Caterpillar Fungus in Yunnan

Caterpillar fungus冬虫夏草 is a common name for the fungus Ophiocordyceps sinensis. This parasitic fungus is known for its medicinal properties and is particularly famous in traditional Chinese medicine.

Description

  • Scientific Name: Ophiocordyceps sinensis
  • Family: Ophiocordycipitaceae
  • Genus: Ophiocordyceps

Morphology:

  • Fruit Body: The fruiting body is a stick-like structure that can reach up to 6 cm in length and 2 mm in diameter. It is initially leathery, yellowish at the base, brownish in the middle, and dark brown at the tip. After drying, it becomes cork-like and changes color to grey-brown or black.
  • Stroma: The stroma (the main body of the fungus) is cylindrical, smooth to slightly rough, and white inside when fresh.
  • Spores: The ascospores are thread-like, colorless, thin-walled, and segmented. They measure approximately 120-262 micrometers in length and 5-6 micrometers in width.

Habitat

  • Altitude: Ophiocordyceps sinensis typically grows in high-altitude regions, between 3000 and 4000 meters above sea level.
  • Environment: It is found in the soil of alpine meadows, river valleys, and grassy areas.
  • Distribution in China: It is native to Tibet, Qinghai, Gansu, Sichuan, Guizhou, and Yunnan provinces.

Growth Cycle

  • August to October: The larvae of the bat moth (a host) become infected with Ophiocordyceps sinensis spores. Infected larvae become sluggish and die, turning into “zombie worms.”
  • November to February: The fruiting body growth is very slow or halted due to low temperatures.
  • March to April: As temperatures rise and the soil thaws, the fungus grows rapidly, and mycelium forms a membrane on the surface of the dead larvae.
  • May to June: The fruiting body emerges from the ground and grows to 20-50 mm in length.
  • June to July: The head of the fruiting body expands, and spores mature and are released. The fungus completes its life cycle by infecting new larvae.

Chemical Composition

  • Nucleotides: Includes cordycepin, adenosine, uridine.
  • Polysaccharides: Contains D-mannitol (cordycepic acid).
  • Sterols: Includes ergosterol, cholesterol.
  • Other Components: Crude protein, fats, fatty acids, vitamin B12.

Medicinal Uses

  • Immune Modulation: Polysaccharides in the fungus help regulate the immune system.
  • Respiratory Health: Effective in treating cough, phlegm, and asthma.
  • Sexual Health: Exhibits androgen-like effects, helping with sexual dysfunction.
  • Anti-Tumor: Inhibits cancer growth, including lung cancer and lymphoma.
  • Other Benefits: Antibacterial, anti-fatigue, anti-aging, anti-myocardial ischemia, and renal protective effects.

Ophiocordyceps sinensis, commonly known as cordyceps or winter worm summer grass, is a type of parasitic fungus from the Ophiocordycipitaceae family. Its scientific classification is as follows:

  • Scientific Name: Ophiocordyceps sinensis (Berk.) G.H. Sung, J.M.Sung, Hywel-Jones & Spatafora
  • Family: Ophiocordycipitaceae
  • Genus: Ophiocordyceps

Morphological Characteristics

Fruiting Body:

  • Structure: The fruiting body is annual and rod-shaped. When fresh, it is leather-like, with a base that is pale yellow, a middle section that is yellow-brown, and a tip that is black-brown. It can grow up to 6 cm long and 2 mm in diameter.
  • Texture: Internally, it is white when fresh, turning corky when dried. Externally, it is gray-brown to black-brown, smooth to slightly rough.
  • Spore-producing Structures: The fruiting body produces a black-brown, prominent perithecium with a slightly pointed, sterile apex. The base is covered with fine hairs when young, which fall off when mature.

Hyphae:

  • Appearance: The hyphae are colorless, thick-walled, frequently septate, and occasionally branched. They are regularly arranged, typically 3-6 micrometers in diameter, occasionally expanding up to 12 micrometers.

Asci and Ascospores:

  • Asci: The asci are cylindrical, colorless, and have a linear opening. They contain two ascospores, measuring (175- )190-305( -312) micrometers by (7.5- )7.8-9.5( -10) micrometers.
  • Ascospores: The ascospores are thread-like, colorless, thin-walled, and frequently septate when mature, measuring (118- )120-262( -270) micrometers by (4.5- )5-6( -6.5) micrometers. The average length is 204 micrometers, average width is 5.46 micrometers, with a length-to-width ratio of 37.3.

