Three 'Himalayan Viagra' pickers missing after Nepal avalanche May 07, 2023 at 10:25PM

An avalanche in Nepal's Mugu district has left 3 people missing and 12 injured, while searching for yarchagumba, a caterpillar fungus that can fetch high prices in Traditional Chinese Medicine for its alleged health benefits. Boiling yarchagumba in water to make tea or adding to soups and stews is believed to treat ailments ranging from fatigue to cancer. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature listed it as "vulnerable" to extinction in 2020 due to over-harvesting.