Journal of Energy Bioscience 2025, Vol.16, No.2, 94-104 http://bioscipublisher.com/index.php/jeb 95 2 Chemical Composition and Biological Characteristics of Cordyceps Residues 2.1 Main chemical composition There are many useful components in the residues left after the cultivation of Cordyceps militaris. These residues contain polysaccharides, nucleosides, amino acids, phenols, etc. The polysaccharides (RPS) from the SU-12 strain are mainly composed of glucose, arabinose and mannose, and have a wide molecular weight distribution, indicating that their structure is not simple (Wang et al., 2015). The crude products extracted from the solid fermentation residues (SBRs) of Cordyceps contain phenolic acids, flavonoids, nucleosides, as well as sugars and peptides (Pintathong et al., 2021). The researchers analyzed the structures of these components and found that there are many types of polysaccharides in Cordyceps. The new polysaccharide CBP-1 is mainly composed of (1→4)-α-d-mannose units, with glucose and galactose as branches (Yu et al., 2009). Another polysaccharide called CMP Fr II contains glucose, galactose and mannose, and its structure is also complex (Lee et al., 2010). 2.2 Biological characteristics These residues are not only rich in ingredients, but also have many biological activities. RPS polysaccharides can lower blood lipids, protect the liver, and also have antioxidant functions. In animal experiments, it can significantly reduce lipids in the blood and liver and increase antioxidant levels (Wang et al., 2015). In addition, the crude extract of Cordyceps residues showed a strong ability to scavenge free radicals in in vitro experiments and inhibit the activity of tyrosinase, which makes it also promising in cosmetics, such as skin care and anti-aging (Pintathong et al., 2021) (Figure 1). Figure 1 Morphology of C. militaris cultivated on solid media containing defatted rice bran and different types of cereals, and the appearance of dry solid-based residues (SBRs) prepared from different culture media: (a,e) barley, (b,f) white rice, (c,g) Riceberry rice, and (d,h) wheat (Adopted from Pintathong et al., 2021) In addition to anti-oxidation, these residues also affect immune function. CMP Fr II polysaccharide can stimulate macrophages to release nitric oxide and various cytokines, which helps to improve immune response (Lee et al., 2010). Another polysaccharide, CMPB90-1, can promote the proliferation of spleen lymphocytes and increase the activity of NK cells (Bi et al., 2018). 2.3 Analysis techniques In order to find out what exactly is in the Cordyceps residue, researchers have used a variety of analytical techniques. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) are often
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