Dragon Herbs Bhutanese Wild Cordyceps Drops 2fl oz (60ml)

Dragon Herbs Bhutanese Wild Cordyceps Drops 2fl oz (60ml)
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DH72
£129.00

What is Bhutanese Wild Cordyceps?


Wild Cordyceps is one of the premier tonic herbs in the world. Along with Wild Ginseng, Wild Reishi Mushroom and Deer Antler Tips from the Spotted and Horse Deer, Wild Cordyceps is absolutely coveted by tens of millions of Asian people (and millions more around the world), but is generally only obtainable by those who can afford one of the rarest and most expensive tonic herbs in the world. Cordyceps has been used by humans for centuries as a tonic, revered for its ability to improve performance and vitality, resist aging, and as a protective herb of the highest order.

What does Cordyceps do?


Traditional and Modern Conventional Asian Functions 

Primary Functions: Nourishes Jing (both Yin and Yang), strengthens the Kidneys and Lungs and tonifies Qi.

Secondary Functions: Bolsters Wei Qi (immunity) and relieves depression of Liver Qi.

Treasures: Yin Jing, Yang Jing and Qi

Atmospheric Energy: Warm

Taste: Sweet.

Organ Associations: Kidneys and Lungs


Bhutanese Wild Cordyceps can go by several different names:

Botanical Name: Cordyceps sinensis
Full Latin: Cordyceps sinensis (Berk.) Sacc., belonging to the family Clavicipitacea
Chinese: Dong Chong Xia Cao (Winter Worm, Summer Grass)
Tibetan: Yarsha Gumba (Yartsa Gunbu)
Bhutanese: Yartsa Guenbub (or simply Bub)
Nepalese: Jeeban Buti
Japanese: Tockukaso
Korean: Tong Ch'ug Ha Ch'o 
Common American English: Cordyceps, Caterpillar Fungus, Winterworm

Cordyceps has been used in traditionally as an elite general tonic for promoting longevity, vitality and endurance. Cordyceps is used to strengthen the body and mind at a fundamental level. A Chinese herbal “classic” states that Cordyceps is able to “increase the primary motive force for life activities.” 

Cordyceps is one of the few herbs in the world that tonifies both Yin and Yang. Because of its superb balance, and lack of side effects, it can be used by almost anyone safely and over a long period of time. It replenishes Yin Essence (Yin Jing), restoring the deep energy expended as a result of excessive exertion, adapting to stress, or from aging. Cordyceps is one of the primary herbal substances used in tonic herbalism as an antiaging agent and for the purposes of rejuvenation. It is especially good for those who are in a weakened condition or by those who desire to visibly increase vitality and performance. People in peak physical condition also benefit from Cordyceps, as it can make a noticeable difference in athletic performance, and some people say sexual performance.

As a tonic, Cordyceps is now being used by athletes around the world. It improves performance partly by improving oxygen consumption by the cardiopulmonary system under stress and increasing tissue “steady state” energy levels. Cordyceps also appears to modulate immune function and optimize endocrine system functions, increasing physical strength and endurance. Cordyceps’ has powerful, deep tonifying action. It is used to overcome weakness. 

For three years in the mid-1990s Wang Junxia dominated the world of female distance running. She became the fastest long distance runner in the world, and in history. Wang broke the world records in the 3,000 and 10,000 meter runs, and won gold and silver medals at the Atlanta Olympics. As a key part of her training program, she consumed an herbal tonic in which Wild Cordyceps was the main ingredient. Though her performances caused many people to speculate that she had used steroids, Wang never failed a drug test though she was tested relentlessly during the entire period. She denies ever using a steroid or any performance enhancing substance other than the legal, safe, life enhancing tonic herbs, headed by Cordyceps.

Cordyceps is used for the purposes of strengthening the primal Kidney functions, which include sexual functions, brain power, structural integrity (bones, joints and connective tissues) and healing ability. It is a powerful Yang tonic. As a sexual tonic, Cordyceps is considered to be one of the best. It is not as quick acting as the major Yang tonics like Deer Antler, Epimedium, Cistanche and Sea Dragon, but it has a profound long term strengthening capacity, and of course, may be used along with other Yang tonics. Nevertheless, many people claim that Cordyceps is the most powerful aphrodisiac of them all! It is commonly used for impotence, sexual neurasthenia, frigidity and infertility. It is used by both men and women. 

Consistent use of Cordyceps helps to strengthen the skeletal structure, and specifically benefits the lower back region, the knees and ankles. It is used for backache due to injury, fatigue, stress or aging. 

Cordyceps is also a major Lung tonic. It can be used to strengthen respiratory power in those who require extra energy in order to perform physical work (e.g., sports, exercise or labor) or it can be used by those who suffer from deficiency of Lung power. It is especially beneficial to those who suffer chronic Lung weakness with shortness of breath. 

Cordyceps has always been used as a primary herb to fortify the defensive system of the body, and recent data indicate that Cordyceps is a potent immune system potentiator. Many studies now indicate that Cordyceps can help the body resist a wide range of pathogenic bacteria, fungi and viruses. Cordyceps is used in Asia to help treat fungus and yeast infections, and intensive research is being conducted at dozens of institutions in China, Hong Kong and Japan relating to the potential of Cordyceps to treat cancer and HIV infection. Researchers in Japan and China have isolated a number of polysaccharides in Cordyceps which strengthen the immune system. Maintaining the immune system is one of the mechanisms that can slow down aging and prevent both degenerative and acquired diseases. 

