METHOD FOR DISCRIMINATING CORDYCEPS

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a useful and simple evaluating method to discriminate cordyceps by performing analysis by a high performance liquid chromatograph method with one type or two types of mycosporin and mycosporin-2 indices. SOLUTION: There are no special restrictions on this analysis as far as it is physicochemical techniques capable of separately detecting mycosporin and mycosporin-2. They are, for example, various chromatography (high performance liquid chromatography, gas chromatography, thin-layer chromatography, paper chromatography, etc.), and other color reactions. A sample which can be used for discrimination is not restricted to original crude drugs and crude drug powder, and it is possible to measure extract manufactured of cordyceps and their analogous products (soft extract, dry extract, liquid extract, and tincture), cultures (mycelium extract), and formulations blended with the above as raw materials (drugs, foods, drinks, pet foods, etc.), even if they do not retain nothing of the original form of crude drugs.