1. Aliases
Cordyceps, Winter Worm Grass, Summer Grass, Winter Worm.2. Plant morphology
Parasitic in the larvae of the bat moth family, the grass bat moth, which lives in the soil. In winter, the mycelium invades the insect body, absorbs its nutrients, and causes the larvae to be filled with mycelium and die; In summer, the head of the insect gives birth to offspring, exposed outside the soil; The zodiac sign is solitary, in the shape of a slender baseball bat, with a slightly enlarged head in a narrow oval shape, nearly equal or slightly shorter than the stem, with a dark brown surface and a white cross-section; The base of the stalk remains in the soil and is connected to the head of the larva. The larva is dark yellow, slender, cylindrical, and 3-5 centimeters long. There are 20-30 segments, with 8 pairs on the abdomen, slightly resembling silkworms.
3. Origin distribution
Mostly found in high-altitude mountainous areas, grasslands, river valleys, and grasslands. Distributed in Qinghai, Sichuan, Gansu and other places.
4. Harvesting and processing
When the zodiac is unearthed in early summer and the spores are not yet dispersed, dig them out and sun them until they reach 60-70% to remove fibrous attachments and impurities. Dry them in the sun or at low temperatures.
5. Characteristics of medicinal herbs
It is formed by connecting the insect body with the fungal cotyledons that grow from the insect head. The insect body resembles a silkworm, with a length of 3-5 centimeters and a diameter of 0.3-0.8 centimeters; The surface is dark yellow to yellow brown, with 20-30 ring patterns, and the ring patterns near the head are relatively fine; The head is reddish brown, with 8 pairs of feet, and 4 pairs in the middle are more prominent; Crisp texture, easy to break, slightly flat cross-section, light yellow white. Zizuo is slender and cylindrical, with a dark brown to brownish surface and fine longitudinal wrinkles. The upper part is slightly enlarged; The texture is flexible and the cross-section is almost white. The air is slightly fishy and the taste is slightly bitter.
6. Nature, taste, and meridian tropism
Mild in nature and sweet in taste. Return to the lung and kidney meridians.
7. Effect and function
Tonifying the lungs and kidneys, stopping bleeding, and resolving phlegm. A Yang tonifying medicine belonging to the subcategory of tonifying deficiency medicine.
8. Clinical applications
Dosage of 3-9 grams, decoct in water or add to pill powder. Used to treat chronic cough, deficiency asthma, coughing and hemoptysis, impotence, nocturnal emissions, and lower back and knee pain.
9. Pharmacological research
Regulating immune function, with a biphasic regulatory effect that enhances or weakens immune function; Has strong anti-cancer effects; Slowing heart rate but significantly increasing cardiac output; It has a significant dilation effect on bronchial smooth muscle, with anti asthmatic and expectorant effects; Can increase fasting blood sugar; Affects the endocrine system, as well as anti-inflammatory, sedative, and anticonvulsant effects; It has a certain antibacterial effect, can protect kidney function, and also has anti radiation and anti mutation effects; It can improve cell phagocytic function, enhance cardiovascular and immune functions, and also has functions such as anti arrhythmias.
10. Chemical composition
Contains cholesterol, adenosine, ergosterol, crude protein, amino acids, fats, D-mannitol, cordyceps sinensis cyclic peptide A, galactomannan, cordycepin, cordycepin acid, ergosterol, cordyceps polysaccharides, alkaloids, uracil, adenine, adenine nucleoside, vitamin B12, and various trace elements. Cordycepin and cordycepin are the main active substances of cordyceps.
11. Taboos for use
Those with external evil should use it with caution.
12. Compatibility prescription
① To treat tuberculosis, cough, hemoptysis, and elderly asthma: 30g Cordyceps sinensis, 15g Fritillaria, and 12g Lily. Boiled in water. (Hebei Chinese Herbal Medicine)
② Treating kidney deficiency and lower back pain: 30g of Cordyceps sinensis and 30g of Goji berries. Soak 1 kilogram of yellow wine for 1 week. Take 1 small cup each time, twice a day. (Hebei Chinese Herbal Medicine)
③ Treatment for anemia, post illness weakness, impotence, and nocturnal emissions: 30g of Astragalus membranaceus and 15g of Cordyceps sinensis. Boiled in water. (Hebei Chinese Herbal Medicine)
④ After treating the disease, there is a deficiency: Three to five pieces of Cordyceps sinensis, one old male duck, remove the impurities from the stomach, split the duck head, add medicine to it, and still tie it with thread. Steam soy sauce and wine as usual until they are rotten and eaten. (Supplement to the Compendium)
The content of the article is for clinical reference only. Non professionals in traditional Chinese medicine are not allowed to try medication.