Other studies have shown that Cordyceps can have a benefit in the vascular system as well. Cordyceps improves the function of the micro-circulation and improves efficiency at the capillary level. This is very important to our longevity. Cordyceps has been shown to help regulate blood pressure and to strengthen heart muscle. 

Cordyceps is very highly regarded in China as a tonic for those who are recovering from an illness or an operation, or after giving birth. In these cases, the Cordyceps helps the patient recover their physical power, improve their appetite, and protect the body from infection. When blended with other tonics such as Ginseng, Ganoderma (Reishi mushroom), Schizandra, Lycium (Goji) or Astragalus, Cordyceps’ power is even increased as the synergy of the various herbs results in an even more powerful tonic. 

Where does it come from?


Wild Cordyceps is a true curiosity of nature. It is a mushroom (fungus) attached to the “mummified” (transformed) remains of a caterpillar (Hepialus armoricanus, the Himalayan Bat Moth), upon which it has grown. Hepialus armoricanus and Cordyceps sinensis have evolved together over millions of years. The Latin name Cordyceps comes from the words cord, meaning "club," and ceps, meaning "head.” It is thus a “club fungus.” A whitish mycelium (main fungus body) grows around the caterpillar and invades it. By the time the mushroom is mature, there is little or nothing left of the actual caterpillar body. The outer mycelium is always peeled off in the field, revealing the caterpillar “mummy” which maintains the appearance of the caterpillar. The outer mycelium is discarded and is not used as part of the herb. This is a very strange looking “herb,” indeed. Since it has transformed from animal to mushroom, Cordyceps is generally considered to be a fungus, and is even considered to be vegetarian by most Himalayan Buddhists.

Wild Cordyceps is collected early each summer at the snow line of Himalayan peaks, primarily in Tibet, Bhutan, Nepal and China. The environment in which it grows is extremely harsh. Wild Himalayan Cordyceps is only found at altitudes above 11,500 feet above sea level, with the best Wild Cordyceps collected at higher altitudes up to 18,000 feet. There is little oxygen at this altitude and UV radiation is intense. Daily temperatures often fluctuate by 40 to 70 degrees F°. Even during the summer collection season, snow showers occur frequently and night frost is generally the rule. Only a few species of animals and certain very hardy plants have adapted to this environment over many millennia. Cordyceps normally exists only at altitudes between 3300m- 4800m and tends to grow where yaks graze.

The snow line is devoid of trees, and is a “grassy” zone of low lying alpine herbs and vegetation. It is usually quite rocky. Humans do not live at this altitude and even the hardy Himalayan natives find this environment challenging. Most foreigners who venture to the snowline experience altitude sickness. Those who are not accustomed to this altitude often find it daunting. Furthermore, since the environment can easily be damaged by clumsy clod-hopping behavior, non-natives are generally prohibited from trampling through most Cordyceps hunting areas in Tibet. Foreigners rarely make it to the Cordyceps collecting areas in Bhutan because it takes seven days on foot and by yak, horse or mule from the end of the last road to get there, and seven days back to the road. 

Just prior to the summer rainy season, spores of cordyceps mushroom land on the Himalayan caterpillars that live on moist grass and hollow ground. Spread by the wind, the spores of the Cordyceps sinensis fungus come into contact with Bat Moth caterpillars, particularly when the caterpillars emerge to feed.

The caterpillars may eat the spores, or the spores can become stuck on their bodies. The caterpillar crawls back into the ground. If the spores germinate, they enter the caterpillars’ bodies through the mouth or the respiratory pores. The fungus first paralyzes the caterpillar, then the mycelium invades the caterpillar’s body, killing the caterpillar, filling its body cavity, and eventually completely replacing the host tissue. After being “infected” or “invaded” by the fungus, the caterpillar “mummy” remains in the soil, encased in a coat of white mycelium.


As temperature increases, the snow melts – and soon thereafter the Cordyceps emerges. The stroma (mushroom fruiting body) grows up from spring to early summer, emerging above ground, hidden among other low lying plants.

Cordyceps, the Caterpillar Fungus, emerges in April in Bhutan. But April picking can be very destructive to the Cordyceps sinensis population as the ascospores are not yet dispersed and this could lead to eventual loss of Cordyceps from the ecosystem. April picking is prohibited throughout the Himalayas, though poachers don’t follow any rules.

Most Cordyceps have one stroma, though an occasional Cordyceps may have two. The stroma protrudes and develops out of the caterpillar’s forehead and is typically 1 to 2 inches long. The club-shaped stroma is a dark, rusty brown color. Under a microscope one can see that the fresh stroma bears many small fruiting bodies that contain the asci, which are sacs where spores are formed. If left uncollected, the spores are distributed in the early summer. 

Upon drying, the length of the caterpillar mummy varies roughly from 1 to 2 inches long and appears yellowish-brown in color, while the stroma varies from 1 to 2 inches long and turns almost black. 

And thus, “winter worm” becomes “summer grass” – the transformation is complete. Harvest period is short because the monsoon rains come in July. During monsoon, the Cordyceps is swept away.

Cordyceps Collecting in Bhutan


The growing season generally runs from the beginning of May until the end of June. After that period, the caterpillar mummy, which is embedded in the ground, rots. The weather is the great determinant of the harvest. And of course, it can be very unpredictable. If there is a lot of rain, there can be flooding and the ground can become so wet that much of the cordyceps rots without being collected. It can also cause flooding of rivers that must be traversed on the trip to and from the collecting zones, making them very dangerous or impossible to cross, thus restricting the flow of collectors to the collecting regions. 

