Cordyceps is a genus of ascomycete fungi (sac fungi) that includes about 400 described species. All Cordyceps species are endoparasitoids, mainly on insects and other arthropods (they are thus entomopathogenic fungi); a few are parasitic on other fungi. The best known species of the genus is Cordyceps sinensis[1], first recorded as yartsa gunbu in Tibet in the 15th Century [2]. The Latin etymology describes cord as club, ceps as head, and sinensis as Chinese. Cordyceps sinensis, known in English commonly as caterpillar fungus is considered a medicinal mushroom in oriental medicines, such as Traditional Chinese Medicines[3] and Traditional Tibetan medicine. When a Cordyceps fungus attacks a host, the mycelium invades and eventually replaces the host tissue, while the elongated fruiting body (stroma) may be cylindrical, branched, or of complex shape. The stroma bears many small, flask-shaped perithecia that contain the asci. These in turn contain the thread-like ascospores, which usually break into fragments and are presumably infective. Some Cordyceps species are able to affect the behavior of their insect host; Cordyceps unilateralis causes ants to climb a plant and attach there before they die. This ensures the parasite's environment is of the optimal temperature and humidity, and maximal distribution of the spores from the fruiting body that sprouts out of the dead insect is achieved.[4] The genus has a worldwide distribution and most of the approximately 400 species[5] have been described from Asia (notably China, Japan, Korea and Thailand). Cordyceps species are particularly abundant and diverse in humid temperate and tropical forests. The genus has many anamorphs (asexual states), of which Beauveria (possibly including Beauveria bassiana, Metarhizium, and Isaria) are the better known, since these have been used in biological control of insect pests. Some Cordyceps species are sources of biochemicals with interesting biological and pharmacological properties[6], like cordycepin; the anamorph of Cordyceps subsessilis (Tolypocladium inflatum) was the source of ciclosporin — a drug helpful in human organ transplants, as it suppresses the immune system (Immunosuppressive drug).[7] [edit] Cordyceps research  Cordycepin a compound isolated from the "Caterpillar fungus". Some work has been published in which Cordyceps sinensis has been used to protect the bone marrow and digestive systems of mice from whole body irradiation.[8] An experiment noted Cordyceps sinensis may protect the liver from damage.[9] An experiment with mice noted the mushroom may have an anti-depressant effect.[10] Researchers have noted that Cordyceps has a hypoglycemic effect and may be beneficial for people with insulin resistance.[11][12][13][14][15] [edit] Cordyceps introduction to the world Outside the East, the world was largely unaware of cordyceps. This changed when the fungus caught the world's attention due to three female Chinese athletes, Wang Junxia, Qu Yunxia, and Zhang Linli. These athletes broke 5 world records for 1,500, 3,000 and 10,000 meters in 1993 at the National Games in Beijing, China. The amount of new world records being set at a single track event caused much attention and suspicion. Following the races, the women were expected by some to fail drug tests for anabolic steroids. However, the athletes' tests revealed no illegal substances, and coach Ma Junren told reporters that the runners were taking Cordyceps at his request. [edit] Value of cordyceps According to Modern Marvels, a show on the History Channel, mushroom hunters in Tibet can earn $900 dollars for an ounce of cordyceps.[1] According to Daniel Winkler, the price of cordyceps has risen dramatically in the capital of Tibet, Lhasa.[16] | Year | % Price Increase | Price/kg (Yuan) | | 1980s | | 1,800 | | 1997 | 467% | 8,400 | | 2004 | 429% | 36,000 | | 2005 | | 10,000-60,000 | [edit] Gallery Cordyceps sinensis (vegetable caterpillar), mostly whole dried choice specimens. | Cordyceps beginning its growth from an insect. | | | Cordyceps being weighed in at the market in China. | [edit] See also - Medicinal mushrooms
- Yarchagumba (Caterpillar fungus, Tochukaso, Dong Chong Xia Cao)
- Medicinal Mushrooms: Their Therapeutic Properties and Current Medical Usage with Special Emphasis on Cancer Treatments by Cancer Research UK (the American equivalent to the US National Cancer Institute), 2001.[2]
[edit] References - ^ Holliday, John; Cleaver, Matt; (2008). "Medicinal Value of the Caterpillar Fungi Species of the Genus Cordyceps (Fr.) Link (Ascomycetes). A Review" (PDF). International Journal of Medicinal Mushrooms (New York: Begell House) 10 (3): 219. ISSN 1521-9437. http://www.alohamedicinals.com/cordycepsIJM1003.pdf.
- ^ Winkler, D. 2008a. Yartsa Gunbu (Cordyceps sinensis) and the Fungal Commodification of the Rural Economy in Tibet AR. Economic Botany 63.2: 291-306
- ^ Halpern, Georges M. (2007). Healing Mushrooms. Square One Publishers. pp. 65–86. ISBN 978-0757001963. http://www.alohamedicinals.com/HealingMush_Private_10-18-06.pdf.
