Nepal world famous for Himalayan viagra -- caterpillar fungus, also cordyceps sinesis

What is Yarsagumba?

Aphrodisiac

It's also known as Himalayan Viagra, caterpillar fungus, in Tibetan or Chinese, it's known as yartsa gunbu or yatsa gunbu. Its scientific names is Cordyceps Sinesis.

It's found in natural sate in High Himalayas in Nepal.

 

[Those interested in trade of this herb can contact local dealers in Kathmandu, ]

 

Yarsagumba with its Latin name cordyceps sinesis literally means summer plant and winter insect in Tibetan. Before the rainy season begins, spores of the cordyceps mushroom settle on the heads of caterpillars’ that lives underground. The fungus gets so much into the body of the caterpillars’ that it grows out through its head and drains all the energy from the insect and ultimately it dies.

 

Yarsagumba, Yarshagumba or Yarchagumba is a rare and unique herb that grows in the meadows above 3,500 meters (11,483 feet) in the Himalayan region of Nepal. There are various types of famous medicinal plants found in Nepal but the popularity of yarsagumba is simply overwhelming. For the last couple of years, the trade of yarsagumba is increasing and it has been regarded as an expensive life saving tonic. Headache, toothache or any other disease - yarsagumba is the remedy. And not only that, it is also believed to be a cure for sexual impotency – a Himalayan Herbal Viagra.

Every year during May and June, thousands of villagers from remote areas risking their own lives head for high mountains to collect yarsagumba. (From Visit Nepal.com)

There are over 680 documented species of the sac fungus genus Cordyceps, and one of the best known of these is Cordyceps sinensis, colloquially known as caterpillar fungus. The scientific name's etymology is from the Latin cord "club", ceps "head", and sinensis "from China". The fungus is known in Tibetan as yartsa gunbu or yatsa gunbu.

Caterpillar fungi are the result of a parasitic relationship between the fungus and the larva of theghost moth genus Thitarodes, several species of which live on the Tibetan Plateau (Tibet, Qinghai, West-Sichuan, SW-Gansu & NW Yunnan, all in China, and the Himalayas India, Nepal, Bhutan). The fungus germinates in living organisms (in some cases the larvae), kills and mummifies the insect, and then the cordyceps grows from the body of the insect. It is known in the West as amedicinal mushroom and its use has a long history in Traditional Chinese medicine as well asTraditional Tibetan medicine.