Ophiocordyceps sinensis

"Vegetable caterpillar" redirects here. For the other fungus with this common name, see Ophiocordyceps robertsii.

Ophiocordyceps sinensis
Ophiocordyceps sinensis (left) growing out of the head of a dead caterpillar
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Fungi
Division: Ascomycota
Class: Sordariomycetes
Order: Hypocreales
Family: Ophiocordycipitaceae
Genus: Ophiocordyceps
Species:
O. sinensis
Binomial name
Ophiocordyceps sinensis
(Berk.) G.H.Sung, J.M.Sung, Hywel-Jones & Spatafora (2007)
Synonyms[1]

Sphaeria sinensis Berk. (1843)
Cordyceps sinensis (Berk.) Sacc. (1878)

Ophiocordyceps sinensis
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese冬蟲夏草
Simplified Chinese冬虫夏草
Literal meaningwinter worm, summer grass
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyindōng chóng xià cǎo
Burmese name
Burmeseရှီးပတီး
Tibetan name
Tibetanདབྱར་རྩྭ་དགུན་འབུ་
Transcriptions
WylieDbyar Rtswa Dgun'bu
Tibetan PinyinYarza Günbu
Nepali name
Nepaliयार्सागुम्बा
Microscopic detail of the fruiting body
Fruiting body of O. sinensis यार्सागुम्बा in the Dolpo region of Nepal

Ophiocordyceps sinensis (synonym Cordyceps sinensis), known colloquially as caterpillar fungus, is an entomopathogenic fungus (a fungus that grows on insects) in the family Ophiocordycipitaceae. It is mainly found in the meadows above 3,500 metres (11,500 ft) on the Tibetan Plateau in Tibet and the Himalayan regions of Bhutan, India, and Nepal. It parasitizes larvae of ghost moths and produces a fruiting body which is valued in traditional Chinese medicine as an aphrodisiac.[2] Caterpillar fungus contains the compound cordycepin, an adenosine derivative.[3] However, the fruiting bodies harvested in nature usually contain high amounts of arsenic and other heavy metals, so they are potentially toxic and sales have been strictly regulated by China's State Administration for Market Regulation since 2016.[4]

O. sinensis parasitizes the larvae of moths within the family Hepialidae, specifically genera found on the Tibetan Plateau and in the Himalayas, between elevations of 3,000 and 5,000 metres (10,000 and 16,000 ft). The fungus germinates in the living larva, kills and mummifies it, and then a dark brown stalk-like fruiting body which is a few centimeters long emerges from the corpse and stands upright.

O. sinensis is classified as a medicinal mushroom, and its use has a long history in traditional Chinese medicine as well as traditional Tibetan medicine.[5] The hand-collected, intact fungus-caterpillar body is valued by herbalists as medicine, and because of its cost, its use is also a status symbol.[6][7]

The fruiting bodies of the fungus are not yet cultivated commercially,[8] but the mycelium form can be cultivated in vitro.[9][10] Overharvesting and overexploitation have led to the classification of O. sinensis as an endangered species in China.[11] Additional research needs to be carried out in order to understand its morphology and growth habits for conservation and optimum utilization.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference urlMycoBank: Ophiocordyceps sinensis was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Interview with Britt Bunyard on "Newshour". BBC. Sep 9, 2023.
  3. ^ National Cancer Institute (2011-02-02). "Definition of cordycepin". NCI Drug Dictionary. Retrieved 21 December 2015.
  4. ^ 《总局关于停止冬虫夏草用于保健食品试点工作的通知 -食药监食监三〔2016〕21号》
  5. ^ Halpern, Miller (2002). Medicinal Mushrooms. New York, New York: M. Evans and Company, Inc. pp. 64–65. ISBN 978-0-87131-981-4.
  6. ^ "Caterpillar Fungus: The Viagra of the Himalayas". NPR.org.
  7. ^ Yong, Ed (2018-10-22). "The World's Most Valuable Parasite Is in Trouble. And so are the livelihoods of the people who depend on it". The Atlantic.
  8. ^ Hsieh, C., et al., A Systematic Review of the Mysterious Caterpillar Fungus Ophiocordyceps sinensis in Dong-ChongXiaCao and Related Bioactive Ingredients. Vol. 3. 2013. 16–32.
  9. ^ Yan JK, Wang WQ, Wu JY (2014). "Recent advances in Cordyceps sinensis polysaccharides: mycelial fermentation, isolation, structure, and bioactivities: a review". J Funct Foods. 6: 33–47. doi:10.1016/j.jff.2013.11.024. PMC 7185505. PMID 32362940.
  10. ^ Martel J, Ko YF, Liau JC, Lee CS, Ojcius DM, Lai HC, Young JD (2017). "Myths and realities surrounding the mysterious caterpillar fungus". Trends Biotechnol. 35 (11): 1017–1021. doi:10.1016/j.tibtech.2017.06.011. PMID 29055355.
  11. ^ Xiao-Liang W.; Yi-Jian Y. (2011). "Host insect species of Ophiocordyceps sinensis: a review". ZooKeys (127): 12743–59. Bibcode:2011ZooK..127...43W. doi:10.3897/zookeys.127.802. PMC 3175130. PMID 21998547.