Cordyceps Mushroom, also known as Caterpillar fungus (Cordyceps sinensis) is a species of parasitic fungus that is found in south-western mountainous China and that attacks and grows on caterpillars, specifically on larvae from the genus Thitarodes. A caterpillar killed by a C. sinensis fungus growing on it is also called "vegetable caterpillar" even though no plant matter is involved. It is known in the West primarily from its use in Traditional Chinese medicine, where it is a prized ingredient.
The fungus 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 fatigue to cancer. It is regarded as having an excellent balance of yin and yang (through being apparently both animal and vegetable), though it is in actuality not vegetable, but fungal. Assays have found that Cordyceps species produce many pharmacologically active substances. They are now cultivated on an industrial scale for their medicinal value.
1 gm contains 455 mg Cordyceps
