulmoides, Eucommia ulmoides, and Sichuan Duan, etc., decoct the soup and drink it. Those who are physically weak after illness, or those who are usually weak and prone to colds, chills, and spontaneous sweating can often stew Cordyceps with chicken, duck, cow, pig, mutton, etc.

For example, using 5 to 10 pieces of Cordyceps sinensis and one old male duck, remove the belly impurities, add a little rice wine, cook until cooked, and eat, which can enhance physical fitness. Or take 4 pieces of Cordyceps on an empty stomach after decoction.

Other products: Due to the high price of natural Cordyceps sinensis and the shortage of natural resources, people have been prompted to research and explore artificial cultivation methods. The method of using strains isolated from Cordyceps sinensis for in vitro culture has gradually matured. There are many types of isolates obtained from Cordyceps sinensis. Some drugs or health products and their strains currently on the market are not genetically related to Cordyceps sinensis. After fermentation, Many of the products produced are not derived from real Cordyceps sinensis strains, so be careful when choosing.

Storage method: Generally, the amount of cordyceps purchased by a family each time is slightly more than the amount of one dose, so attention needs to be paid to the storage of cordyceps. The key points for storing Cordyceps are moisture-proof, moth-proof and insect-proof. If the quantity is small and the storage time is short, just store it in a cool and dry place. Or put it in a sealed glass with Sichuan peppercorns or pachyrhizus, keep it in the refrigerator, and take it anytime. If the quantity is large or needs to be stored for a long time, it is best to put some desiccant such as silica gel where the cordyceps are placed, because the newly purchased cordyceps are a little damp and are prone to mold and insects if left for a long time.

When Cordyceps gets wet, it will turn into seedlings, that is, the insect body will become hollow and pass through the shell. After pinching, it will become flat, but the quality of Cordyceps will be reduced. If you use white wine to spray Cordyceps sinensis (250ml of wine per kilogram), then spray with water and smoke with sulfur, you can keep the seedlings from turning for several months. Once Cordyceps is found to be damp, it should be exposed to the sun immediately. If there are insects, you can smoke them with sulfur, or bake them lightly with charcoal fire, and then sift out the pest bodies and cavities. Cordyceps should not be stored for too long, otherwise the efficacy will be reduced.

Since the 1980s, oxygen removal preservation technology has been gradually applied in various parts of our country and applied to the storage of Cordyceps sinensis. Studies have shown that cordyceps preserved using oxygen removal will remain in good quality without being damaged by insects or wasted during a storage period of up to 2 years. Compared with the chloropicrin fumigation method, it has many advantages. Not only is the total crude protein content of Cordyceps sinensis higher than the latter, but it is also non-toxic and harmless. It can kill insects and sterilize quickly and thoroughly without affecting the active ingredients and product quality of Cordyceps sinensis. It is also convenient. Storage and inspection, safe.

Cordyceps sinensis, also known as "Cordyceps sinensis" and "Cordyceps sinensis", is a specialty of China, mainly produced on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in Sichuan and Qinghai, China. Since the Ming Dynasty, Qinghai Cordyceps sinensis has enjoyed a high reputation in the international market. In 1460, Chinese Cordyceps was sold to Japan and some countries in Southeast Asia, and was known as China’s legendary treasure. At present, Cordyceps sinensis is still one of the export commodities with the highest exchange rate in Qinghai Province. In the international market, Cordyceps sinensis sells for more than 700,000 US dollars per ton.

Cordyceps sinensis is wild and grows on grass slopes near the snow line above the alpine grassland shrub belt at an altitude of 3,000 to 5,000 meters. Its shape is like an old silkworm, with a yellowish-brown surface, many wrinkles on its back, and eight pairs of legs on its abdomen. Its cross section is white or slightly yellow, with a dark yellow periphery. The body is six centimeters long and about three millimeters in diameter, much like a piece of grass. Every year in mid-to-late May, when the winter snow on the iceberg begins to melt and the climate becomes warmer, the larvae of the grass bat moth emerge from the ground and begin to move, crawling in the humus on the mountain. When the head climbs upward until the insect body is upright, The bacterial spores parasitic on the top of the insect begin to grow. When the spores begin to grow, the insect dies. The spores use the insect body as nutrients and grow rapidly. The insect body is usually four to five centimeters in size. The spores can grow to the insect body within one day. The length of Cordyceps at this time is called "Toucao", which is of the best quality; on the second day, the spores have grown to about twice the length of the insect body, which is called "Ercao", which is of second best quality; if the spores have grown wildly for more than three days, they are of the highest quality. It's useless to collect it.

According to modern pharmacological research, Qinghai Cordyceps sinensis contains about 7% cordycepic acid, about 25% protein, and about 8.4% fat, of which 82.2% are essential unsaturated fatty acids that cannot be synthesized by the human body, and also contain carbohydrates. It contains 28.9% of compounds, 12 kinds of free amino acids, and 18 kinds of hydrolyzate amino acids, including 8 kinds of amino acids that adults must provide from food, and histidine that is necessary for the growth and development of young children. In addition, it also contains comprehensive vitamin b12, ergobiol, six-carbon sugar alcohol, alkaloids, etc.

Cordyceps sinensis is used as medicine with dried spores and insect bodies. It is sweet in taste, warm in nature and fragrant. It enters the lung and kidney meridians and has the functions of benefiting the lungs and kidneys, tonifying muscles and bones, relieving cough and asthma, and anti-aging. And it is lethal to tuberculosis bacteria, hepatitis bacteria, etc. Cordyceps sinensis is traditionally used for both medicinal and edible purposes. It is a well-known nourishing and health-care treasure at home and abroad.