Dead insects have been used as host medium for the growth of fungi (Li et al., 2002). Various Cordyceps mycelia
fungi growing on the dead insects have been studied (Paterson, 2008). Silkworm has been an economically important insect of silk agriculture and food industry in Asian countries for centuries. Large numbers of silkworms were breed for the production of raw silk, thereafter the dead silkworms were the waste product from the process. To increase the value of dead silkworms, they were introduced as host which is considered as artificial diet food for the production of Cordyceps mycelia with more consistent quality. The dead pupa and larva of B. mori silkworms were studied for their proximate composition as growth media. The Cordyceps mycelia were produced by growing fungi including C. militaris, I. tenuipes or I. farinose on the dead larva of silkworms. The cordycepin was extracted from various Cordyceps mycelia at different extraction conditions. Yield of cordycepin extracted was analyzed using High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) technique. The anti-proliferative and anti-migratory activities of cordycepin extracted on various cancer cells including
human non-small cell lung cancer NCI-H460 cells, human lung adenocarcinoma epithelial cell line (A549 cells), and human airway epithelial cell line (Calu-3 cells) and its reaction on cell were investigated. On the other hand, cytotoxic test of cordycepin extracted on non-cancer cells, Small Airway Epithelial Cells (SAEC), was performed. In addition, an anti-tyrosinase activity of the cordycepin extracted was assessed