Ecdysteroids are insect moulting and sex hormones which include ecdysone

Ecdysone

Ecdysone is a steroidal prohormone of the major insect molting hormone 20-hydroxyecdysone, which is secreted from the prothoracic glands. Insect molting hormones are generally called ecdysteroids. Ecdysteroids act as moulting hormones of arthropods but also occur in other related phyla where they...

 and its homologues such as 20-hydroxyecdysone

20-hydroxyecdysone

20-Hydroxyecdysone is a naturally occurring ecdysteroid hormone which controls the ecdysis and metamorphosis of arthropods. It is therefore one of the most common moulting hormones in insects, crabs, etc...

. Ecdysteroids also occur in other invertebrates where they can play a different role. They also appear in many plants mostly as a protection agents (toxins or antifeedants) against herbivore

Herbivore

Herbivores are organisms that are anatomically and physiologically adapted to eat plant-based foods. Herbivory is a form of consumption in which an organism principally eats autotrophs such as plants, algae and photosynthesizing bacteria. More generally, organisms that feed on autotrophs in...

 insects. These phytoecdysteroids have medicinal value and are part of herbal adaptogen

Adaptogen

An adaptogen is a herbal product claimed to increase resistance to stress, trauma, anxiety and fatigue. The term is used mainly by herbalists who also refer to adaptogens as rejuvenating herbs, qi tonics, rasayanas, or restoratives...

ic remedies like cordyceps

Cordyceps

Cordyceps is a genus of ascomycete fungi that includes about 400 described species. All Cordyceps species are endoparasitoids, mainly on insects and other arthropods ; a few are parasitic on other fungi. The best known species of the genus is Cordyceps sinensis, first recorded as yartsa gunbu in...

.