Cordyceps

Cladus: Eukaryota
Supergroup: Opisthokonta
Regnum: Fungi
Divisio: Ascomycota
Subdivisio: Pezizomycotina
Classis: Sordariomycetes
Subclassis: Hypocreomycetidae
Ordo: Hypocreales
Familia: Clavicipitaceae
Genus: Cordyceps
Species: C. acicularis - C. adpropinquans - C. aemonae - C. aeruginosclerota - C. agariciformis - C. agriota - C. ainictos - C. alba - C. albella - C. albida - C. albocitrinus - C. alboperitheciata - C. allantoidea - C. alpicola - C. alutacea - C. amazonica - C. ampullacea - C. annullata - C. aphodii - C. appendiculata - C. arachneicola - C. arachnogena - C. arachnophila - C. arbuscula - C. armeniaca - C. aspera - C. asyuensis - C. atewensis - C. atrobrunnea - C. atropuncta - C. atrovirens - C. aurantia - C. aurantiaca - C. aurea - C. australis - C. barberi - C. barnesii - C. barsii - C. baumanniana - C. belizensis - C. bicephala - C. bicolor - C. bifusispora - C. blattae - C. bokyoensis - C. bombi - C. brasiliensis - C. brevipes - C. brittlebankii - C. brittlebankisoides - C. brongniartii - C. brunneipunctata - C. bulolensis - C. caespitosa - C. caespitosofiliformis - C. callidii - C. caloceroides - C. canadensis - C. cantharelloides - C. capitata - C. carabi - C. carabidicola - C. cardinalis - C. carnata - C. caroliniensis - C. changpaishanensis - C. chichibuensis - C. chishuiensis - C. chlamydosporia - C. chualasae - C. cicadae - C. cicadicola - C. cinerea - C. cinnabarina - C. citrea - C. clavata - C. clavicipiticola - C. clavicipitis - C. clavulata - C. coccidiicola - C. coccidiocapitata - C. coccidioperitheciata - C. coccigena - C. coccinea - C. cochlidiicola - C. concurrens - C. consumpta - C. corallomyces - C. cornu-damae - C. coronilla - C. cotopaxiana - C. crassispora - C. crinalis - C. cristata - C. ctenocephala - C. cuboidea - C. cucumispora - C. curculionum - C. cusu - C. cylindrica - C. cylindrostromata - C. dayiensis - C. deflectens - C. delicatostipitata - C. dermapteoigena - C. diceras - C. dichotoma - C. dimeropoda - C. dipterigena - C. discoideocapitata - C. ditmarii - C. doassansii - C. doiana - C. echinata - C. elateridicola - C. elongata - C. elongatoperitheciata - C. elongatostromata - C. emeiensis - C. engleriana - C. entomorrhiza - C. ergoticola - C. erotyli - C. etenocephala - C. evdogeorgiae - C. exasperata - C. facis - C. falcata - C. falcatoides - C. fasciculata - C. fasciculatostromata - C. ferruginosa - C. filiformis - C. fistulosa - C. flavella - C. flavobrunnescens - C. flavoviridis - C. fleischeri - C. fockei - C. formicarum - C. formicivora - C. formosana - C. forquignonii - C. fracta - C. fuliginosa - C. furcata - C. furcicaodata - C. gansuensis - C. gemella - C. geniculata - C. gentilis - C. geotrupis - C. gigantea - C. glaziovii - C. goniophora - C. gonylepticida - C. gracilioides - C. gracilis - C. gracillima - C. grenadensis - C. grylli - C. gryllotalpae - C. guizhouensis - C. gunnii - C. hauturu - C. hawkesii - C. helopis - C. henleyae - C. hepialidicola - C. herculea - C. hesleri - C. heteropoda - C. hillii - C. hirotaniana - C. hiugensis - C. hokkaidoensis - C. hormospora - C. huberiana - C. huegelii - C. humberti - C. ignota - C. imagamiana - C. incarnata - C. inconspicua - C. indigotica - C. inegoensis - C. insignis - C. intermedia - C. interrupta - C. irangiensis - C. iriomoteana - C. isarioides - C. ithacensis - C. japonensis - C. japonica - C. javensis - C. jezoensis - C. jezoënsoides - C. jiangxiensis - C. jinggangshanensis - C. joaquiensis - C. juruensis - C. kangdingesis - C. kanzashiana - C. khaoyaiensis - C. kirkii - C. klenei - C. kniphofioides - C. kobayasii - C. koningsbergeri - C. konnoana - C. koreana - C. kusanagiensis - C. kyusyuensis - C. lachnopoda - C. lacroixii - C. langloisii - C. larvata - C. larvicola - C. lateritia - C. leucocephala - C. liangshanensis - C. lignicola - C. lilacina - C. lingua - C. lloydii - C. locustiphila - C. longdongensis - C. longisegmentis - C. longissima - C. loushanensis - C. lunti - C. lutea - C. macularis - C. mantidicola - C. manzhurica - C. maolanensis - C. maolanoides - C. martialis - C. mawleyi - C. melolonthae - C. memorabilis - C. menesteridis - C. michaelisii - C. michiganensis - C. microcephala - C. militaris - C. minazukiensis - C. miniata - C. minuta - C. minutissima - C. miomoteana - C. miquelii - C. miryensis - C. mitrata - C. moelleri - C. montagnei - C. monticola - C. multiaxialis - C. muscae - C. muscicola - C. musicaudata - C. myosuroides - C. myrmecogena - C. myrmecophila - C. nanatakiensis - C. necator - C. nelumboides - C. neogryllotalpae - C. neovolkiana - C. nepalensis - C. nigra - C. nigrella - C. nigriceps - C. nigripoda - C. nikkoensis - C. nipponica - C. novae-zelandiae - C. novoguineensis - C. nutans - C. obliqua - C. obliquiordinata - C. obovata - C. obtusa - C. ochraceostromata - C. odonatae - C. odyneri - C. ogurasanensis - C. olivacea - C. olivaceovirescens - C. olivascens - C. oncoperae - C. ootakiensis - C. ophioglossoides - C. opposita - C. osuzumontana - C. oumensis - C. ouwensii - C. ovoideoperitheciata - C. owariensis - C. oxycephala - C. pallidiolivacea - C. paludosa - C. palustris - C. paradoxa - C. parvula - C. peltata - C. pentatomae - C. petchii - C. phymatospora - C. pilfera - C. pistillariiformis - C. pittieri - C. platypoda - C. pleuricapitata - C. podocreoides - C. poitei - C. polyarthra - C. polycarpica - C. polycephala - C. polycladia - C. proliferans - C. prolifica - C. pruinosa - C. pseudoatrovirens - C. pseudoinsignis - C. pseudolloydii - C. pseudolongissima - C. pseudomilitaris - C. pseudonelumboides - C. puiggarii - C. purpurea - C. purpureostromata - C. racemosa - C. ramosa - C. ramosopulvinata - C. ramosostipitata - C. ravenelii - C. rebertsii - C. regeliana - C. retipes - C. rhizoidea - C. rhizomorpha - C. rhynchoticola - C. rickii - C. ridleyi - C. riverae - C. robertsii - C. rosea - C. roseostromata - C. rostrata - C. rouxii - C. rubiginosoperitheciata - C. rubiginosostipitata - C. rubra - C. rubricapitata - C. rubripunctata - C. rubrostromata - C. ryogamiensis - C. ryogamimontana - C. sakishimensis - C. salebrosa - C. scarabaeicola - C. sclerotium - C. setulosa - C. shanxiensis - C. sheeringii - C. shimaensis - C. shimizui - C. sichuanensis - C. sinclairii - C. sinensis - C. singeri - C. smithii - C. sobolifera - C. sphaecophila - C. sphaerocapitata - C. sphecocephala - C. sphingum - C. staphylinidicola - C. stenocori - C. stiphrodes - C. stipillata - C. strangulans - C. stylophora - C. subcorticicola - C. subdiscoidea - C. subflavida - C. submilitaris - C. subpolyarthra - C. subsessilis - C. subunilateralis - C. sulfurea - C. suoluoensis - C. superficialis - C. taii - C. taishanensis - C. takaoensis - C. takaomontana - C. tarapotensis - C. taylorii - C. telfairii - C. tenuispora - C. termitophila - C. thaxteri - C. thwaitesii - C. thyrsoides - C. toriharamontana - C. translucens - C. tricentri - C. trinidadensis - C. truncata - C. tuberculata - C. typhina - C. typhulaeformis - C. unilateralis - C. ussuriensis - C. valliformis - C. valvatostipitata - C. variabilis - C. variegata - C. velutipes - C. venezuelensis - C. vinosa - C. viperina - C. virens - C. voeltzkowii - C. volkiana - C. vorobjovii - C. wallaysii - C. washingtonensis - C. wittii - C. wuyishanensis - C. yahagiana - C. yakusimensis - C. zeylanica - C. zhangjiajiensis

