Cordyceps

Cordyceps sinensis is one of the most valued medicinal fungi in all of TCM. Once reserved exclusively for the emperors of Ancient China, this versatile mushroom is now the tonic of competitive athletes. Cordyceps attracted public attention in 1993 when a group of Chinese runners using Cordyceps extracts to enhance endurance and recovery during training,* broke nine world records in the World Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Germany. Modern clinical applications and research closely mirror those uses described in TCM*

How Supplied

150 Vcaps
400mg per Vcap

Instructions For Use

Three to four capsules twice daily, AM and PM, on an empty stomach.

Indications

Adrenal fatigue,* Occasional Fatigue* (with Reishi), Kidney Support,* Respiratory Issues,* Sports Supplement to Enhance Energy,* Stamina and Endurance.*

Toxicity, Cautions, Contradictions

No toxicity or side effects are reported in the available literature. Also, immuno-modulating substances should be avoided completely in organ-transplant patients or other people utilizing immuno-suppressive agents.

Clinical Research

There has been a significant amount of research done on Cordyceps. Studies have looked at the immuno-modulating and immuno-regulating activities, uses in supporting renal health and respiratory health.* 1,2

Traditional Use and Preparation

Cordyceps is sweet and acrid in taste and warm in nature, acting through the lung and kidney channels.3 Cordyceps invigorates the kidneys and protects the lungs.* Cordyceps is also used in cases of occasional fatigue. For most conditions Cordyceps is prepared as a decoction, although when used as a tonic in TCM the fruit bodies are often cooked into a chicken broth.5

Active Constituents

Polysaccharides, Adenosine, Cordycepic Acid.

Extraction Information

Wild Cordyceps sinensis fruit bodies and cultivated Cordyceps sinensis mycelium have demonstrated equal levels of immune activity,* neither being superior to the other.6 The modern clinical research has been conducted with hot-water extracts of the cultivated mycelium. The optimal preparation for both is a hot-water or hot-water/ethanol extract.

Our product is a hot-water/ethanol extract from the Cs-4 strain of Cordyceps. The mycelium is cultivated on an all-natural chemical-free nutrient base. This process yields all of the active constituents that make Cordyceps one of the most highly prized medicinal mushrooms.

References

1. Zhu, J., et al., The Scientific Rediscovery of an Ancient Chinese Herbal Medicine: Cordyceps sinensis, Part 1. The Journal of Alt and Comp Med. 1998 (4); 3:289-303.
2. Zhu, J., et al., The Scientific Rediscovery of an Ancient Chinese Herbal Medicine: Cordyceps sinensis, Part 2. The Journal of Alt and Comp Med. 1998 (4); 4:429-57.
3. Hobbs, C., Medicinal Mushrooms. Botanica Press. 1995.
4. Xie, Z., Huang, X., Lou, Z., Li, S., Zhou, L., Yuan, S., Yang, Z., Tang, Z., Dictionary of Traditional Chinese Medicine. The Commercial Press Ltd., Hong Kong. 1988.
5. Liu, B., Bau, Y., Fungi Pharmacopoeia. Kiniko Press. 1980.
6. Chen, D., et al. Effects of natural Cordyceps and the cultured mycelia of Cordyceps sinensis on murine immune organs and functions of mononuclear phagocyte system. Abstracts of Chinese Medicine, 1:371.
1985.