The caterpillar fungus Ophiocordyceps sinensis (syn. Natural cordyceps is hard to get and may be expensive.

Cordyceps sinensis) is one of the entomogenous Ascomycetes and parasitizes the larvae of Lepidoptera to form the well-known traditional Tibetan medicine “yartsa gunbu” or, in traditional Chinese medicine, “DongChongXiaCao (冬蟲夏草 Dōng Chóng Xià Cǎo)”(“winter worm-summer grass,” [Figure 1]).


Zombie caterpillar fungus may contain anti-cancer drug – but there are still questions to be answered The caterpillar fungus is a traditional medicine that has been widely used as a tonic and/or medicine by the Chinese for hundreds of years. The use of this fungus was relatively unknown in this country until it was credited for the success of Chinese women athletes at the National Games in Beijing, in 1993.
Tibetan spore could lead to new drugs for cancer, asthma, and diabetes. “TCM never claims that caterpillar fungus has anti-cancer properties. ... taking over its brain and making the young caterpillar move to a position from which the fungus … Zombie caterpillar fungus may contain anti-cancer drug – but there are still questions to be answered.

You can’t say the whole concept of TCM is a scam only because caterpillar fungus doesn’t live up to its hype.” — From Weibo (in Chinese) Cordyceps is a fungus that lives on certain caterpillars in the high mountain regions of China. Cordyceps fungi that turn insects into "zombies" produce a compound that might be useful for treating cancer. It is a marketing strategy by those who want to cash in on this plant.