Cordyceps Sinensis
Yarsa Gumba
Scientific Name:- Cordyceps Sinensis
Common Name:- Himalayan Viagra
What it is?
 Yarsa gumba is a unique combination of a yellow caterpillar and a mushroom. Yarsa gumba in Tibetan means ‘summer grass, winter insect’. Just prior to the rainy season, spores of cordyceps mushroom lands on these Himalayan caterpillars that live on moist grass and hollow ground. After the fungus buries itself in the caterpillar’s body, it works its way out through the insect’s head. The parasite gets the energy from the caterpillar which eventually dies. As temperature increases and the snow melts -yarsa gumba emerges and is harvested at this time. During monsoon, the yarsa gumba is swept away.It is between 3,300m - 4,000m in Nepal.
Exported countries
The major countries involved in its import are China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Korea where it is used extensively for oriental medicine. India is one of the leading importers of Yarsa Gumba compared to other countries of the world.
Mycology & Taxonomy
The fungi of genus Cordyceps are parasites of insects. C. sinensis is a parasite of the caterpillar of moths of the genus Hepialus. The caterpillar lives in underground tunnels, emerging at night to feed on roots. The fungus grows and invades the body of the caterpillar, eventually killing and mummifying it. The black fruiting body (or mushroom) emerges from the ground in the spring time, always arising from the head of the dead caterpillar.
The asexual stage (anamorph) is Hirsutella sinensis (Chen 2001). Identification of the asexual stage was difficult until the advent of molecular methods; but we now know that Cordyceps sinensis and Hirsutella sinensis are simply different stages in the life cycle of the same organism. Previous identifications with Paecilomyces sinensis, Staphybotrys sp. and Tolypocladium sp. are proven to be incorrect.
The sexual stage has never been successfully grown, and commercial preparations therefore use the asexual stage, because that can be produced in quantity.
MEDICAL USE OF CORDYCEPS OR YARSAGUMBA OR YARCHAGUMBA
Cordyceps or Yarsagumba or Yarchagumba is a rare species of plant widely used both in clinical medicine and as a household remedy. Following are the uses of it. It is also considered potent at strengthening lung and kidneys, increasing energy and vitality, stopping hemorrhage, decreasing phlegm. It has traditionally been used for impotence, backache, to increase sperm production and to increase blood production. It is used specifically for excess tiredness, chronic cough and asthma, impotence, debility, anemia, to build the bone marrow. It is taken for shortness of breath, asthma, impotency, emission, soreness of loins and knees, dizziness and tinnitus. It is also use for strengthen the immune system of tumor patients who have received Radiotherapy, Chemotherapy or operation.
It can also used as Natural Viagra. For more pictures please see the Picture Gallery.
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