Foreign drugs like Viagra and Cialis used for treating erectile dysfunction may soon get their Indian counterparts in a ‘caterpillar fungus’ found in the high altitudes of Uttarakhand. The caterpillar fungus, which is locally called ‘Keera ghas’ or ‘Yarchagumba’, is said to have aphrodisiac properties, which will now be used to manufacture drugs in a project undertaken by the Uttarakhand government, say the officials of the Herbal Research and Development Institute (HRDI) in Gopeshwar district of Uttarakhand.
“Yarchagumba, well-known as an aphrodisiac agent, has been used in traditional forms of medicine for ages. Its application is most common in the Chinese medicine system. Considering this we will undertake a project to explore drug manufacturing possibilities from Yarchagumba,” Mr S.K. Singh, director of HRDI and additional secretary (herbs). The drug manufacturing project will be undertaken jointly by HRDI and the Forest Research Institute, said the officials concerned from Dehradun. “The joint project will probably be initiated in the next two months,” a senior HRDI official said