Qualitative detection of mycelium in cordyceps powder using terahertz time-domain spectroscopy

Natural Cordyceps usually has rarity and upstanding curative effects on the disease, but some substitutes also have been used and adulterants confused the market. Therefore, controlling the quality of Cordyceps sinensis and its products is very critical to ensure their safety and efficacy. Terahertz spectroscopy can be used to qualitatively analyze complex mixed systems, examine all components of medicinal herbs, and reflect the overall information of samples. We report experimental measurement of Hirsutella sinensis, one of the Cordyceps sinensis myceliums in the spectral range of 0.2- 2.5 THz using terahertz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS). Additionally, we demonstrate that THz-TDS combining with principal component analysis (PCA) methods was proposed for the identification of Cordyceps sinensis mycelium. The results of chemometric analysis show that the method can better detect the stability of traditional Chinese medicine.