To explore the effect of subculture on the quality and antioxidant activity of Ophiocordyceps sinensis mycelia,the changes of O.sinensis CS17 strain in mycelial biomass,nucleosides accumulation,and antioxidant activity were investigated during subculture processes.The results showed that the mycelial biomass obtained by continuous culture was 0.47-0.79 g,which reached the highest in the third-generation samples(0.79 g).The total contents of five nucleosides(adenosine,inosine,guanosine,cytidine,and uridine)of O.sinensis my-celia obtained by continuous culture were1.005-6.516 mg/g.Moreover,the highest accumulation of total nucleosides was observed in the second-generation samples(6.516 mg/g).In different times of subculture,the DPPH and ABTS+free radicals scavenging activities and total reducing power of O.sinensis CS17 mycelia tended to go up and down,which were the strongest in the second generation and gradually decreased from the third to the sixth.Among the mycelia of O.sinensis CS17 continuously cultured for six generations,the third generation had the largest mycelial biomass.The total contents of nucleosides and antioxidant activities of my-celia were highest in the second-generation samples.