What is Yarchagumba?

May 9, 2023

Recently, 15 Yarchagumba collectors in Nepal were hit by avalanche, leaving 12 injured and the rest missing.

Cordyceps Sinensis, locally called yarchagumba, is a parasitic fungus that grows on the body of a caterpillar.
Also known as Himalayan Viagra, this parasitic fungus is only found at altitudes above 3,500 meters.
It forms when the parasitic fungus lodges itself in a caterpillar, slowly killing it.
It is harvested by thousands of villagers in Nepal and Tibet to be sold in neighbouring China, where it is used in herbal medicines.
Although no definitive research has been published on the beneficial qualities of yarchagumba, Chinese herbalists believe it boosts sexual performance and is boiled in water to make tea or added to soups and stews, believed to treat various ailments from fatigue to cancer.
According to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, the population of yarchagumba has decreased by at least 30% over 15 years by 2020 due to excessive harvesting.