When I was in Bhutan during the Cordyceps harvest season in 2004, there were terrible floods that washed away both bridges and people. Many collectors and pack animals went missing and presumably died enroute to and from the high mountains that year. Much of the crop was destroyed by excessive monsoon rains that reached the Himalayas. Persistent rain, sleet and fog caused the Cordyceps that was collected to rot before it could be dried, or on the journey down the mountain on the backs of horses, mules or yaks.

Weather permitting, the harvest can proceed for about a month or a month and a half each spring-summer. In Tibet, new paved roads have been built going up to the collecting zones and permanent campsites have been constructed, especially at the lower elevation sites. In Bhutan and Nepal, road construction has not had the same financial backing, and the regions are more rugged. There are no roads – just narrow, muddy trails winding through Himalayan passes, some featuring precipices with no railings and thousand foot drops. The collecting season is set by law in Bhutan, and runs for just one month through the month of June. This protects the collectors, the environment and the sustainability of the Cordyceps. Tibet has similar rules. As a result of these limitations on the collecting season, the amount of Cordyceps has remained stable. 

Because of the value of Bhutanese Cordyceps, there has been a problem that dates back decades with poachers crossing over from Tibet and picking Bhutanese Cordyceps. The Bhutanese government now puts soldiers along the border between Tibet and Bhutan during the spring and summer. The Bhutanese Minister of Agriculture told me that “poaching by the Tibetans is serious as they pick whatever comes their way with inappropriate tools. Early picking goes counter to our country’s principles of sustainability.” The spores must be released before harvesting can begin, otherwise the Cordyceps population could simply disappear. Since they are released by the end of May, June has been set as the month for collecting.

In Bhutan, the collectors travel and work in groups of from 10 to 30 people, both men and women. Most of them are farmers from relatively high altitude areas below the Cordyceps collecting zones. They have the lungs, cardiovascular systems, endurance and mentality (incredible patience, concentration and ability to be careful for many hours on end, for days on end) to collect wild Cordyceps. They may split up into small groups of two or three, or form lines of six to twelve people. Some will search on their own. 

The collectors lie almost flat on the ground, scanning the area in front of them. The search for the tiny cordyceps in this high altitude is a difficult task, requiring virtually Zen-like concentration and patience. The stroma of the fungus emerging above the soil are so small that they are virtually invisible except to the highly skilled collectors. The ground is covered with short plants, much of which is the same brownish color as the Cordyceps. Gatherers I have talked to claim that the Cordyceps wiggles, as though being blown in the wind, in a manner different from the plants around them, but scholars say this is not possible. The hunt is often complicated by rain or snowfall. It is always cold (generally slightly above freezing in the daytime). They keep their faces close to the ground, carefully scanning the area in front of them. If they do find one and pluck it from the ground, or if they do not locate any cordyceps, they proceed slowly on their hands and knees. Relying on experience and instinct, they stand up from time to time and move to a nearby area to continue their search. They are extremely careful to move extremely slowly so as not to step on any cordyceps. When the collecting is complete, it is barely noticeable that humans have been there.

If the soil is moist and soft, the Bhutanese gatherers have the skill to simply pluck the Cordyceps from the ground with their fingers, without breaking it. They are meticulous and each Cordyceps is a joyful triumph. If the gatherer is less skillful or if the soil is hard, they may extract it from the soil with a small knife or stick. In Bhutan, fingers are the preferred tool (see the video), while in Tibet a small trowel is most commonly used. It is important not to damage the Cordyceps, because a broken Cordyceps is of less value on the market (though it may be no less valuable in the soup pot). 

Our Dragon Herbs Wild Cordyceps comes from Bhutan. First of all, collecting Cordyceps is a very special enterprise, and the Bhutanese gatherers obviously love it. Despite the trouble of getting to the growing areas, Bhutanese Cordyceps gatherers are happy to perform this work. Bhutanese people are generally very happy anyway, and Cordyceps collecting is a special event for them. They definitely seem to enjoy the teamwork and quality time that they spend together, since most of the year they work their own farms. It is also highly profitable. For most of the collectors, the money they earn spending a few days at the snow line, once or twice each season, provides them with more money than they can earn in an entire year from their farms. Bhutanese people, being very devout Buddhists, tend to be quite peaceful and understand contentment. The Cordyceps harvest provides them with enough money to live very contented lives. 

A typical gatherer might find ten Cordyceps a day, and some lucky or skilled gatherers may find as many as twenty or thirty or even forty. If weather is bad, however, finding just five in one day might be satisfying. Since whole families can go collecting, and even whole villages, following a royal command issued by the King of Bhutan in 2004, the cumulative profit can be substantial for the collectors.

Bhutan is the source of superb high altitude Cordyceps sinensis. Because of the rigors of getting to and from the collecting zones in Bhutan, only about half a ton of Cordyceps is collected in Bhutan each year, at least according to government records. Bhutan had restricted legal harvesting of Cordyceps until 2004. However, prior to that year it was estimated that up to ten tons of Cordyceps was collected each year and illegally transported over the top of the Himalayas to Tibet, where it was merged with the Tibetan harvest and sold on the world market at a premium price. Bhutanese Cordyceps is highly prized, especially in Japan, Taiwan and Hong Kong, where it is among the most expensive Cordyceps on the market, currently selling for nearly 10 million dollars a ton – wholesale! And that means tens of millions of dollars a ton by the time it reaches stores.

