Antrodia cinnamomea

Antrodia cinnamomea: the species behind the ingredient

Antrodia cinnamomea is a wood-decaying fungus native to Taiwan. In the wild it is traditionally associated with the Taiwanese camphor tree, Cinnamomum kanehirae. You will also see it traded under the older names Antrodia camphorata and Taiwanofungus camphoratus.

The compound classes most often discussed for this fungus are triterpenoids and polysaccharides. Which of these a supplier measures, and how, is part of the specification.

Wild versus cultivated material

Wild fruiting bodies are scarce, so commercial supply relies mainly on cultivation. The cultivation route is a specification question in its own right, because material from different routes can differ in composition.

• Wood-grown fruiting bodies: grown on timber or wood pieces, closest in form to wild material.
• Solid-state cultivation: mycelium grown on a solid substrate such as grain; ask what the substrate is and whether it stays in the finished powder.
• Submerged fermentation: mycelium grown in a liquid medium, then harvested and extracted.

How HepaAegis® fits

FC Materials supplies HepaAegis®, a branded Antrodia cinnamomea extract sourced from a global partner. The FC product page states that it combines hot-water and alcohol extracts and is standardised for consistency. Full brand details are on the HepaAegis® branded ingredient page.

Formulation notes

Check with the supplier whether the extract suits capsules, tablets or powder blends. A dual-solvent extract may behave differently from a water-only extract, so test dispersion in your base. Confirm storage conditions and how the powder handles humidity during encapsulation.

What to ask your supplier

• The Latin name on the COA, and which synonym, if any, is used.
• Whether the material is fruiting body, mycelium or a mix, and the cultivation route.
• The identity test used, such as a chromatographic fingerprint or a DNA-based method.
• Which marker compounds are specified and the assay method behind each figure.
• Heavy metals, pesticide residues, microbiology and residual solvents from the alcohol extraction step.
• Halal, allergen and GMO status statements.

Any claim on a finished product must meet the rules of each market where it is sold. For questions on species identity or cultivation route, WhatsApp us.