Used in traditional
medicine
since the Ming Dynasty
Cordyceps Sinensis, sometimes known as "Caterpillar
Mushroom" in North America, is a highly valued
medicinal mushroom in traditional Chinese medicine,
used to treat "lung" and "kidney"
asthenia, heart disease and fatigue.
The most outstanding work on traditional Chinese
medicines "Ben Cao Gang Mu" (Compendium
of Materia Medica) was published by Li Shi-Zhen
in 1578 during the Ming Dynasty.
"Ben Cao Gang Mu" documented more than
twenty mushroom species including Codyceps which
was recorded as "Snow Silkworm".
The name reflected the wormlike shape of the mushroom
and the fact that Cordyceps Sinensis
grows primarily
on the Tibetan plateau above 12,000 feet, close
to the snow line.
About CS-4
(Paecilomyces hepiali C.)
Natural Cordyceps
Sinensis is extremely rare
It has a 6 year life-cycle which makes it very
expensive.
This exorbitant cost led Chinese researchers to
develop a technique for isolating a fermentable
strain from wild Cordyceps Sinensis called
CS-4 (Paecilomyces hepiali C).
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This is used to produce a fermented mycelia
product that contains pharmacologically active
components similar to the wild Cordyceps Sinensis
including cordycepic acid (D-mannitol),
adenosine,
and polysaccharides.
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Auricularia
Auricula research