Cordyceps processing



The Cordyceps is not heavily processed in the beginning. They are simply cleaned and dried. Each night the collectors sit around campfires or in the relative warmth of their tents and clean their day’s booty. Any remains of the outer mycelium are cleaned off. With the herb collectors’ most trusty tool, a soft toothbrush, they gently brush, scrub and polish each Cordyceps. This cleaning is done with extreme care, so as not to break or even scratch the Cordyceps. The caterpillar “mummy” requires the real cleaning since it was in the ground encased in a mycelial mass.


Once thoroughly cleaned, the Cordyceps is set in an area warmed by a gentle fire to dry over night (not cooked, of course) and packed away the next morning to transport back to the village or down the hill to market. My experience is that they never pack these fresh Cordyceps in plastic. They wrap them in fine white cotton, and then place that bundle into a hemp, cotton or woolen bag. When they arrive at a market some weeks later, the Cordyceps is fresh and clean with no sense of spoilage. 

Once the Bhutanese Cordyceps is sold at auction, it goes to foreign lands (especially Japan, Taiwan and Hong Kong) where the Cordyceps is either sold at large wholesale markets found in a number of places in Asia or purchased by wealthy traders. In either case, they are further cleaned (with a soft toothbrush) and sorted by source, size and condition. In effect, they are graded. They are then packaged, ready to sell to the next in line, usually a manufacturer or large retailer or wholesaler. Tibetan Cordyceps goes to China and everywhere else, including American Chinese herb shops – where it is sold at very premium prices.

At Dragon Herbs, we have chosen to use FITT™ (Fingerprint Identical Transfer Technology™) to extract the Bhutanese Wild Cordyceps into a liquid tincture for easy, potent consumption. Our Private Reserve Bhutanese Wild Cordyceps contains a complete and full spectrum of all the healthful constituents found in fresh Cordyceps. Nothing is lost in translation. The magic is all here.

Processing – Fingerprint Identical Transfer
Technology™ (FITT™) Tincture Extraction


We used very fresh Cordyceps sinensis to produce this extraordinary product. Considering the expense and magnitude of this herb, it deserved our highest attention during the production phase. I believe that FITT™ is the ultimate extraction technology in the world today, especially for precious herbs like Bhutanese Wild Cordyceps. 

Research indicates that Wild Cordyceps contains valuable components that are both water and alcohol extractable, so either a water extract or an alcohol extract alone would be insufficient to get everything out of the extraction. FITT™ not only extracts water and alcohol components, but extracts ALL components, as if you were consuming the herb raw, but with a very powerful digestive system.

Furthermore, Cordyceps is a sensitive herb. It can be harmed during harsh processing. In fact, some of the phytochemicals that make Cordyceps SO SPECIAL are destroyed by ALL conventional extraction methods. Alcohol extracts out the chemicals that are soluble in alcohol and water extracts the chemicals soluble in water. Some other molecules are destroyed, unfortunately, in the process. WITH FITT™, NOTHING IS DESTROYED.

Therefore, a FITT™ tincture will contain all the phytonutrients contained in the herb while it is still fresh from the mountain. That is why the technology is called Fingerprint Identical Transfer Technology™. The “fingerprint” refers to the unique chemical composition of the herb in question, in this case Cordyceps. FITT™ does NOT cook the herbs to extract them and therefore enzymes and other complex proteins are preserved. Even though this is an “extract,” its chemistry is essentially “raw.” It is a “raw extract.” I had it produced as a tincture because I think this requires the absolute least processing to get the full spectrum of constituents, and thus benefits.

I am confident that this is the finest extraction of raw Wild Cordyceps available anywhere in the world today.

History of Cordyceps

The medicinal properties of the fungus have been known to the Tibetans for about 1500 years. Shepherds noticed that their flock became particularly energetic after consuming the fungus and it is still used locally to increase the energy level of pack animals at high altitude, although the high price of the fungus now makes this economically unfeasible for the local people. 

The fungus has been known to Chinese medicine since the Ming Dynasty, and to it is attributed a myriad of beneficial properties, some of which have been supported by researchers: among its published uses are as an aphrodisiac, a lipid lowering agent, anti-cancer, anti-asthma and anti-hepatitis B. Research is continuing at a strong pace.

Cordyceps sinensis is an invigorant in Chinese tradition and was honored as one of the three greatest invigorants together with Panax Ginseng and Deer Antler. It has a history of hundreds of years of use in the Tibetan and Chinese herbal systems. The Ben Cao Cong Xin (New Compilation of Materia Medica) by Wu Yiluo, written during the Qing Dynasty, lists the traditional usage of Cordyceps as going to the Lung and Kidney meridians and being useful as a “Lung protector”, for “Kidney improvement” and as a “Yin/Yang double invigorant”. 

Point of Interest to Biology Nerds

It may be of interest to some of you (it is to me) that there is debate among scientists whether the various species in the Cordyceps genus are in fact single organisms or if they are actually symbiotic colonies of more than one organism. It is possible that Cordyceps sinensis may be a fungal/bacterial symbiosis. It appears that during certain stages of its life cycle, it may even temporarily incorporate some DNA from the caterpillar into its own genome! You may be familiar with Kombucha. Kombucha is generally thought of by the public as a fungus, but in fact it is not a fungus at all. It is an as-of-yet imperfectly identified symbiosis of various healthy yeast(s) and acetic acid bacteria. In nature, things are not always as they appear.

