Efficacy and Effects of the Golden Cicada Flower Insect-Fungus Complex and Whether a Single Dose Can Treat Kidney Disease

Golden cicada flower, commonly known as large cordyceps, cicada pupa grass, cicada mushroom, crown cicada, Hu cicada, tiao, Tang tiao, Tang cicada, is like cordyceps sinensis also an insect-fungus complex. Some people believe that eating golden cicada flower has an immune-regulating effect. So what are the efficacy and effects of golden cicada flower? How much to eat at one time? Can it treat kidney disease?

What is golden cicada flower?

Golden cicada flower is a wondrous organism with both animal and plant characteristics. The root is the body of a cicada pupa or mountain cicada larva, and the flower grows from the head of a single cicada larva or 2-3 cicada larvae, about one cun or more in length, flowering and branching from the top. According to relevant research, cicada flower is a biological pathological phenomenon and a combination of insect and fungus living interdependently. When autumn arrives, cicadas burrow into the soil and gradually become cicada pupae. Before eclosion, they are parasitized by cordyceps fungi. When living conditions are suitable, the fungi begin to germinate into mycelium, absorbing nutrients from the insect body, until the insect body is completely occupied by the mycelium and only a shell remains.

Efficacy and Effects of Golden Cicada Flower

Domestic and international studies show that cicada flower has multiple effects including improving immunity, anti-fatigue, kidney protection, improvement of sleep, anti-tumor, liver protection, anti-radiation and eye brightening. It is a magical ancient Chinese medicine. Artificially cultivated cicada flower contains mannitol 2.18%, polysaccharides 21.73%, amino acids 19.76%, cordycepin 0.005%, adenosine 0.05%, which is similar to natural cordyceps sinensis, but toxic heavy metals such as arsenic, mercury and lead are not detected, making it safer than natural cordyceps sinensis. Therefore cicada flower can serve as a substitute for cordyceps sinensis and can similarly achieve a nourishing and health-preserving effect.

[Pharmacological Effects]

1. Brain system: Intraperitoneal injection of natural cicada flower or artificially cultivated dilute alcohol extract in mice can significantly reduce their spontaneous activity, prolong the sleep time induced by pentobarbital sodium and chloral hydrate, and increase the sleep-onset rate of mice with subthreshold hypnotic doses of pentobarbital sodium; it prolongs the latency time of convulsions in mice induced by the central stimulants strychnine and pentylenetetrazole. Intraperitoneal injection in normal rats and yeast-induced fever rats has a significant cooling effect. This indicates that cicada flower and its artificial culture have obvious analgesic, analgesic and antipyretic effects.

2. Fetal system: nourishing and strengthening, anti-fatigue, anti-stress, hypoxia tolerance, high temperature tolerance effects;

3. Liver system: Clinical observation found that golden cicada flower promotes protein synthesis, lowers urea nitrogen levels, and corrects negative nitrogen balance; it can increase plasma albumin, hemoglobin and hematocrit in patients with chronic kidney disease; it can improve triglyceride levels and lower serum cholesterol levels as well as lower blood sugar. It also has effects such as brightening the eyes, improving lipid metabolism and protecting organ tissues.

4. Chest system: enhances the body's immune regulatory function; cicada flower has anti-radiation, anti-tumor and other effects.

5. Kidney system: Cicada flower has a good therapeutic effect on renal interstitial tubular lesions, can protect renal tubular cell Na-K-ATPase, reduce cell lysosome and cell lipid peroxidation damage, improve renal hemodynamics, and reduce endothelial cell damage and blood coagulability. It has obvious effects on treating chronic renal failure, gout, lowering blood creatinine and urine creatinine, improving renal function, and improving the three highs (high blood lipids, high blood pressure, high cholesterol). Cicada flower mycelium can significantly delay the progression of chronic renal failure in rats, and artificially cultivated cicada flower mycelium has the same effect. A famous doctor in Shanghai used cicada flower instead of cordyceps for clinical research and found that it has functions such as lowering blood and urine creatinine, increasing endogenous creatinine clearance rate, improving serum protein content, and reducing urine protein excretion.

6. Heart system: Literature reports that adenosine in cicada flower has the effect of lowering blood pressure and slowing heart rate. It promotes hematopoietic system function.

How much golden cicada flower to eat at one time?

Generally the dosage is 6-9 grams, and it should not be used in too large an amount. For fungi, it is still better to use a small amount over a long period, but too large a single dose will burden the body.

Golden Cicada Flower for Treating Kidney Disease

Improving renal function: Clinical research on cicada flower shows that it has functions such as lowering blood and urine creatinine, increasing endogenous creatinine clearance rate, improving serum protein content, and reducing urine protein excretion. Therefore, it has a definite effect on patients with early and mid-stage chronic renal insufficiency. Cicada flower has a good effect on renal interstitial tubular lesions, can protect renal tubular cell Na+-K+-ATPase, reduce cell lysosome and cell lipid peroxidation damage, improve renal hemodynamics, and reduce endothelial cell damage and blood coagulability. Therefore it is believed that cicada flower can improve renal function.

How to Consume Golden Cicada Flower

1. Boil in water and drink as tea, rather than steeping in boiling water; this method is simple and effective. Generally, boil golden cicada flower for about 40 minutes, note to first use high heat then low heat, and drink once the water boils.

2. Stew with meat products; 5-8 golden cicada flowers can be stewed together.

3. Use to make medicinal liquor and drink.

4. Use a grinder to grind golden cicada flower into powder, put it into capsule boxes to carry with you, and take it regularly every day.

Who is suitable to eat golden cicada flower?

Target population for golden cicada flower application:

Golden cicada flower is cold in nature, sweet in taste, and non-toxic; it has the functions of dispersing wind-heat, regulating menstruation and relieving pain, brightening the eyes and promoting eruption, and nourishing and strengthening. Clinical application research confirms that the unique pharmacologically active substances of golden cicada flower have preventive and therapeutic effects on the following diseases, and it is suitable for the following populations:

1. Chronic kidney disease, renal insufficiency, proteinuria, etc., significantly preventing and slowing the occurrence of uremia.

2. Neurasthenia, insomnia;

3. Adjuvant treatment of tumors; prevention and treatment of toxic side effects of tumor chemotherapy and radiotherapy;

4. Diabetes, hyperlipidemia, myocardial ischemia, coronary heart disease, hypertension;

5. Treating vision decline, preventing and treating cataracts and other ophthalmic vision diseases

6. Beauty and skincare effects, anti-aging and life-prolonging effects; it has an excellent comprehensive health-preserving and conditioning effect on sub-healthy people and middle-aged and elderly people.

Finally, the editor reminds: if you want to eat golden cicada flower, you should first ask a doctor whether it is suitable for you, and then obtain it through proper channels.