THE fungus Cordyceps sinensis is the dreaded villain of the HBO series “The Last of Us”Whose second season debuts on Sunday (13). In fiction, he invades the human body, destroys cells and transforms his victims into killer zombies. In real life, but this body is nice – at least for people. Thanks to its medicinal properties, it helps in combating cancer, has aphrodisiac effects and has another thousand and one utilities. They can reach $ 136,000, almost double the current Bitcoin (BTC) quotation.
The power of this organism-first recorded in 1694 in China-is due to a series of compounds present in its different forms, with antioxidant capacities, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotectors, cholesterol strongholds, among others, according to the PhD in microbiology Edvaldo Antonio Rosa, who is a teacher at the Pontifical Catholic University of Paraná (PUCPR).
“There is recent evidence (from the last five years) that the Cordyceps sinensislike other cordyceps species, it can act positively as an adjuvant (not the main drug) in cases of lung and breast cancer, as well as protecting the kidneys through immunomodulatory and hypolipidemic mechanisms and regular stress conditions, and can be used as a complementary treatment of depression, ”explained Professor Edvaldo Antonio Roso Rosa, full professor of microbiology at Pontifical University. Catholic of Paraná (PUCPR).
Why Cordyceps Is it expensive?
Cordyceps Sinensis is found on the soil of prairies at altitudes between 3,500 and 5,000 meters, especially in the provinces of Qinghai, Sichuan, Yunnan, Gansu and Tibet, according to Herbal Medicine – Biomolecular and Clinical Aspects. In these regions, the fungus is known as “Viagra do Himalaia”.
These places, however, have suffered from Exploration, which has affected the production and price – and took the lives of many people. Last year, more people died looking for the fungus than climbing Mount Everest, according to a report by Bloomberg published in February.
The Dalai Lama – Buddhist leader – even classified the activity as a crisis that encourages violence. There were reports of gangs formed exclusively for collection, with theft, murders and even use of child labor.
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In an article published in 2008, researchers reported that, in the midst of this exploitation, the performance of the C. Sinensis Born in China has decreased by over 90% in the last 25 years. Because of this, they wrote, the price fired to more than 200,000 Renminbi (RMB) per kilo (approximately $ 25,000 in 2007), and its use was limited because of the restricted offer. Today, according to the calculation of Bloomberg450 grams of fungus can cost $ 136,000 in luxury markets in Beijing.
According to a study by the University of Massachusetts, the annual cordyceps production moves about US $ 11 billion per year.
Variations and consumption in Brazil
Faced with scarcity and high cost, other species of the genus Cordyceps were used as well, as C. Militaris, C. Liangshanensis, C. Gunnii and C. Cicadicola. According to specialized literature, there are about 350 known species of the genus Cordyceps worldwide.
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Some of them are cultivated in the laboratory, which significantly reduces costs. In Brazil and other countries, it is possible to find the product in the form of capsules sold in pharmacies, stores of natural products and e -commerce from R $ 50. In China, the C. Sinensis It was officially registered as an herbal drug. Traditional, it has been used for over 300 years to treat fatigue, cough, sexual dysfunction and kidney problems.
In Brazil, explains Professor Rosa, the National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa) allows the species to be marketed as a food supplement, but not as a medicine. This means that it is not subject to more rigorous regulation applied to drugs.
Overall, use is considered safe, but there are caveats. “In the case of the use of C. Sinensis And from other species, a lot of information on therapeutic aspects has been obtained and the wide majority of studies (ECR, RS and Metanalysis) shows that the benefits can potentially justify their use as an adjuvant medication in different therapies. ”
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Nice, but not so much
Despite bringing benefits to humans, Cordyceps is a real nightmare for insects and other arthropods. In ants, spiders and other small animals, the fungus invades the host’s body, takes control of its nervous system and consumes it inside. Then it sprouts out of the corpse, as if it were “born” from the victim. It is this macabre – and real – behavior that inspired HBO’s production.