Fu Ling (Poria / Tuckahoe)

This product is a commonly used traditional Chinese medicine, and in "Shennong's Materia Medica"《神农本草经》 it is listed as the top grade.

Alias: Fu Ling

Source: Dried sclerotia of the parasitic fungus Fu Ling (Schw.) Wolf. Wild ones mostly parasitize the roots of red pine or masson pine. A large number of commodities are cultivated artificially, and the host is the branches of the red pine or masson pine buried in the ground. Sterile seedlings on the ground.

Origin: Produced in Lijiang, Lanping, Weixi, Jianchuan, Chuxiong in Yunnan Province. Jinzhai, Huoshan, Yuexi, Taihu Lake in Anhui Province. Yingshan, Luotian, and Macheng in Hubei Province. Shangcheng, Gushi, and Xinxian in Henan Province. Wuzhou region of Guangxi Autonomous Region. In addition, Zhejiang, Guangdong, Hunan, Jiangsu, Fujian, Jiangxi have production. It is also distributed in North China, Northwest China, Northeast China and other places.

Trait identification: The commercially available products are divided into Ling (Pi Ling), Bai Ling Block, Chi Ling Block, Fu Shen Block, Bai Sui Kuai, Hong Sui Kuai, Fu Shen Mu, Fu Ling Pi. They are described below.

· Ge Fu Ling (Pi Ling): irregular spherical or block-shaped, different sizes, weight from two to several pounds or tens of pounds. Surface brown to brownish-black. The outer skin is thin and rough, with distinct wrinkles or grooves. Strong constitution. Not easy to break. The section is uneven, granular and angular. Some have fissures, or pine roots pass through them. The periphery of the section is light brown, the interior is white, and there are some light brown ones. The quality is delicate, there is no smell but it has light taste, and the chewing is sticky to the teeth. Yunnan wild quality is considered the best, also known as Yun Ling, the physique is strong and the skin is tightly wrinkled, brown and black shiny, the section is tooth white, the knot is delicate, and if chewed sticks strongly to teeth.

‧ Bai Ling Pian: Peel off the skin of Ge Fu Ling, select the white and delicate and solid Ling meat and cut it into thin slices, with a thickness of about 1mm and a plane length and width of more than 3cm. (Those with red are called Chi Ling Pian).

· Bai Ling Kuai: Is Ge Fu Ling with the skin removed, select the white and delicate and solid Ling meat cut into thicker flat squares, thickness of about 3~4mm, length and width of about 3~4cm, those with an edge cut into a square length and width of more than 1.5cm is also included.

· Chi Ling Kuai: The shape is the same as the Bai Ling Kuai, but the color of the Ling meat is red or yellow.

· Fu Shen Kuai: the shape is the same as the Bai Ling Kuai, regardless of color, but each piece must contain a section of fine pine roots, the diameter of the pine root is not more than 1.5cm, the thickness is the same as the Ling block, and the wood is easy to soak and remove.

· Bai Sui Kuai: for the processing of Bai Ling Kuai, the remaining corner pieces of Bai Ling when made into squares, in the form of broken pieces, its color is white.

· Chi Sui Kuai: The shape is the same as that of Bai Sui Kuai, but the color is mostly red or yellow.

· Fu Shen Mu: for the periphery of the thicker pine roots which has grown Fu Ling, the length tends to be different, generally about 30cm below, the diameter of about 2.5cm below, more bent not straight, looks like rotten wood, yellow-brown or brown, the texture is loose and does not show the bark layer, the periphery must have a natural epiphytic part of the Fu Ling.

· Fu Ling Pi: for the production of Fu Ling Pian, Fu Ling Kuai, the cut off the outer skin, is a thin slice block, different sizes, brown epidermis, the inner wall is attached to the red or white Fu Ling, soft texture.

Main ingredients: Contains β-Fu Ling, poria acid, protein, fat, lecithin, histidine, choleline, ergosterol and potassium salt.

pharmachologic effect

（1） Diuretic: animal experiments have confirmed the diuretic effect, but it is not as good as that of Mu Tong and Zhu Ling.

（2） Nourishment: Traditional Chinese medicine believes that Fu Ling has tonic properties and can strengthen the spleen and tonify the body, which may be related to the effect of the nutrients it contains.

（3） Sedation: Although the sedative effect of Fu Ling is not as good as that of the Fu Shen, it can still be used for a calming effect.

Preparation: Raw.

Taste: sweet, flat.

Meridian: into the heart, spleen, stomach, lungs, and kidney meridians.

Function: Dilute water and dampness, benefit the spleen and calm the heart.

Indications: Qi deficiency and strain, edema, phlegm drinking, vomiting, diarrhea, hot shower, spermatozoa, palpitations, forgetfulness and other symptoms.

Clinical application

（1） It is used to treat edema and difficult urination, and its diuretic effect is taken. The treatment of general water swelling is more suitable for those who are cold or have weakness of the spleen and stomach, and can be combined with Ze Xie and Zhu Ling to strengthen the diuretic effect. For those who also have yang deficiency, add Gui Zhi or Rou Gui to increase yang energy flow (that is, to increase blood circulation function. Whenever Gui Zhi or Rou Gui is added to diuretic herbs, it is to promote blood circulation and strengthen diuresis, which is the meaning of the so-called "gasification of water" and " increase qi and water flow"), such as Wu Ling San, suitable for mild edema. Experiments have proved that Wu Ling San has a strong diuretic effect, which can increase the amount of urine excreted by 112%.

