Abstract: Objectiv By comparison of the content of cordycepin, polysaccharides and he anti-esophageal cancer cells activity of water extract of cultivated Cordyceps militaris and wild Cordyceps militaris, a preliminary study on the quality identification of Cordyceps militaris was carried out to provide certain reference value for the establishment of the quality evaluation system of Cordyceps militaris. Methods Using HPLC technology to detect the content of cordycepin in Cultivated Cordyceps militaris and Wild Cordyceps militaris. HPLC conditions—column: Zorbax SB-C18, 5μm, 250 mm×4.6 mm, Agi-lent, USA; the mobile phases: methanol (M,15% ) and water (W,85% ); flowing rate: 1.0 ml/min;temperature: 25℃; detection wave length: 260 nm; injection: 1μL. Phenol-sulfuric acid method was used to detect the content of polysaccharides. By MTS assay we detected the condition of cell proliferation treated with different concentrations of WECM. Annexin V/PI flow cytometry was used to determine the apoptosis of EC109 cells. Result HPLC results showed that the content of cordycepin in cultivated Cordyceps militaris and wild Cordyceps militaris ware 400.34 μg/g and 28.63 μg/g; the content of polysaccharides in cultivated Cordyceps militaris and wild Cordyceps militaris ware 4.256% and 3.115%，assaying by optimized phenol-sulfuric acid method; The results of MTS and flow cytometry indicated that the anticancer activity of the cultivated Cordyceps militaris was obviously more than wild Cordyceps militaris. Conclusion cultivated Cordyceps militaris is better than wild Cordyceps militaris in the the content of cordycepin, polysaccharides and the anticancer activity of water extract of Cordyceps militaris, it is indicated that Cultivated Cordyceps militaris is a good substitute for wild Cordyceps militaris.

Key words: Cultivated Cordyceps militaris, Wild Cordyceps militaris, Esophageal cancer cells, cordycepin, polysaccharides, anticancer activity