1. Is Cordyceps a combination of Cordyceps?

A: Cordyceps sinensis is a fungus that parasitizes insects and absorbs nutrients from them. In fact, it is an entomogenous fungus. Because the underground part is the mycelium contained in the insect shell, and the aboveground part is a grasslike Cordyceps, it is called Cordyceps. It is not a simple combination of "insect" and "grass", but a wonderful combination of insects and fungi formed by fungi parasitic in insects. Some cordyceps can parasitize spiders, other fungi and some plants.

2. Is Cordyceps sinensis a Cordyceps sinensis?

A: There are many kinds of Cordyceps sinensis, and Cordyceps sinensis is just one of them. Cordyceps sinensis is a general term for many kinds of fungi. Cordyceps sinensis also includes Cordyceps militaris, cicada flower, Cordyceps globosa and so on.

3. How many kinds of Cordyceps are there in the world?

A: There are more than 500 species of Cordyceps recorded in the world, and there are more than 50 species of/kloc-0 recorded in China, including Cordyceps sinensis, cicada, Cordyceps militaris and Corynebacterium tenuipes. Due to the weak discipline foundation, only a few of them have been developed, researched, utilized and industrialized.

4. What is the earliest ancient book that records Cordyceps sinensis?

A: More than 2,000 years ago, it was recorded in Shennong's Classic of Materia Medica that the silkworm was used as medicine and listed as a "domestic product". Modern research has proved that Bombyx Batryticatus is an asexual form of Cordyceps sinensis, which is the earliest record about Cordyceps sinensis.

5. Is cicada a Cordyceps?

A: Cicada is a kind of Cordyceps, which belongs to Cordyceps in fungal classification. Its growth and reproduction conforms to the growth and life law of Cordyceps sinensis, and has similar morphological structure and life history with other Cordyceps sinensis. The Institute of Microbiology of China Academy of Sciences has scientifically identified cicada, which proves that cicada is a kind of Cordyceps. So it can be said for sure that cicada is a kind of cordyceps.

6. Why haven't you heard of cicadas before?

A: The history of cicada flower is earlier than that of Cordyceps sinensis, but why is its popularity far less than that of Cordyceps sinensis? There are three reasons: 1, and the yield of cicada flower is lower than that of Cordyceps sinensis. In an acre of wild bamboo forest, only about 6 cicadas can grow on average; Moreover, the bamboo forest area in China is not as large as the alpine meadow on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, where Cordyceps sinensis is distributed. It only takes more than a week for cicada and cordyceps to break ground, and the flowers wither, so it is difficult to pick. The harvest period of Cordyceps sinensis is also longer than that of cicada. Thirdly, from the medicinal point of view, the systematic research on cicada flower started late, and it has only been used to treat kidney disease for more than 20 years. Prior to this, the main effects recorded in medical classics were "children's epilepsy, crying at night and palpitation", which was not as remarkable as Cordyceps sinensis's "protecting lung and benefiting kidney", and its efficacy in treating various debilitating diseases, stopping bleeding and relieving cough was so remarkable.

7. Can all cicadas grow Cordyceps?

A: No, there are many kinds of cicadas. There are more than 2,500 species in the world, but only 7 species of cicada and cordyceps have been recorded so far. There are mainly bamboo cicadas, mountain cicadas, dragonflies, Yunnan black cicadas, grass cicadas, small cicadas and spiny cicadas.

8. When was cicada first used?

A: As early as 65,438+0,500 years ago, in the Northern and Southern Dynasties, Lei Gong's On Lei Gong's Baking, there was a detailed record about the processing method of cicada flowers: "Those who want to spend all their flowers, after picking, hang them in the southeast corner of the house, remove the soil, cook them with pulp for one day to night, bake them and grind them carefully." It means that cicadas were already being used.

9. How did Cordyceps cicadae grow?

A: When the temperature rises to 18 ~ 24℃ and the relative humidity is higher than 90% from June to July every year, the nymphs of bamboo cicada will be infected when they come into contact with Cladosporium cicadae in the soil. Conidia attached to the surface of cicada nymphs germinate to produce bud tubes, which invade cicada bodies and form worms. From June to July of the following year, the temperature, humidity and light cycle are suitable for its growth and reproduction, and the mycelium begins to grow. Some hyphae will gather and tightly twine to form the primordium of spore stalk bundle, and gradually expand to form pale yellow or pale yellow spore stalk bundle buds, which protrude from the front end (especially the head) of cicada body and grow densely. This is cicada flower.

