Cordyceps (Cordyceps sinensis) (Cordyceps sinensis)

Cordyceps sinensis (natural caterpillar fungus) and its cultivated analogues (C. militaris, Cs-4 mycelium) contain a complex nutritional and bioactive profile. **Macronutrients (per 100 g dry weight, approximate):** Protein: 20–35 g (rich in essential amino acids including glutamic acid, aspartic acid, arginine, and lysine); Crude fat: 2–8 g (predominantly oleic acid, linoleic acid, palmitic acid, and stearic acid); Total carbohydrates: 25–45 g (including polysaccharides and mannitol/D-mannitol ~7–12 g); Dietary fiber: 15–25 g; Ash: 4–8 g. **Key Bioactive Compounds:** • Cordycepin (3′-deoxyadenosine): 0.1–0.5% in C. sinensis, up to 0.5–1.0% in cultivated C. militaris; primary pharmacologically active nucleoside analog responsible for anti-inflammatory and anti-proliferative effects. • Adenosine: 0.1–0.3%; contributes to vasodilatory and immunomodulatory activity. • Other nucleosides: uridine, guanosine, inosine, and thymidine present in trace to moderate amounts. • Polysaccharides (β-glucans, galactomannans, and exopolysaccharides): ~3–8% dry weight; key immunomodulatory fraction, primarily β-(1→3)- and β-(1→6)-D-glucans. • Cordycepic acid (D-mannitol): ~7–12% dry weight; osmotic and antitussive activity. • Ergosterol (provitamin D₂): ~0.1–0.4%; converts to vitamin D₂ upon UV exposure. • Sterols: ergosterol peroxide, β-sitosterol, and daucosterol (trace amounts). **Minerals (per 100 g dry weight):** Potassium: 200–400 mg; Phosphorus: 300–600 mg; Calcium: 10–30 mg; Magnesium: 30–60 mg; Iron: 5–15 mg; Zinc: 3–8 mg; Selenium: 5–30 µg (highly variable depending on substrate and origin); Manganese: 1–5 mg. Note: Wild C. sinensis from Tibetan Plateau may contain elevated levels of arsenic (sometimes >1 mg/kg) and other heavy metals due to soil bioaccumulation — a safety consideration. **Vitamins:** Vitamin B₁ (thiamine): ~0.1–0.3 mg/100 g; Vitamin B₂ (riboflavin): ~0.3–0.8 mg/100 g; Vitamin B₃ (niacin): ~2–5 mg/100 g; Vitamin B₁₂: trace amounts reported but biologically active form debated; Vitamin E (tocopherols): trace. **Lipid-Specific Bioactives:** Fatty acid composition includes oleic acid (~30–50% of total lipids), linoleic acid (~15–30%), palmitic acid (~15–25%), and stearic acid (~5–10%). **Bioavailability Notes:** Cordycepin is orally bioavailable but rapidly deaminated by adenosine deaminase (ADA) in vivo, yielding 3′-deoxyinosine with reduced activity (plasma half-life ~1.6 min in animal models without ADA inhibitors); co-administration with ADA inhibitors such as pentostatin enhances systemic exposure. β-Glucan polysaccharides have limited GI absorption due to high molecular weight but exert immunomodulatory effects through Peyer's patch M-cell uptake and Dectin-1 receptor interaction on gut-associated immune cells. Mannitol is well-absorbed orally. Ergosterol bioavailability is moderate and enhanced by lipid co-ingestion. Hot-water extraction significantly increases polysaccharide yield versus unprocessed material. Cultivated Cs-4 mycelium (fermentation-derived) and C. militaris fruiting bodies may differ substantially from wild C. sinensis in cordycepin, adenosine, and polysaccharide content.