In the case of Cordyceps, which is receiving considerable scientific attention due to its great commercial value and its many powerful health properties, DNA sequencing has so far proven inconclusive as to what exactly it is. This is because the DNA sequence tends to change with time. It appears that the fungus may be incorporating some of the insect DNA into its own DNA code for the initiation of its fruit body form, then loses the insect DNA when it goes back into its mycelial form. Is it collecting Jing from the caterpillar? This organism that we call Cordyceps really IS a “caterpillar fungus.” Life is so complex. More than 90% of the genes in the human body, scientists now know, aren’t even human – they belong to the hundreds of species of bacteria that live symbiotically in our body. These bacteria are mostly friendly, but they are not just living in us independently. Researchers now know that some (or many) of them actually control functions in our body, including how we handle nutrients like sugar and salt. Some even control our appetite. 

Thus, it would not be at all surprising if Cordyceps turns out to be some kind of unique blend of organisms with primarily fungal traits.

Wild and Cultivated Cordyceps


Wild Cordyceps is as close to a perfect tonic herb as there is. It is supremely powerful, yet it is gentle enough that anyone can use it without any trace of a side effect. It is both Yin and Yang in nature and it is an ultimate Qi tonic and adaptogenic herb. It is energizing, perhaps even “stimulating,” but does not make you nervous or agitated. To the contrary, it helps preserve a sense of calmness and focus. It is a world class antiaging agent that protects immune functions and strengthens the mind. It goes through such a complex and delicate life cycle that it is impossible to duplicate precisely through cultivation.


Nevertheless, many scientists, research laboratories, universities and companies are cultivating Cordyceps in one form or another. The obvious problem with real wild Cordyceps, from the remote snowlines of the Himalayas, is that it is staggeringly expensive, putting it out of the reach of most people. 

Cultivation has progressed rapidly over the past two decades. Almost two decades ago, researchers in Asia learned how to produce Cordyceps mycelium using biotechnology. The Cordyceps is actually the mycelium and not the fruiting body, so it is somewhat different from Wild Cordyceps in that respect. Nevertheless, its chemistry is very similar to Wild Cordyceps and many studies over the last twenty years have shown that this biotechnology Cordyceps mycelium has profound health benefits. Dragon Herbs has been using this type of Cordyceps for the last ten years with great results.


In the last few years there are several new sources of superb cultivated Cordyceps. The new wave of cultivated Cordyceps does not contain the mycelium, but is completely stroma with intact fruiting bodies. Remember as I described above, the harvesters must wait for the spores to be released into the wind before collection can begin in the wild. This is to protect the species. But researchers believe that the spores themselves may possess potent actions that are extremely beneficial to our health. Reishi mushroom, for example, also produces spores which have turned out to be even stronger immune potentiators than the mushroom itself.


Some varieties of cultivated Cordyceps still have their spores in the fruiting body of the stroma. In Asia, this is considered VERY significant. The more spores, the more valuable. We have used cultivated Cordyceps with the biggest, richest spores available.

We have chosen to use Cordyceps militaris grown on rice as a base for the wild Bhutanese Cordyceps used in our Private Reserve tincture. Cordyceps militaris is a species of Cordyceps that grows in China. Like Cordyceps sinensis, it is very widely distributed and used in Chinese herbalism as a superior tonic herb and is well studied. Rice is vegetarian, clean and nutritious. Studies indicate that rice Cordyceps contains an abundance of the main active constituents of wild Cordyceps, especially cordycepin, the main active constituent of Cordyceps. Of course, it probably does not contain some of the exotic trace constituents or the same precise DNA as wild Cordyceps. But it is a superb tonic in its own right, and I would be very happy to sell this product alone as a tonic herb (in fact, we do sell it as our “snack grade” eating-and-cooking Cordyceps). There are now many different grades of rice-grown Cordyceps available. Rest assured that I carefully selected the highest grade cultured Cordyceps for this unique product. 

The Product Is Unique


Personally, I am a firm believer that there is something very special in the wild variety of many herbs that may not be testable in a laboratory. This holds true for wild Ginseng, wild Ganoderma (Reishi) and wild Schizandra, when compared to their cultivated counterparts. The stress the wild plant or fungus or animal has to endure creates some of the micro-chemistry that ultimately has subtle but profound effects on the body and mind of the one who consumes the final herbal substance. Though each batch may be slightly different, this is the way nature meant herbalism to be, at its absolute finest. The advantage of the wild variety lies precisely in this attribute – its slight variability, adaptability and wildness. This subtle advantage is important to the true tonic herbalist, who expects variation both in life and in his or her herbs.

Obviously, there are those who argue that this vagueness and relative inconsistency of the chemistry of wild plants is its greatest detriment. These people want standardization, and to some degree they have a good point. But standardization can lead to trickery and deception in its own way. In the case of a product like Bhutanese Wild Cordyceps, as with Wild Ginseng and Wild Reishi, standardization is not the point. The point of this product is that it contains an herb that has developed naturally over millions of years in an extreme environment, in a way that mankind CANNOT duplicate. 

Hedging our bets on this matter, we include the spore-heavy cultivated variety to flesh out the full chemistry of Cordyceps.

This product contains a large amount of wild Cordyceps, enough to make it a wild product. To meet production quantity requirements (the amount necessary to perform FITT™, the cultured Cordyceps serves as both an active component and a base component.

