Influence of Harvesting Age on Cordycepin and Adenosine Yields in Cordyceps militaris Fruit Bodies

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of Cordyceps militaris mushroom’s harvesting age and to compare the influence of different culture formulas that influences on cordycepin and adenosine concentrations when grown in a synthetic medium. Three formulas were employed to prepare the synthetic media: Sangyod rice (Oryza sativa L.) mixed with water (formula 1), Sangyod rice combined with potato aqueous extract (formula 2), and Sangyod rice blended with pupae (formula 3). Samples were harvested at 60, 70, 80, and 90 days. The experiment was arranged using a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with four replications (10 bottles/formula). The results revealed statistically significant differences (p<0.05) in cordycepin and adenosine concentrations. At 80 days of harvest, formula 3 provided the maximum average fresh and dry mushroom weight with 66.97±1.80 and 7.68±0.58 g/bottle, respectively, yielding 14.40±0.82%. Cordycepin and adenosine contents were analyzed using HPLC. It showed that formula 3 yielded the highest cordycepin amount (1,506.80±18.12 mg/100 g) at 80 days of harvest. At 60 days of harvest, formula 2 revealed the highest quantity of adenosine (118.70±0.82 mg/100 g). In conclusion, the ideal harvesting period for C. militaris was found to be 80 days, O. sativa mixed with blended pupae provided the highest cordycepin contents whereas O. sativa combinded with potato aqueous extract resulted in the highest adenosine levels.