（2） It is used for the treatment of Tan Yin. The experience of the predecessors is that "Fu Ling must be used for Tan Yin". It has the effect of diuresis and tonifying the spleen and stomach. Generally, Ling Gui Zhu Gan Tang can be used as the main recipe. Tan Yin in the stomach (upper abdomen full, stomach has a vibrating sound, vomiting water phlegm salivation, such as chronic gastritis), add Ban Xia, Sheng Jiang, or use Fu Ling Yin; Tan Yin in the lungs (cough, phlegm foam, poor breathing, such as chronic bronchitis, bronchiectasis), then add Chen Pi, Ban Xia, Chuan Bei.

（3） It is used to strengthen the spleen and dispel dampness, treat indigestion, upper abdominal distension, reduced appetite, and spleen deficiency and diarrhea caused by spleen and stomach weakness. Its first function is to nourish and tone the center; The second is diuretic to remove dampness, which reduces intestinal water and thickens loose stools. Those with stomach yang deficiency (about equivalent to insufficient digestive function) can use Fu Ling, but they need to be equipped with Dang Shen, which is what the previous experience said "Fu Ling can clear stomach yang" and "those with stomach yang deficiency must use Fu Ling". In short, if you have loss of appetite, indigestion, vomiting or diarrhea after eating, you can use Dang Shen or Ren Shen and Fu Ling, and other spleen and qi regulating medicines, such as Shen Ling Bai Zhu San. If it is diarrhea caused by acute dyspepsia, it is used with Cang Zhu and Jin Yin Hua.

（4） It is used to calm the nerves. Where there are palpitations and insomnia, you can use Fu Ling with sour Suan Zao Ren, Yuan Zhi, Bo Zi Ren, Wu Wei Zi, such as Bu Xin Dan (formula).

Dosage: For those who strengthen the spleen and stomach or general diuretic and dampness, 9-18g, if the dampness is heavy with significant edema, the dosage can be increased to 30~45g. The maximum amount should be used to 60~90g, but one should not take it in large quantities for a long time.

Prescription examples

（1） Wu Ling San (from "Shang Han Lun"): Fu Ling 18g, Zhu Ling 9g, Ze Xie 6g, Bai Zhu 9g, Gui Zhi 6g, decoction in water.

（2） Fu Ling Yin ( from "Wai Tai Mi Yao"): Fu Ling 9g, Bai Zhu 9g, Dang Shen 6g, Sheng Jiang 4.5g, Zhi Shi 6g, Chen Pi 4.5g, decoction in water.

（3） Shen Ling Bai Zhu San (from "Ju Fang"): Dang Shen 12g, Fu Ling 9g, Bai Zhu 9g, Chen Pi 4.5g, Lian Rou 9g, Huai Shan Yao 12g, Yi Mi 9g, Bian Dou 9g, Chun Sha Ren 3g, Gan Cao 3g, decoction in water.

Annotations

1. Fu Ling Pi: Functional water dilution and reduction in swelling, mostly used for the treatment of skin edema. Its taste is the same as that of Fu Ling, but it specializes in diuresis and has no tonic properties. It is often used to treat mild edema (such as the face and limbs that can be seen after illness), and the representative formula is Wu Pi San (from "Zhong Zang Jing"). Prescription: Fu Ling Pi 15g, Da Fu Pi 9g, Sang Bai Pi 9g, Sheng Jiang Pi 6g, Chen Pi 6g, decoction in water. Note: If Fu Ling with skin is used, the prescription should be written "Poria with skin". It is mainly used for the treatment of general edema and slightly heavier ones, as the skin of Poria (called “Fu Ling Pi) has weaker tonic properties.

2. Fu Shen: The function is to calm the mind and calm the nerves, and it is mostly used to treat restlessness, palpitations and forgetfulness. Its taste is the same as that of Fu Ling, but it is good for calming the nerves. Animal experiments have confirmed that Fu Shen has a moderate degree of sedative effect, but it is not as good as Suan Zao Ren. Prescription: Fushen 9g, Fu Ling 9g, Huang Qi 15g, Dang Gui 9g, Chuan Xiong 4.5g, Fa Ban Xia  6g, Bo Zi Ren 6g,Suan Zao Ren 9g, Yuan Zhi 3g, Dang Shen 9g, Rou Gui Mo (added as powder in post) 3g, Zhi Gan Cao 6g, decoction in water.

3. Fu Shen Mu: treatment of tendon contracture, paralysis, stroke, slanted eyes, palpitations and forgetfulness.

4. Fu Ling and Fu Shen when mixed with Zhu Sha, are called “Zhu Fu Ling” or “Zhu Fu Shen”, to increase the function of calming the heart and calming the nerves. However, Zhu Sha is insoluble in water, so the formula should be changed to powder added to water and drank.

5. Chi Fu Ling: The taste is the same as that of Fu Ling, but the tonic is less strong, so the white Fu Ling is generally used instead of Chi Fu Ling in supplements. The main function of Chi Fu Ling is to clear dampness and heat, so in “Wu Lin Tang” formula it is used with Chi Fu Ling, Zhi Zi, etc. to treat heat and blood (such as acute urethritis, cystitis, and urinary calculi with heat and hematuria). Prescription: Chi Fu Ling 12g, Zhi Zi 9g, Bi Xie 6g, Gan Cao 6g, Dang Gui 9g, Bai Shao 12g, decoction in water.

Disclaimer: All above articles are for reference only. If patients are interested, please consult a professional practitioner Traditional Chinese Medicine for a consultation.