10. How to tell the true and false cicadas?

A: There are many fungi parasitic on cicadas, not just cicada cordyceps. The main distinguishing feature of a complete natural cicada flower is that it emits 1 to several spore bundles (so-called "flowers") about 1-5 cm away from the front end of the thallus, and the spore bundles repeatedly branch upward to form a cockscomb-shaped or broccoli-shaped head, which is yellowish white when fresh and yellowish after drying, and the surface is covered with hay yellow conidia. Those spore bundles that grow from the back, abdomen or other parts are not cicadas, and those without branches at the top of spore bundles are not cicadas. In addition, there are some cordyceps sinensis that grow on cicadas, which are very similar to cicadas and difficult to distinguish with the naked eye. Even if it is difficult for professionals to distinguish, it is even more difficult for ordinary people to distinguish if they are ground into powder. For artificially cultivated cicada flowers, it is generally used in the form of powder. Some unscrupulous merchants will use a large amount of starch and a small amount of Cordyceps powder to counterfeit pure Cordyceps powder for the sake of interests. It is difficult to distinguish without professional equipment. Therefore, whether you buy or use cicadas, you should be cautious. It is best to choose a company specializing in the production of cicada raw materials to ensure the authenticity of the products.

1 1. Why did ancient Chinese medicine practitioners in China give their children cicadas?

A: There is an old saying in China that "Shennong tasted a hundred herbs and encountered seventy-two poisons every day", which shows that ancient doctors learned and proved the use, applicability and safety of herbs through personal experiments, discovered the interaction law between herbs and the natural environment, and found a method of detoxification. Modern science determines the function and safety of species through animal experiments. Due to the differences between animal and human species, the conclusions of animal experiments cannot be fully applied to human beings. In contrast, the primordial and effective human experiments of the ancestor most directly clarified the efficacy and safety of herbal medicine, which was more credible and laid a solid foundation for the application of future generations. Cicada has a long history of application. Ancient physicians clearly recorded that it was non-toxic, had the functions of relieving convulsion and spasm, nourishing and strengthening, and was used to treat children's hanging, crying at night, palpitation and other symptoms. It is also recorded in many herbal classics, indicating that ancient doctors made clear the safety of cicada flower to children and its therapeutic effect on hanging and crying at night, so they dared to give it to children.

12. What are the records of cicadas in ancient China?

A: Tang Shenwei's Materia Medica for Historical Evidence in the Song Dynasty records: "Cicadas are sweet and cold, non-toxic, and mainly act on children, such as hanging, epilepsy, carbuncle, night crying, palpitation, etc."

In Su Song's "Yuan Jing Materia Medica" in the Song Dynasty, "there are cicadas in Shu today, which shed their heads and have horns, such as corollas, which are called cicada flowers, which are also wonderful medicines."

The theory of medicinal properties by Zhenguan in Sui and Tang Dynasties records: "Its molting, with horns on its head, such as a crown, is called cicada flower, which is a good product. Sweet and cold, nontoxic. Master hangs himself, twitches, epilepsy, and palpitations at night. "

Li Shizhen's Compendium of Materia Medica records: "Sweet, cold, non-toxic. Indications: hanging, epilepsy, nocturnal crying and palpitation in children. "

"Compendium of Materia Medica" records: "Cicada is sweet in taste, cold in nature, thin in gas, yin in yang and fishy."

13. What are the functions of cicada flowers recorded in ancient books?

A: The main functions of cicada flower recorded in ancient books are dispelling wind and clearing heat, relieving spasm and spasticity, improving eyesight and penetrating rash, nourishing and strengthening the body, and treating exogenous wind and heat, unsmooth eruption, red eyes and swelling and pain, children's fright and night crying, etc.

14. What did modern scientists find about cicadas?

A: Modern scientists have found through clinical research that cicada flower can reduce the levels of serum creatinine and urea nitrogen, improve the clearance rate of endogenous creatinine, increase plasma albumin and hemoglobin, and reduce urinary protein, protect renal function, delay chronic renal failure, and is superior to western medicine in improving renal function. At the same time, patients with chronic renal failure emphasize low-protein diet in the treatment process, and patients often suffer from anorexia, indigestion and insufficient intake of protein. If there is no drug intervention, it is easy to cause and aggravate malnutrition. The cicada flower can improve the nutritional indexes of albumin (ALB) and prealbumin (PA) of patients and keep them stable, and the effect intensity is similar to that of western medicine. It shows that the cicada flower has a comprehensive therapeutic effect on chronic renal failure, which can not only improve the biochemical indexes of patients with chronic renal failure, but also regulate the protein energy metabolism of patients and improve their nutritional status. Compared with western medicine, cicada flower has obvious advantages. In addition, the pharmacological and pharmacodynamic studies of cicada flower show that cicada flower has the functions of enhancing immunity, lowering blood sugar, lowering blood fat, improving sleep, scavenging free radicals and improving anemia, and has good curative effects on tumors, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, fatty liver, insomnia and gout.

15. where are the cordyceps cicadae mainly distributed?

