Poria
(fu ling)
Poria
Properties:
Poria is sweet and tasteless in flavour, neutral in
nature, and it acts on the heart, spleen and kidney
channels. Being tasteless for inducing diuresis to
alleviate edema, sweet for tonifying the heart and spleen,
and neutral for inducing diuresis without impairing vital
Qi, and for tonifying without drastic allects, it is used
reinforcing and purging, as important herb for edema,
phlegm retention, diarrhea and other syndromes caused by
deficiency of spleen and retention of dampness. In
addition, it also has the effects of invigorating the
spleen and tranqilizing.
Effects:
Inducing diuresis, excreting dampness, invigorating the
spleen and tranquilizing.
Indications:
1. Poria is often
used in combination with white atractylodes rhizome,
cinnamom twig, umbellate pore-fungus and other for
inducing diuresis and alleviating edema, such as Wuling
Powder, to treat retention of dampness, edema, dysuria due
to insufficiency of the spleen; and with cinnamom twig,
white atractylodes rhizome, liquorice to benefit Qi,
support Yang and eliminate phlegm, to treat excessive
dampness due to insufficiency of the spleen, and dizziness
and palpitation due to phlegm retention.
2. To treat
anorexia, pathologic leanness and loose stool due to
weakness of the spleen and stomach, poria is often used in
combination with white atractylodes rhizome, Dangshen and
liquorice to benefit Qi and invigorate the spleen, such as
Sijunzi Decoction.
3. To treat
palpitation, uneasiness, insomnia and amnesia caused by Qi
and blood insufficiency and loss of vitality, poria is
often used in combination with ginseng, Chinese angelica
root, wild jujube seed, longan pulp and other drugs for
supplementing Qi and blood, nourishing the heart and
tranquilizing the mind, such as Guipi Decoction, Anshen
Dingzhi Pill, etc.
Dosage and
Administration:
10-15g.
When used for tranquilizing, poria can be mixed with
cinnabar, known as Zhufuling.
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