Name

Cordyceps (Fr.) Link

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] It is known as yartsa gumba in Nepal. 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 contain the asci. These in turn contain the thread-like ascospores, which usually break into fragments and are presumably ineffective.

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 at an optimal temperature and humidity and maximal distribution of the spores from the fruiting body that sprouts out of the dead insect is achieved.[4] Marks have been found on fossilised leaves which suggest this ability to modify the host's behaviour evolved more than 48 million years ago.[5]

The genus has a worldwide distribution and most of the approximately 400 species[6] have been described from Asia (notably Nepal, 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,[7] 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).[8]

Medicinal importance
Cordycepin, a compound isolated from the "Caterpillar fungus".

The Cordyceps mushrooms have a long history as medicinal fungi. In traditional Chinese medicine, Cordyceps have been used to treat several conditions including cancers for thousand of years. Extracts from both mycelium and fruiting bodies of C. sinensis, C. militaris and other Cordyceps species showed significant anticancer activities by various mechanisms such as, modulating immune system and inducing cell apoptosis. Some polysaccharide components and cordycepin (3'-deoxyadenosine) have been isolated from C. sinensis and C. militaris, which acted as potent anticancer components.[9]

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.[10] An experiment noted Cordyceps sinensis may protect the liver from damage.[11] An experiment with mice noted the mushroom may have an anti-depressant effect.[12] Researchers have noted that Cordyceps has a hypoglycemic effect and may be beneficial for people with insulin resistance.[13][14][15][16][17]

Introduction to the world

Outside the East, the world was largely unaware of cordyceps.[dubious – discuss] This changed when the fungus caught the world's attention due to three female Chinese athletes, including Wang Junxia, Qu Yunxia, and Zhang Linli.[18] These athletes broke five world records for 1,500, 3,000 and 10,000 meters in 1993 at the National Games in Beijing, China. The number 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.[18]

Value

According to Daniel Winkler, the price of Cordyceps sinensis has risen dramatically on the Tibetan Plateau, basically 900% between 1998 and 2008, an annual average of over 20%. However, the value of big-sized caterpillar fungus has increased more dramatically than smaller size Cordyceps, regarded as lower quality.[19]
Year % Price increase Price/kg (Yuan)
1980s 1,800
1997 467% (incl. inflation) 8,400
2004 429% (incl. inflation) 36,000
2005 10,000–60,000

According to Modern Marvels, a show on the History Channel, mushroom hunters in Nepal can earn 900 dollars for an ounce of cordyceps.[1]

The high value of cordyceps was evidently the reason it was one of only two Chinese traditional medicines to be stolen in a brazen theft in British Columbia. The stolen cordyceps has been estimated to have been worth Can $38,000.[20]

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. doi:10.1615/IntJMedMushr.v10.i3.30. ISSN 1521-9437.
^ 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 978-0-7570-0196-3. http://www.alohamedicinals.com/HealingMush_Private_10-18-06.pdf.
^ "Neurophilosophy: Brainwashed by a parasite". 2006-11-20. Retrieved 2008-07-02.
^ Hughes, D. P.; Wappler, T.; Labandeira, C. C. (2010). "Ancient death-grip leaf scars reveal ant-fungal parasitism". Biology Letters 7 (1): 67–70. doi:10.1098/rsbl.2010.0521. PMID 20719770. edit
^ 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. doi:10.3114/sim.2007.57.01. PMC 2104736. PMID 18490993.
^ 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.
^ Holliday, John (2005). "Cordyceps". In Coates, Paul M. (PDF). Encyclopedia of Dietary Supplements. 1. Marcel Dekker. pp. 4 of Cordyceps Chapter.
^ Khan MA, Tania M, Zhang D, Chen H (May 2010). "Cordyceps Mushroom: A Potent Anticancer Nutraceutical". The Open Nutraceuticals Journal 3: 179–183.
^ Liu, Wei-Chung; Wang, Shu-Chi; Tsai, Min-Lung; Chen, Meng-Chi; Wang, Ya-Chen; Hong, Ji-Hong; McBride, William H.; Chiang, CS (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. PMID 17149981.
^ Ko WS, Hsu SL, Chyau CC, Chen KC, Peng RY (July 2009). "Compound Cordyceps TCM-700C exhibits potent hepatoprotective capability in animal model". Fitoterapia 81 (1): 1–7. 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): 1758–1762. doi:10.1248/bpb.30.1758. 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): 1291–1293. 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): 294–296. 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): 309–314. 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): 2897–2908. 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): 428–433. doi:10.1016/j.phymed.2005.02.002. PMID 16716913.
^ a b Mackay, Duncan (2001-07-24). "Ma's army on the march again". The Guardian. Retrieved 2010-12-04.
^ Winkler, Daniel (2008). "Yarsa Gunbu (Cordyceps sinensis) and the Fungal Commodification of the Rural Economy in Nepal". Economic Botany 62 (3): 291–305. doi:10.1007/s12231-008-9038-3 (inactive 2010-01-07).
^ Owsianik, Jenna (2010-07-14). "Bird's nests, fungus stolen in high-end B.C. heist.". Ctvbc.ca. Retrieved 2010-12-04.