ESTIMATION OF CORDYCEPIN BY IMPROVED HPLC METHOD IN THE NATURAL AND CULTURED MYCELIA OF HIGH MEDICINAL VALUE HIMALAYAN ENTOMOGENOUS FUNGUS CORDYCEPS SINENSIS

Cordyceps sinensis or Caterpillar Mushroom is a high medicinal value entomogenous fungus, used as physical performance enhancer neutraceutical and herbal medicine for preventing or curing a number of diseases. In the present study, the major bioactive component cordycepin was estimated in the mycelia of naturally grown and artificially cultured Cordyceps sinensis by using improved high performance liquid chromatography method. The cordycepin content in Cordyceps sinensis collected from its natural habitat was 118.4 ppm. Whereas, cordycepin content in mycelium of artificially cultured Cordyceps sinensis in potato dextrose agar (PDA) medium and Finger millet medium was found 75.7 ppm and 21.3 ppm respectively. The cordycepin content was found highest in naturally collected Cordyceps sinensis followed by in the mycelium of PDAmedium. While, least quantity of cordicepin was recorded in the mycelium of artificially cultured Cordyceps sinensis in Finger millet medium. The reverse phase HPLC method was found accurate, less time consuming and reproducible for the estimation of cordycepin from the Cordyceps species.