- ^ "Neurophilosophy: Brainwashed by a parasite". 2006-11-20. http://neurophilosophy.wordpress.com/2006/11/20/brainwashed-by-a-parasite/. Retrieved 2008-07-02.
- ^ Sung, Gi-Ho; Nigel L. Hywel-Jones, Jae-Mo Sung, J. Jennifer Luangsa-ard, Bhushan Shrestha and Joseph W. Spatafora (2007). "Phylogenetic classification of Cordyceps and the clavicipitaceous fungi". Stud Mycol 57 (1): 5–59.
- ^ Holliday, John; Cleaver, Phillip; Lomis-Powers, Megan; Patel, Dinesh; (2004). "Analysis of Quality and Techniques for Hybridization of Medicinal Fungus Cordyceps sinensis (Berk.)Sacc. (Ascomycetes)" (PDF). International Journal of Medicinal Mushrooms (New York: Begell House) 6 (2): 152. ISSN 1521-9437. http://www.alohamedicinals.com/cordy_IJMM_hybrid_article.pdf.
- ^ Holliday, John (2005), "Cordyceps", in Coates, Paul M. (PDF), Encyclopedia of Dietary Supplements, 1, Marcel Dekker, pp. 4 of Cordyceps Chapter, http://www.alohamedicinals.com/cordyceps.pdf
- ^ Liu, Wei-Chung; Wang, Shu-Chi; Tsai, Min-Lung; Chen, Meng-Chi; Wang, Ya-Chen; Hong, Ji-Hong; McBride, William H.; Chiang (2006-12), "Protection against Radiation-Induced Bone Marrow and Intestinal Injuries by Cordyceps sinensis, a Chinese Herbal Medicine", Radiation Research 166 (6): 900–907, doi:10.1667/RR0670.1
- ^ Ko WS, Hsu SL, Chyau CC, Chen KC, Peng RY (July 2009). "Compound Cordyceps TCM-700C exhibits potent hepatoprotective capability in animal model". Fitoterapia. doi:10.1016/j.fitote.2009.06.018. PMID 19596425.
- ^ Nishizawa K, Torii K, Kawasaki A, et al. (September 2007). "Antidepressant-like effect of Cordyceps sinensis in the mouse tail suspension test". Biol. Pharm. Bull. 30 (9): 1758–62. PMID 17827735.
- ^ Kiho T, Hui J, Yamane A, Ukai S (December 1993). "Polysaccharides in fungi. XXXII. Hypoglycemic activity and chemical properties of a polysaccharide from the cultural mycelium of Cordyceps sinensis". Biol. Pharm. Bull. 16 (12): 1291–3. PMID 8130781.
- ^ Kiho T, Yamane A, Hui J, Usui S, Ukai S (February 1996). "Polysaccharides in fungi. XXXVI. Hypoglycemic activity of a polysaccharide (CS-F30) from the cultural mycelium of Cordyceps sinensis and its effect on glucose metabolism in mouse liver". Biol. Pharm. Bull. 19 (2): 294–6. PMID 8850325.
- ^ Zhao CS, Yin WT, Wang JY, et al. (June 2002). "CordyMax Cs-4 improves glucose metabolism and increases insulin sensitivity in normal rats". J Altern Complement Med 8 (3): 309–14. doi:10.1089/10755530260127998. PMID 12165188.
- ^ Lo HC, Tu ST, Lin KC, Lin SC (April 2004). "The anti-hyperglycemic activity of the fruiting body of Cordyceps in diabetic rats induced by nicotinamide and streptozotocin". Life Sci. 74 (23): 2897–908. doi:10.1016/j.lfs.2003.11.003. PMID 15050427.
- ^ Li SP, Zhang GH, Zeng Q, et al. (June 2006). "Hypoglycemic activity of polysaccharide, with antioxidation, isolated from cultured Cordyceps mycelia". Phytomedicine 13 (6): 428–33. doi:10.1016/j.phymed.2005.02.002. PMID 16716913.
- ^ Winkler, Daniel (2008), "Yartsa Gunbu (Cordyceps sinensis) and the Fungal Commodification of the Rural Economy in Tibet AR", Economic Botany 62 (3): 291–305, doi:10.1007/s12231-008-9038-3
[edit] Further reading - Bensky, D.; Gamble, A.; Clavey, S.; Stoger, E.; Lai Bensky, L. (2004), Chinese Herbal Medicine: Materia Medica (3rd ed.), Seattle: Eastland Press, ISBN 0939616424
- Kobayasi, Y. (1941), "The genus Cordyceps and its allies", Science Reports of the Tokyo Bunrika Daigaku, Sect. B 5: 53–260, ISSN 0371-3547
- Mains, E. B. (1957), "Species of Cordyceps parasitic on Elaphomyces", Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club 84: 243–251, ISSN 0040-9618
- Mains, E. B. (1958), "North American entomogenous species of Cordyceps", Mycologia 50: 169–222, ISSN 0027-5514
- Tzean, S. S.; Hsieh, L. S.; Wu, W. J. (1997), Atlas of entomopathogenic fungi from Taiwan, Taiwan: Council of Agriculture, Executive Yuan
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