Abstract: The aim of this study was to extract, purify and identify nucleoside components of Cordyceps cicadae fruit bodies. Samples were extracted with 65% ethanol by ultrasonic-assisted extraction, and a supernatant was obtained from the resulting extract by centrifugation at 10000 r/min for 5 min and separated by RP-HPLC using 0—100% methanol as a mobile phase through gradient elution at a flow rate of 15 mL/min (1 mL injection volume, 260 nm detection wavelength). As a result, 6 final products were obtained and identified as cytosine, uridine, inosine,guanosine, adenosine and cordycepin, respectively, with a purify exceeding 95%. This study demonstrates that RP-HPLC is a feasible, simple and accurate technique for separating and preparing nucleoside components of Cordyceps cicadae fruit bodies.

Key words: Cordyceps cicadae, nucleoside, purification, identification