Medicinal Mushroom Alchemy: Cordyceps Sinensis (Part 1)

Hi again, it's Atsuka, ethnopharmacologist trained in integrative medicine, mushroom fan, the owner of TKEE, a medicinal mushroom company I started on Twitch. I thought it would be best to introduce to you some of the best medicinal mushrooms available on the market by doing a short series on the most popular mushrooms. I can cover any mushroom you would like but have chosen 4 below to start us off.

(btw, I will not be using any generative AI for this since I have many scientific and traditional ethnopharmacology sources as well as my own personal clinical and research experience I can draw from. If you do intend to use any of this information, please cite me. This is not medical advice; sharing some cool shroom info only.)

• Cordyceps sinensis (Catepillar Fungi)
• Ganoderma lucidum (Reishi)
• Hericium erinaceus (Lion's Mane)
• Nonotus obliquus (Chaga)

Overview of Cordyceps Sinensis from an Integrative Medicine Point of View

Cordyceps sinensis is a strange fungi, not to be confused with Cordyceps militaris. The better known bright orange fungi that has long tendril-like fruiting bodies. C. sinensis is more rare, and is a prized medicinal mushroom because it cannot be cultivated by normal means like in a grow room commonly seen with oyster and reishi mushroom harvests. The fungus is endemic (meaning naturally found) in the high altitude areas of the Himalayas where it parasitizes ground caterpillars. The prized medicinal in it's natural form is incredibly difficult to harvest and is very expensive. Luckily scientists have now been able to cultivate C. sinensis mycelium (network of fungal tissue) in laboratory vats where the medicinal compounds can be obtained much more easily without trekking to the high mountains of Tibet and China. (TKEE does not use Cordyceps from caterpillars and is grown in a lab. That's why the price is not outrageous like in the linked short documentary.)

Stock Photo Courtesy of Britannica

Cordyceps sinensis has a been known as

• Dong Chong Xia Cao [冬虫夏草] in Chinese (Hey no laughing.)
• Tochukaso [トウチュウカソウ] in Japanese
• Yarza Günbu [དབྱར་རྩྭ་དགུན་འབུ་] in Tibetan

Traditional and contemporary uses extend many centuries as a tonic to support lung health likely due to the high altitude dwelling villagers who found that it helped with cough, wheezing, fatigue, and associated symptoms of altitude sickness. The mushroom has effects that are noticeably warming and has a sweet taste which may have been particularly comforting in the dry, bitter, and freezing climates where it is found. In contemporary medicine, the fungus has been used by professional athletes to boost performance especially due to the increase in research into medicinal compounds present in the fruiting bodies and mycelium.

Biochemical compounds and possible effects may include:

• Cordycepin [Anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic]
• Adenosine [Vasodilator, sleep enhancer, energy metabolism]
• Ergosterol [Provitamin of vitamin D, neuroprotective, anti-lipidemic (fat)]
• γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) [Stress reducer, enhances recovery via sleep]

From a traditional medicine perspective Dong Chong Xia Cao tonifies Shen Yang [腎陽] and Fei Yin [肺陰] which may translate to improved lung and kidney function via the kidney-erythropoetin axis. Dosages range anywhere from 3g to 9g a day with no known toxic effects although constipation and abdominal bloating has been reported in people with poor digestion or gastrointestinal diseases. There are varying forms of the mushroom that are available on the market including the whole fungi fruiting body with the caterpillar, dried fungi powders, and various extracts with higher concentrations of specific compounds.

This odd fungi is kinda creepy but cool. Would you guys take this fungi? I personally take it as an extract powder and it pairs nicely with matcha or black tea for energy.

Two short videos on Cordyceps sinensis and how it is harvested traditionally here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgctMBcoQ1E

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pT0c9BesvV4&t=310s

Scientific research papers on the topic for anyone interested:

PMID: 25960753 - Cordyceps

PMID: 24716152 - Cordyceps

PMID: 32545666 - Cordyceps

PMID: 32384746 - Adenosine

PMID: 37759787 - Adenosine

PMID: 37444267 - Ergosterol

PMID: 33041752 - GABA

PMID: 39996752 - Erythropoetin

PMID: 40137802 -Erythropoetin

https://doi.org/10.1161/01.CIR.92.8.2135 - Adenosine