Scientific Research Summary

A voluminous amount of information about the wide diversity of biological actions of various Cordyceps species is available. The two most studied species by far are Cordyceps sinensis (wild Himalyan Cordyceps) and Cordyceps militaris cultured fruiting bodies – the two varieties of Cordyceps we have used to produce the Private Reserve Bhutanese Wild Cordyceps.

An abundance of research suggests that Cordyceps is beneficial to human health in a number of ways, since it possesses anti-diabetic, anti-pathogenic, anti-tumour, immunomodulatory, antioxidative and antiaging activity (not a claim of action for this product – just the results of some research). Many of the active components responsible for some of these activities have been chemically identified. Yet there are still unknown chemicals in both varieties of Cordyceps and there is still a great deal to be learned about their modes of action. It is likely that Cordyceps has pharmacological actions that remain to be discovered.

The chemical constituents present in both species include cordycepin and its derivatives, ergosterol, polysaccharides, glycoproteins and peptides containing a-aminoisobutyric acid. They include anti-tumour, anti-metastatic, immunomodulatory, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, insecticidal, antimicrobial, hypolipidemic, hypoglycemic, anti-aging, neuroprotective and renoprotective (kidney protective) effects. Polysaccharide accounts for the anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-tumour, anti-metastatic, immunomodulatory, hypoglycemic, steroidogenic and hypolipidemic effects. Cordycepin contributes to the anti-tumour, insecticidal and antibacterial activity. Ergosterol exhibits anti-tumour and immunomodulatory activity. 

The following summary of some of the research that has been conducted is not presented to confirm or deny the medicinal value of Cordyceps sinensis and Cordyceps militaris. It is provided to illustrate the trend in the studies for your intellectual edification. No medicinal claims are being made by Dragon Herbs or Ron Teeguarden. The only valid reason to consume this product is to support normal, healthy functions as defined by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and DSHEA. Dragon Herbs Private Reserve Bhutanese Wild Cordyceps is NOT a medicine and should not be used as such. It is a tonic herbal preparation to be used as a dietary supplement only. If you have a medical condition, are pregnant or lactating or if you are under the age of eighteen, consult a physician before using this or any dietary supplement.

Anti-inflammatory Activity

Cordyceps has shown significant anti-inflammatory activity in animal studies. Several studies have shown that both Cordyceps sinensis and Cordyceps militaris cultured Cordyceps fruiting bodies, the two varieties of Cordyceps used in the Private Reserve formula, suppresses the nuclear transcription factor that initiates most inflammation in the body, NFKB (Nuclear Factor Kappa B).

Antioxidant Activity

Many studies have been conducted on the antioxidant activity of Cordyceps. It contains powerful antioxidant chemicals which animal studies indicate increase SOD activity and reduce elevated MDA levels (by inhibiting its production) caused by aging. In animal experiments, Cordyceps enhances the repair of damaged DNA. Alcohol and water extracts of Cordyceps sinensis suppress oxidation of low density lipoprotein (LDL) and macrophage accumulation of esterified cholesterol.

Antiaging Activity

Chen & Li (1993) compiled a list of anti-ageing traditional Chinese medicinal materials, one of which was Cordyceps. Treatment of D-galactose-induced aged mice with C. sinensis extract results in an improvement in learning ability and memory, increase in superoxide dismutase activity in erythrocytes, liver and brain, increase in catalase and glutathione peroxidase activity in blood, reductions in malondialdehyde levels in brain and liver and reduction in monoamine oxidase activity in brain.

Immunomodulatory Activity

There has been extensive research into the immunomodulatory activity of the various species of Cordyceps. Results are too extensive to report fully here. A few results will suffice. 

Zhang reported the macrophage-stimulating activity of natural Cordyceps sinensis and its cultured mycelia. Cordyceps sinensisextract enhances the antibody response as judged by plaque-forming cells against T-dependent and T-independent antigens. The extract also restored the phagocytic activity of macrophages in tumour-bearing mice and lengthened the survival period. 

Zhang & Xia demonstrated that Cordyceps sinensis acts as an immunosuppressant in the heterotropic heart allograft model in rats and prolongs the survival period. Zhu & Hu found that Cordyceps sinensis prolongs the mouse skin allograft survival time. Cordyceps sinensis increases the number of T helper cells both in peripheral blood and spleen.

Cordyceps sinensis exerts a mitogenic action on splenic lymphocytes and augments interleukin-2 from spleen cells of rats with chronic renal failure. Natural killer cell activity is enhanced, and the reduction of this activity brought about by cyclophosphamide is prevented. 

Cordyceps sinensis treatment of patients with post-hepatic cirrhosis results in an enhancement of natural killer cell function, an increased number of CD4+ and CD8+ cells, an improved ratio of CD4+/CD8+, and reduction in IgA and IgG levels. Cordyceps sinensis treatment of patients with chronic hepatitis B results in increases in CD4 and CD4/CD8 ratio, and reductions in hyaluronic acid and procollagen type III. The data indicate the usefulness of Cordyceps sinensis to adjust the level of T lymphocyte subsets and to treat hepatic fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis B. 

Cordyceps sinensis increases activity of peripheral natural killer cell activity from healthy subjects and leukemia patients. 

Cordyceps sinensis improves renal function and augments cellular immune function in patients with chronic renal failure. 

It has been reported that Jinshuibao, a preparation of Cordyceps sinensis, restores cellular immune function and improves the quality of life in patients with advanced cancer without affecting humoral immune function. 

