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Scientists find substitute for rare herb
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CHINESE scientists have developed a substitute for wild caterpillar fungus, a rare Tibetan herb known for its cancer-resisting properties.
According to the science department of northwest China’s Qinghai Province, after 11 years research, scientists can extract and cultivate the hypha from caterpillar fungus by producing an artificial substitute.
“The research was sponsored by the provincial government, as it wanted to stop depletion of the wild herb,” said Zhang Chaoyuan, deputy director of the science department.
A tiny stalk of fungus, known in China as “winter worm, summer grass”, sells for about the same price as gold. The wild herb has been a key source of income for ethnic Tibetans living in the region. But excessive digging of the fungus, which has a long growing cycle, has led to serious damage to the fragile ecological environment in the region.
Zhang said scientists collected the wild fungus from the Tibetan prefecture of Yushu, which is 4,800 meters above sea level, and used it to produce the artificial substitute, which also possesses the herb’s medical properties.
Found only on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, the caterpillar fungus reportedly has cancer fighting properties and boosts the immune system.
The artificial product has a 97-percent DNA similarity with the wild herb, according to researchers.
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