- Cordyceps is a fungus that grows on the larvae of the Asian caterpillar Hepialus armoricanus Oberthuer, which is found in mountainous regions of Nepal, Tibet and China. It is a rare herb to harvest in the wild, available only when larvae hatch in the summer. Cultivated forms grown on soybeans are often used instead of wild cordyceps, although these are reported to be less potent.
- The wild cordyceps herbal supplement contains both the fungus and parts of the caterpillar larvae. According to the Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, its chemical makeup includes ergosterol (a form of Vitamin D), amino acids, polyamines, fatty acids, saccharides (carbohydrates) and cordycepcin (a nucleoside which has anti-viral and anti-tumor indications).
- Cordyceps is used in Traditional Chinese Medicine to benefit liver, lung and kidney function. Research at the Shanghai Research Institute for Digestive Disorders has proven that the herb increases cellular immune function in patients with the hepatitis B virus. Additional research at the College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Taiwan, studied the herb's effect on tumors in mice, with positive results. Because most of the clinical research on the effects of Cordyceps sinensis have been conducted in China, it is not yet approved by the FDA.
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