A: According to the survey, cicada flowers are distributed in Qinling-south of Huaihe River 18 provinces, cities and districts in China. This is determined by its ecological habits, including suitable hosts and warm and humid climate from the north subtropical zone to the south subtropical zone. In the southwest, the distribution is concentrated in Hengduan Mountain area of Yunnan, Jinsha River, Nujiang River and Lancang River valley areas, and Tianmu Mountain and Yandang Mountain in the southeast coast are relatively concentrated. Cicadas usually grow in the warm zone of coniferous and broad-leaved mixed forest, mostly distributed on sunny slopes with an altitude of 700-950 m and a slope of 30-40, showing obvious vertical distribution.

16. Are there any cicadas and cordyceps in the bamboo forest?

A: No, there are three indispensable conditions for the occurrence of cicada flowers: host (cicada), pathogen (cicada fungus) and suitable environment (including bamboo forest, atmosphere and soil). If there is no suitable host cicada in the bamboo forest, or the number of cicadas is too small and the density is too low, of course there will be no cicada flowers; Similarly, if the number of cicadas in the bamboo forest is too small, or has been continuously over-excavated, and the "seeds" are extinct, it is difficult to find cicadas again.

17. Which producing area has good quality of cicada flowers?

A: The cicada flowers produced in Hengduan Mountain in Yunnan and Tianmu Mountain in Zhejiang are of excellent quality.

18. Can cicadas still be used?

A: Not edible. If the surface of cicada flower is moldy or moth-eaten, aflatoxin may be produced, which is a strong carcinogen and harmful to health after eating.

19. When do you dig cicadas?

A: Generally, from June to August every year, the quality of cicada flowers is good and suitable for mining.

20. How to dig wild cicada and cordyceps?

Answer: In the habitat where Cordyceps grows, be careful to lie on the ground and look for it along the backlight. After seeing the fruit body of cicada, carefully remove the weeds and soil around cicada, and gently dig up the soil around Cordyceps with a scraper. Finally, the immature and nearly mature intact leaflike cicadas (including host insects) are dug up together with the surrounding soil, and then the cicadas are carefully peeled off and put into a collection box. And then dried.

2 1. Can I eat the cicadas I dug in the wild? Why?

A: It is not recommended. According to statistics, there are nearly 14 species of cordyceps which are easily confused with commercial cicadas. They are similar to cicada cordyceps in appearance and are called "cicada-like", but their strains are not cicadas and their safety and activity have not been studied, so their safety cannot be guaranteed. Ordinary people don't have the ability to distinguish. If they dig and eat by themselves, they may eat "cicada flowers" by mistake, which may cause safety hazards. There are reports on the Internet and personal magazines that farmers eat cicada flower poisoning themselves and go to the hospital for emergency treatment. In addition to eating moldy cicada slough, it is mainly because the fake cicada slough has been dug up, not because the cicada slough itself is poisonous. Due to the lack of relevant knowledge, some misinformation has been caused. Therefore, it is not recommended to dig edible cicadas in the wild.

22. How to distinguish the advantages and disadvantages of cicadas?

A: Wild cicada flower is characterized by spore stalk bundle and spore powder bound by spore stalk, which is large, complete, solid, white and fragrant. The advantages and disadvantages of artificially cultivated cicada flowers need professional equipment testing, and sensory identification is difficult. But if you taste or smell it, it must be a poor quality product and it is not recommended to take it.

23. How to preserve cicada cordyceps? How long is the shelf life?

A: The short-term preservation of natural cicada flowers should be stored in a ventilated and dry place. If it is stored for a long time, it needs to be refrigerated. However, it is recommended to eat it as soon as possible, and it should not be stored for too long, otherwise it will affect the effect. If the fungus body is black, moldy and smelly, please don't eat it again. The shelf life of cicada flowers is generally two years under the condition of complete packaging, and five years under the condition of vacuum packaging or refrigeration.

24. Does it matter why some cicadas I bought bloom and some don't?

A: Of course, the whole cordyceps is the best. Flowers are sporogenous structures and spores formed by further differentiation of spore stalk bundles. Some flowers are not formed in the late stage of development or when the development conditions are not good, or the flowers are broken during processing, which will affect the effect to a certain extent, but they also have a good cicada effect.

25. Are cicadas graded?

A: Generally speaking, cicadas are classified according to neatness, appearance, fullness and color. If the worm is empty and shriveled, the quality of yellow is poor.

26. Are there any cicadas and cordyceps abroad?

A: It is also distributed in Japan, South Korea and other East Asian countries, as well as Australia, New Zealand and Brazil, and even entomogenous fungi of the US Department of Agriculture.

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The strain bank also contains cicada strains isolated from Britain and Colombia on the west coast of Canada.