How is Cordyceps sinensis formed?

In modern society, people's living standards have improved, and everyone's emphasis on health has made health care a hot topic, especially for the use of diet therapy and Chinese herbal medicine to regulate the body. This method is not only beneficial to the body but also has no side effects. Among them, Cordyceps sinensis is also sought after by people. One reason is that its effect is really good, and the other is its unique appearance. Let's take a look at how Cordyceps sinensis is formed?

Cordyceps sinensis, also known as caterpillar fungus or cordyceps, is a complex of the fruiting body of the fungus Cordyceps sinensis parasitic on the larvae of the bat moth and the corpse of the larvae. It belongs to the order Clavicipitales, family Clavicipitaceae, genus Cordyceps. As the name suggests, Cordyceps sinensis is a worm in winter and turns into grass in summer.

Why is it so magical? It turns out that Cordyceps sinensis is an animal called the bat moth, which lays its eggs underground, which hatch and grow into larvae like silkworms. In addition, there is a spore that infiltrates into the ground through water, specifically seeks out the parasitic bat moth larvae, and absorbs nutrients from the larvae of the body, and reproduces rapidly, which is called the Cordyceps fungus. As the mycelium grows slowly, the larvae also grow larger and emerge from the ground.

When the mycelium multiplies and fills the insect body, the larvae will die. This is winter, so they are called winter worms. When the temperature rises, the mycelium will slowly germinate from the head of the winter insect and grow into grass-like fungal fruiting bodies, which are called summer grass. The head of the fungus contains asci, which contain spores. When the asci mature, the spores will be released and once again look for the larvae of bat moths as hosts. This is the cycle of Cordyceps sinensis.

The ingredients of Cordyceps sinensis, cordycepin: a substance related to nucleic acid, has antibiotic effects and inhibits cell division.

The above introduces how this peculiar Cordyceps sinensis is formed. I believe that everyone who has seen it will be curious, why it looks so much like a bug. After understanding it, won’t you feel that nature is really magical? The combination of mycelium and bat moth larvae can form this Cordyceps sinensis that is beneficial to the body.