Dataset of polysaccharide and cordycepin content differences and genetic diversity of Cordyceps cicadae from different regions

Its polysaccharides and cordycepin are important nutritional and bioactive components, respectively. In this study, C. cicadae samples were collected from 22 regions including Anhui, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Sichuan, Yunnan, Zhejiang, and Chongqing, among others.

The phenol-sulfuric acid method was used to determine polysaccharide content, and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was employed to measure cordycepin content. Molecular identification of the fungus and its host insect was performed based on ITS and COI sequences, respectively. The resulting dataset includes polysaccharide content data, cordycepin content data, and molecular identification results for the fungus and host insect from C. cicadae samples across the 22 regions.