Two of the fifteen column fractions derived from the methanol extract of Cordyceps sinensis fruiting bodies inhibit the blastogenesis response, natural killer cell activity, interleukin-2 production and tumour necrosis factor-a production in phyto hemagglutinin-stimulated human mononuclear cells. Cordyceps sinensis elevates the levels of interferon, interleukin-1 and tumour necrosis factor produced by cultured rat Kupffer cells. 

And so on.

Effect on Yin and Yang


Researchers at the Department of Biochemistry, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology have demonstrated a pharmacological basis of 'Yin-nourishing' and 'Yang-invigorating' actions of Cordyceps. In their paper, the authors note that “Cordyceps sinensis, a popular Chinese tonifying herb, has been revered for being both 'Yin-nourishing' and 'Yang-invigorating' in Chinese medicine.” 

In order to establish the pharmacological basis for the 'Yin-nourishing' and 'Yang-invigorating' action of Cordyceps, the effects of wild and cultured Cordyceps on concanavalin A (Con A)-stimulated splenocytes, an in vitro bioassay for 'Yin-nourishment', and myocardial ATP generation capacity, an ex vivo bioassay for 'Yang-invigoration', were investigated in mice. The results indicated that methanolic extracts of wild and cultured Cordyceps enhanced both the Con A-stimulated splenocyte proliferation in vitro and myocardial mitochondrial ATP generation ex vivo in mice, with no significant difference in potency of action between the two types of Cordyceps. While the immuno-potentiating effect was associated with the increase in interleukin II production, the stimulation of myocardial ATP generation was paralleled by an enhancement in mitochondrial electron transport. 

“When compared with typical 'Yin' and 'Yang' tonifying Chinese herbs, Cordyceps was found to possess both 'Yin-nourishing' and 'Yang-invigorating' activities... The pharmacological characterization of Cordyceps by means of contemporary bioassays is consistent with the time-honored clinical observation from Chinese herbalists.”

Effect on erythropoiesis (blood production)

Cordyceps sinensis stimulates proliferation of erythroid progenitor cells in mouse bone marrow (Li et al 1993).

Effect on insulin secretion and hypoglycemic activity

Cordyceps sinensis increases the basal plasma insulin level and inhibits hepatic fibrogenesis in rats with CCl4-induced liver fibrosis. The fruiting body portion of Cordyceps reduces weight loss, polydipsia and hyperglycemia in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. The water extract of Cordyceps militaris reduces the fasting serum glucose level and enhances glucose utilization in skeletal muscles in rats.

Effect on the kidneys

Cordyceps sinensis increases DNA synthesis in primary cultured rat tubular epithelial cells. Cordyceps sinensis protects proximal tubular cells from the toxic effects of gentamicin. The possible mechanisms include protection of sodium pump activity of the tubular cells, reducing lipid peroxidation in tubular cells and attenuating lysosomal over-activity in tubular cells due to phagocytosis of gentamicin. Cordyceps sinensis also protects the rat kidney from ciclosporin-induced nephrotoxicity and ameliorates glomerular and interstitial damage. Bao et al reported that Cordyceps sinensis protects old patients from amikacin sulfate toxicity as demonstrated by decreases in urinary nephro-aminoglycosidase. 

HI-A from Cordyceps sinensis alleviates immunoglobulin A nephropathy (Berger's disease) with histological and clinical improvement.

Cordyceps sinensis and Cordyceps militaris inhibit LDL-induced proliferation of cultured human glomerular mesangial cells, which are involved in the development of glomerulo-sclerosis.

Effect on gonadal and adrenal steroidogensis

Cordyceps sinensis induces human granulosa-lutein cells to produce 17-estradiol by upregulating expression of steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR) and aromatase. Steroidogenesis in mouse Leydig tumour cells is also stimulated by Cordyceps sinensiswithout involvement of StAR. Two fractions of Cordyceps sinensis, namely, a water-soluble polysaccharide fraction and a poorly water-soluble polysaccharide, and a protein fraction, stimulate steroidogenesis. However, Cordyceps sinensis inhibits testosterone production stimulated by human chorionic gonadotropin or dibutyryl cyclic AMP, indicating that its effect on the signal transduction pathway for steroidogensis lies after the production of cyclic AMP. Protein synthesis is required for the action of Cordyceps sinensis

It was demonstrated that Cordyceps sinensis inhibits the activity of cytochrome P450 to reduce human chorionic gonadotropinstimulated testosterone production in mouse Leydig cells. Hsu et al showed that Cordyceps sinensis and fractions derived from it are capable of stimulating testosterone production both in-vitro and in-vivo. The steroidogenic activity is observed in-vivo in both immature and mature male mice after 7 days of treatment. 

Chen et al found that Cordyceps sinensis acts on both protein kinase A and protein kinase C pathways to stimulate steroidogenesis in mouse Leydig tumour cells. Inhibitors of protein A water-soluble extract of Cordyceps sinensis increases corticosterone output by cultured rat adrenocortical cells without increasing the intracellular cAMP level.

Effect on the liver

Cultivated Cordyceps mycelia inhibits humoral immune hyperfunction and increases the serum complement level in patients with post-hepatic cirrhosis, and improves liver function.

Cordyceps sinensis mycelial extract increases hepatic energy metabolism, as demonstrated by liver ATP:Pi value, in diet-induced hypoferric anemic mice by increasing hepatic blood flow. Cordyceps sinensis stimulates mitochondrial electron transport and ATP production. Cordyceps sinensis mycelial extract improves the bioenergy status in the mouse liver. These findings may explain the efficacy of Cordyceps sinensis mycelial extract in alleviating fatigue and improving physical endurance, especially in aged subjects.

