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Viagra of the Himalayas

It is popular in the Himalayan regions and China for its aphrodisiac properties and known as the Viagra of the Himalayas.

By LIFS November 1, 2011 at 3:28 AM

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A matchstick-size mummified fungus from the Himlayas is the most expensive fungus in the world, selling for almost $50,000 a pound.

The caterpillar fungus is known in Asia by its Tibetan name, yartsa gunbu, which means summer grass, winter worm, after its unusual characteristic in which the fungi gets inside a host insect, a ghost moth caterpillar, and ultimately killing and consuming it from inside.

It is popular in the Himalayan regions and China for its aphrodisiac properties and known as the Viagra of the Himalayas.

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Comments (1 posted)

Iim November 21, 2012 at 1:07 PM

I also saw I bit on these killer fungi. I was ceerped out then and I am now. But on the other hand it's incredibly cool. Think of it, parasites infecting a host and changing its behavior! Every time I hear of something like this, I bring up toxoplasmosis, which at least changes behavior on rats, and might also do so on human beings.