Complex Formation:

  • The fungus forms a complex with the larvae of the bat moth. The larvae, which resemble silkworms, are 3-5 cm long and 0.3-0.8 cm in diameter, with a deep yellow to yellow-brown surface marked by 20-30 rings. The head is red-brown with 8 pairs of legs, the middle 4 pairs being more prominent. The texture is brittle and breaks easily, with a slightly flat surface that is pale yellow-white.

Uses and Distribution:

  • Habitat: Cordyceps sinensis grows in high-altitude regions between 3000 and 4000 meters above sea level, typically in the soil of grasslands, river valleys, and grass patches. In China, it is found primarily in Tibet, Qinghai, Gansu, Sichuan, Guizhou, and Yunnan.
  • Traditional Uses: It is a unique traditional Chinese medicine, known alongside ginseng and deer antler as one of the three major supplements. According to traditional Chinese medicine, it is sweet and neutral, used to tonify the kidneys and lungs, stop bleeding, and resolve phlegm. It is prescribed for kidney deficiency, impotence, nocturnal emissions, lower back and knee pain, chronic cough with weak breathing, and hemoptysis.

Conservation Status:

  • Red List Status: Listed in the “Chinese Red List of Biodiversity—Volume on Large Fungi” with a conservation status of Vulnerable (VU).

Habitat and Growth Conditions

Habitat:

  • Altitude: Ophiocordyceps sinensis primarily grows in high-altitude areas between 3000 and 4000 meters above sea level. It is commonly found in the soil of grasslands, river valleys, and grassy patches.
  • Distribution in China: It is distributed across the high-altitude regions and snow-capped grasslands of Tibet, Qinghai, Gansu, Sichuan, Guizhou, and Yunnan provinces.

Growth Conditions:

  • The distribution of Ophiocordyceps sinensis is closely related to various environmental factors including altitude, climate, temperature, humidity, light, soil, and vegetation. Among these, rainfall and temperature have the most significant impact.

Growth Habits

  • August to October: In late August, the larvae of the bat moth, which serve as hosts, come into contact with the spores of Ophiocordyceps sinensis carried by wind or rain. If environmental conditions are favorable, the spores infect the larvae. Infected larvae become sluggish and die in October when temperatures are between 2-9°C, turning into “zombie worms.”
  • November to February: During this period, the ground temperature is extremely low, causing very slow or halted growth of the fruiting body.
  • March to April: As temperatures rise to 4-10°C and the soil thaws, mycelium grows on the surface of the dead larvae and forms a membrane with the soil.
  • May to June: The fruiting body rapidly grows to 20-50 mm in length, emerging from the ground.
  • June to July: In late June to July, the head of the fruiting body expands, and the ascospores mature and are ejected under suitable temperature, humidity, and light conditions. The decayed larvae underground leave a hollow fruiting body, and the released spores can infect new bat moth larvae. In a natural setting, completing both the asexual and sexual generations of Ophiocordyceps sinensis takes approximately three years.

Main Values

Chemical Components:

  • Nucleotides: Includes cordycepin, adenosine, uridine, etc.
  • Polysaccharides: Contains D-mannitol (cordycepic acid).
  • Sterols: Includes ergosterol, cholesterol, etc.
  • Also contains crude protein, fats, fatty acids, and vitamin B12.

Pharmacological Effects:

  • Immunomodulation: Cordyceps polysaccharides have bidirectional regulatory effects.
  • Antitussive, Expectorant, and Bronchodilator: Significant effects in relieving cough, phlegm, and asthma.
  • Androgen-like Effects: Regulates and restores sexual dysfunction in male test animals.
  • Anti-tumor: Inhibits primary lung cancer and spontaneous lung metastasis, as well as lymphoma in mice. Also has antibacterial, anti-fatigue, anti-aging, anti-myocardial ischemia, and renal protective effects.

Function and Indications:

  • Properties: Sweet, neutral.
  • Functions: Tonifies kidneys and lungs, stops bleeding, resolves phlegm. Used for kidney deficiency, impotence, nocturnal emissions, lower back and knee pain, chronic cough with weak breathing, and hemoptysis.

Conservation Status

  • Conservation Level: Listed in the “Red List of China’s Biodiversity – Macrofungi” with a conservation status of Vulnerable (VU).