Treatment of mice with Cordyceps militaris lengthens the swimming time to exhaustion. The water extract of Cordyceps sinensismycelia prolongs swimming endurance capacity and produces an anti-fatigue action in mice.

Cordyceps is one of the components of Fuzheng Huayu recipe, which is used to control the development of post-hepatic cirrhosis or to prevent its complications.

The water extract, intracellular biopolymers and extracellular biopolymers of Cordyceps sinensis reduce the hepatic content of malondialdehyde and the serum concentrations of transaminases and alkaline phosphatase in rats with hepatic fibrosis induced by bile-duct ligation and scission. Treatment with extracellular biopolymers results in a reduction in hepatic hydroxyproline content and normalization of morphological characteristics of the liver, indicating an anti-fbrotic action. 

The effect of Cordyceps sinensis on hepatic fibrogenesis induced in rats by co-administration of CCl4 and ethanol found thatCordyceps sinensis delays cirrhotic development and improves liver function by inhibiting expression of transforming growth factor and platelet-derived growth factor and deposition of pro-collagen I and III.

And so on.

Hypolipidemic activity

The polysaccharide CS-F30 from Cordyceps sinensis mycelia exhibits hypo-cholesterolemic and hypo-triglyceridemic activity in mice. The water extract of cultured Cordyceps sinensis fruiting bodies prevents deposition of cholesterol in the aorta of atherosclerotic mice by inhibiting free-radical-mediated LDL oxidation. A water extract of Cordyceps sinensis mycelia lowers total cholesterol level, reduces the level of cholesterol carried by LDL and very-low-density lipoprotein, and elevates high density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol level in the serum of mice fed a cholesterol-enriched diet. 

Cordycepin (3'-deoxyadenosine), a major constituent of Cordyceps sinensis and Cordyceps militaris, suppresses expression of diabetes regulating genes by inhibition of lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation in macrophages. It has been recently noticed that type 2 diabetes, one of the most common metabolic diseases, causes a chronic low-grade inflammation and activation of the innate immune system that are closely involved in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes. Cordyceps militaris, a traditional medicinal mushroom, produces a component compound, cordycepin. Cordycepin has been known to have many pharmacological activities including immunological stimulating, anti-cancer, and anti-infection activities. Cordycepin inhibited the production of NO and pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1beta, IL-6, and TNF-alpha in LPS-activated macrophages via suppressing protein expression of pro-inflammatory mediators. Type 2 diabetes regulating genes such as 11beta-HSD1 and PPAR gamma were decreased as well as expression of co-stimulatory molecules such as ICAM-1 and B7-1/-2 were also decreased with the increment of its concentration. In accordance with suppressed pro-inflammatory cytokine production lead to inhibition of diabetic regulating genes in activated macrophages. Cordycepin suppressed NF-kappaB activation in LPS-activated macrophages. Based on these observations, cordycepin suppressed type 2 diabetes regulating genes through the inactivation of NF-kappaB dependent inflammatory responses suggesting that cordycepin will provide potential use as an immunomodulatory agent for treating immunological diseases.

Effect on the cardiovascular system

Feng reported the vasodilating effect of cultured Cordyceps sinensis mycelia in anaesthetized dogs. Chiou et al observed a hypotensive effect of an aqueous extract of Cordyceps sinensis in anaesthetized rats and a vaso-relaxant effect in isolated aorta.Cordyceps sinensis counteracts aconitine- or BaCl2-induced arrhythmia in rats and increases the dosage of ouabain required to produce arrhythmia in guinea-pigs. It decreases the heart rate in anaesthetized rats and reduces the contractility of isolated papillary muscle or atria in guinea-pigs.

An alcoholic extract of Cordyceps sinensis inhibits abdominal aortic thrombus formation in rabbits by preventing platelet aggregation.

Effect on lupus nephritis and systemic lupus erythematosus

Cordyceps sinensis, at an oral dose of 2-4 g daily for 3 years, prevents the recurrence of lupus nephritis and protects renal function in lupus nephritis patients.

Antibacterial, antifungal, antimalarial and insecticidal activity

Cordycepin inhibits the growth of Clostridium paraputrificum and Clostridium perfringens, but has no effect on beneficialBifidobacterium and Lactobacillus (Ahn etal 2000). 

Cordycepin exerts larvicidal activity against Plutella xylostella after 2—4 days of treatment.

Anti-tumor and anti-metastatic activity

Extensive research...

Safety

Cordyceps has been used as a food, tonic herb and medicine for hundreds of years. It is considered safe for human consumption. Safety studies for pregnant women and children are not available in English. There are currently no known drug interactions with Cordyceps.

 
Traditional Functions: Reinforces Kidney Yang, tonifies Yin Jing, fortifies Qi 

Who can use it? Those who wish to increase primal Yang and Yin Essence and to fortify Qi 

Concentration: 3:1 

Specifications: 2 Fl. Oz. 

Ingredients: Cordyceps militaris (cultured on rice medium, with spores), Cordyceps sinensis (wild collected in Bhutan) 

Other Ingredients: Water and alcohol 

Usage: 2-12 droppers per day or as directed by your health care practitioner 

Remember Ron Teeguarden's "First Rule of Tonic Herbalism," summed up in a single word – Compliance. If you don't take the herbs, they won't work."












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