Bodoland University of Assam’s Kokrajhar has developed a specialized fungal powder from a super mushroom known as Cordycep militaris to help people boost immunity during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It was prepared by freezing. The outcome was a potent pinch of C militaris, powdered through lyophilization at –80°C. The earth has more than 400 species of Cordyceps, a fungus parasitic on insects as well as other fungi,” said Sandeep Das, Dean of BU’s faculty of Science and Technology.
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“Natural Cordyceps is hard to get and if dried, costs at least ?8 lakh per kg. Our lab has been growing C. militaris since 2017 at a fraction of the cost,” he added.
The mushroom is well known for its immune-modulating effect, anti-aging, anti-viral as well as energy booster effect.
Das also heads the Technology Incubation Centre on Mushrooms that is funded by the Central Government’s Department of Biotechnology, in the university.
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Bodoland University has decided to provide Cordycep capsules for free to civilians to boost immunity to thwart COVID-19 and its capsulation process is underway.
Sources said the Department of Biotechnology of the university has already ordered capsules in two sizes from a firm based in Nashik in Maharashtra.
Each capsule containing the powdered super mushroom would cost Rs 120 if produced commercially.
“Our university is almost a pioneer in lab-growing Cordyceps. The least I could do is make the paperwork fast to let a passionate team innovate,” said Laishram Ladu Singh, BU’s vice-chancellor.