Scientific Validation of Cordyceps Sinensis: Is It Worth the High Keeda Jadi Price?

In the Himalayas’ fog-shrouded highlands, an enigmatic fungus called Cordyceps Sinensis fascinated traditional healers and scientists alike. It is locally known as Keeda Jadi in India, a parasitic fungifungus hybrid that is not only more than a legend—it also holds an astonishing price in overseas markets with prices reaching up to ₹15-20 lakh for every kilogram. But here’s the multi-million-dollar question: does science support the outrageous Keeda Jadi price?

Let’s dive into the study to find out if this Himalayan gold is all it’s made out to be.

What is Cordyceps Sinensis (Keeda Jadi)?

It is a parasitic organism that infects caterpillar larvae in meadows at high elevations in Nepal, India, Tibet, and Bhutan. It grows a brownish yellow fruiting body in summer from the host insect, which is called “caterpillar fungus” or sometimes “winter worm, summer grass.”

It has been a mainstay of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Ayurveda for centuries and is also prized for its adaptogenic, energy-enhancing, and anti-aging activities. But folklore is one thing—what does science have to say?

Scientific Research on Cordyceps Sinensis

1. Bioactive Compounds: An Abundance of Medicinally Valuable Components

Cordyceps Sinensis is rich in a profile of bioactive compounds such as:

3’-deoxyadenosine, also called cordycepin: It is renowned for its anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory properties.
Polysaccharides: Enhance immunity, balance blood sugar levels, and help cardiovascular health.

A 2019 publication by the Chinese Journal of Natural Medicines reviewed more than 30 years of pharmacology studies and established that Cordyceps possesses strong antioxidant, immunomodulatory, anti-fatigue, and even neuroprotective effects.

2. Cordyceps and Cancer: Hope on the Horizon

Cordycepin acts by inhibiting tumors

It was found to have potent tumor-suppressive effects by causing cancer cells to undergo apoptosis. Scientific papers in 2020 in Frontiers in Pharmacology mentioned that cordycepin suppresses cancer cell growth in models of breast, liver, and lung cancer.

Immunomodulation and chemotherapy enhancement

Chinese studies have also established that Cordyceps increases the effect of chemotherapy medications such as cisplatin and paclitaxel but decreases their toxic effects. This renders Cordyceps Sinensis an effective adjuvant therapy for use in cancer treatment.

Traditional Use Meets Contemporary Oncology

In Chinese medicine hospitals nationwide, extracts of Cordyceps are now being administered in integrative cancer therapies. Its function to modulate immunity, decrease inflammation, and maintain organ function makes it an overall support in cancer treatment.

3. Cordyceps as an Energy and Libido Booster

In Western countries, however, Cordyceps became popular due to its use as a performance-enhancing agent. The popularity was triggered after Chinese athletes recorded world records in the 1990s and attributed their achievement to taking Cordyceps supplements.

Subsequent studies have validated its capacity to boost ATP (adenosine triphosphate) production, which improves stamina and oxygen use. It was found in a 2016 clinical trial, published in The Journal of Dietary Supplements, that elderly patients taking Cordyceps had significant improvements in exercise tolerance along with an increase in VO2 max.

Its sexual vitality effects have also been widely recorded. It stimulates testosterone production and sperm count to make it a popular treatment of erectile dysfunction and infertility in traditional medicine.

Why is the price of Keeda Jadi so high?

The Keeda Jadi price has skyrocketed over the past decade due to several factors:

1. It can be harvested for only a few weeks every year at an elevation of over 3,500 meters.

2. It is harvested by hand: Villagers climb for days deep into the Himalayas, digging up every fungus by hand.

3. High Global Demand: Due to rising awareness of its health effects, there is exponentially increased demand in China, America, and Europe.

4. Wild vs. Cultivated: Although cultivated Cordyceps can be found, wild Cordyceps Sinensis is markedly superior in strength.

Therefore, the scarcity, labor-intensive gathering, and strong medicinal properties justify the sky-high Keeda Jadi price.

What do Chinese research centers say?

China is at the forefront of Cordyceps research, with top institutions such as the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Peking University undertaking long-term studies.

A 2021 review in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology collated more than 400 preclinical and clinical studies that reaffirmed the immunomodulation, cancer inhibition, and organ protection functions of Cordyceps.
A collaborative study between Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Fudan University determined that polysaccharides of Cordyceps decidedly enhanced immune function and suppressed metastasis of tumors in mice.

They are consistent with the centuries of respect for Cordyceps in traditional Eastern medicine.

In Modern Supplements

While wild Cordyceps Sinensis is still scarce and costly, gains in biotechnology have made it possible to obtain cultivated cousin Cordyceps militaris. Although not exactly equivalent, militaris is rich in cordycepin and possesses many of the health-promoting attributes.

Consumers should look for:

Standardised extracts that contain known cordycepin content
Wild-harvested or organic sources
Products that undergo third-party laboratory testing

Always consult with a health care provider before starting supplementation, particularly if suffering from chronic illness or cancer.

Final Verdict: Is the High Keeda Jadi Price Worth It?

With evidence ranging from ancient remedies to peer-reviewed papers, there is clear support for Cordyceps Sinensis. Its bioactive content profile and documented ability to increase energy, combat cancer, and promote immunity make it one of nature’s most efficacious healers.

So, does science support a high Keeda Jadi price?

Indeed. Though its price might seem outrageous, what you are paying for is not only an extremely rare Himalayan herb—but hundreds of generations’ worth of traditional knowledge supported by state-of-the-art science. With science still uncovering all the secrets of Cordyceps, it becomes increasingly evident that this so-called “caterpillar fungus” does not disappoint.