Saturday, August 16, 2008


Yarchagumba

HALF INSECT AND HALF HERB!!!!!!!!

.......Which is one of the naturalpan in the world.......

An insect that grows a plant from the top of its head and is said to have medicinal powers that can cure cancer. Cordyceps sinesis is a fungus locally called The YARCHAGUMBA, known for its high value in the traditional medicine market. It is used in Chinese herbal medicine and is said to be good for every headache, stomach aches, respiratory disease, arresting bleeding and dispelling phlegm to curing impotency. The YARCHAGUMBA is special to not only Nepal but also to the world . A North-western region of Dolpa and Humla, where it is found, is going through a gold rush of some sort. Every year, after the snow starts to melt in May , herbs hunters scour the sub-alpine region( a high altitude grassland located below the tree line of a mountain) looking for this strange living things. They grow at the altitudes of
3300-4500m. the word Yarchagumba means “herbs of life” in the local area lingo while
While Tibetans interpret it as “summer grass, winter herb”.

What is known as the herb of life is an ironically a rare species of parasitic lichen Cordyceps sinensis. Spores of fungus land on the head of caterpillars of the moth Hepilus fabricus. The fungus thrives on larvae that live underground tapping on its energy and eventually killing it. This result in the legentaryYachagumba.

Until recently, collecting Yarchagumba was illegal but this change once realized it could earn a lucrative amount from the trade while providing relief to the mountain people by following them to collect the herb. The government charge nearly Rs 20000 per kg from the business man for a permit while the moist who control chares Nearly Rs 5000 per kg from the collectors. A kilo of yarchagumba (around 3500 specious) today fetches anywhere between $2000-$5000 from Tibetan and Chinese traders. Depending on the quality and size of the product, middle man sell it in Thailand , Korea, China, India and Japan for approximately- $2800 per kg.
And, as is usually the case with natural resources, products based on the herb have already hit the market and cause a hankering for good health goods. Hence this plant can be beneficial to the country like both health wise as well as economically if used in the international market. So, come forward to protect this special plant and make our country recognized in the outer world .