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Received Dec 30, 2017; Accepted Mar 15, 2018
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1. Introduction
In recent years, fermented Cordyceps sinensis, as a substitute for natural Cordyceps sinensis, has been attracting increasing attention from across the globe. Some of the major products prepared from fermented Cordyceps sinensis include Jinshuibao capsules, Jinshuibao tablets, and Bailing capsules. Modern pharmacological studies have demonstrated that this material has antioxidative, anticancer [1], antihyperglycaemic [2], and antifatigue [3] properties, and it has a similar chemical composition and pharmacological activities to Cordyceps sinensis. Moreover, modern pharmacological and clinical studies have also revealed that fermented Cordyceps sinensis can have a major impact on the treatment of chronic hepatitis and kidney failure. These curative effects could be attributed to their active chemical components, including nucleosides, polysaccharides, sterols, amino acids, flavonoids, and metal complexes [4–8]. The type and quantity of the bioactive ingredients in fermented Cordyceps sinensis vary with the strain and the condition of the material [9, 10]. Among these components, nucleosides support the regulation and modulation of various physiological processes in the body [11], and they have been recognized as the main bioactive components [12] in fermented Cordyceps sinensis. Their pharmacological activities include antitumour, antileukaemic [13], antiviral [14], and anti-HIV [15] activities. The major nucleosides in fermented Cordyceps sinensis are guanosine, uridine, adenosine, uracil, and adenine.
Currently, the products of fermented Cordyceps sinensis have no uniform quality standards, which have resulted in the flooding of the market with products of uneven quality. Only Jinshuibao capsules, Jinshuibao tablets, and Bailing capsules, which are prepared by fermenting with Paecilomyces hepiali chen and Hirsutella sinensis Liu, GUO, Yu-et Zeng, have been recorded in Chinese Pharmacopoeia and have relatively comprehensive quality standards. The quality of the three fermented Cordyceps sinensis products is higher overall and is easier to control since they are produced exclusively by one company. The quality standards for fermented Cordyceps sinensis products vary from one manufacture to another. For instance, in the Pharmacopoeia of the People’s Republic of China (Edition 2015) [16], the quality standards for Jinshuibao capsules included the identification of...