This research investigated how treating the medicinal mushroom Cordyceps militaris with melatonin can help prevent it from losing its beneficial properties during cultivation. The study found that melatonin helps maintain the mushroom’s stability and quality by protecting it from damaging molecules and supporting its natural antioxidant systems. Impacts on everyday life: – Improved cultivation methods for medicinal mushrooms could make these natural health products more available and affordable – Better understanding of how to preserve beneficial compounds in fungi could lead to more effective supplements – Advances in preventing strain degeneration could help maintain consistent quality in mushroom-based products – The findings about melatonin’s protective effects could have applications for preserving other beneficial fungi – This research contributes to more sustainable and efficient production of natural medicines