Polyporus – 1 lb (454 g)

Polyporus, known in Chinese as 猪苓 (Zhūlíng) and scientifically as Polyporus, is a valued herb in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). This TCM herb has been traditionally used to support natural wellness, maintain vitality, and encourage holistic balance. At TCMforyou.com, we provide premium-quality Polyporus carefully sourced to preserve its therapeutic properties.

As a herbal supplement, Polyporus helps promote overall well-being and supports natural energy, immunity, and balance. Integrating this herb into your wellness routine offers a gentle, time-tested approach to enhancing daily health. Whether brewed as tea, added to herbal remedies, or taken as part of a TCM formula, Polyporus provides a safe, natural way to experience the benefits of traditional Chinese medicine.

Trusted for centuries, Polyporus has been used in TCM to harmonize the body and encourage optimal functioning of key systems. At TCMforyou, we prioritize authenticity and quality. Each batch undergoes rigorous testing to ensure purity and potency, delivering an herbal product aligned with traditional practices.

Experience the natural support of Polyporus, promoting immune health, vitality, and holistic well-being. Embrace the wisdom of TCM and incorporate this gentle, effective herbal remedy into your daily wellness journey.

[Overview] This herb is also known as Zhufu Ling, Di Wu Tao, Zhu Shi Ling, and Wild Boar Food. It is the sclerotium of the fungus Polyporus umbellatus (Pers.) Fries from the Polyporaceae family. It is mainly produced in Shaanxi and Yunnan provinces, with additional production in Jilin, Henan, Gansu, Shanxi, and Sichuan. It is harvested in spring and autumn, cleaned of mud and sand, and sun-dried.

[Properties] Taste: sweet and bland; nature: neutral. Enters the Kidney and Bladder meridians.

[Actions] Promotes urination and drains dampness.

[Applications]
1. Used for urinary difficulty and edema caused by water-damp retention. Commonly combined with Poria (Fu Ling), Atractylodes macrocephala (Bai Zhu), Alisma (Ze Xie), and Cinnamon Twig (Gui Zhi), as in the formula Wu Ling San. For water-heat complex with heat injuring yin, causing urinary difficulty, thirst, and irritability, often combined with Talcum (Hua Shi) and Donkey-hide Gelatin (E Jiao), as in Zhu Ling Tang.
2. Used for diarrhea, turbid painful urinary dribbling (Lin Zhuo), and leukorrhea. For damp-heat diarrhea, if dampness predominates, combined with Atractylodes (Cang Zhu), Magnolia bark (Hou Po), and Tangerine peel (Chen Pi); if heat predominates, combined with Coptis (Huang Lian) and Scutellaria (Huang Qin). For turbid painful urinary dribbling, often combined with Akebia (Mu Tong), Plantago seed (Che Qian Zi), and Talcum (Hua Shi). For damp-heat downward flow causing persistent leukorrhea, often combined with Poria (Fu Ling) and Plantago seed (Che Qian Zi). In recent years, it has been used for treating chronic hepatitis and various malignant tumors such as lung and liver cancer.

[Dosage and Administration] Internal use: decoction, 6–12 g; or incorporated into pills or powders; or prepared as an injectable.

[Cautions] This herb has a strong diuretic effect. Use with caution in patients without water-dampness to avoid injuring yin.

[Modern Research]
1. Chemical constituents: The sclerotium of Polyporus contains Polyporus polysaccharide I, ergosterol, α-hydroxyhexacosanoic acid, crude protein, biotin, and others.
2. Pharmacological actions: Polyporus has diuretic effects in experimental animals, possibly by inhibiting renal tubular reabsorption of electrolytes and water; it also has immunomodulatory effects, with stronger regulation of cellular immunity than humoral immunity. Polyporus polysaccharides inhibit mouse sarcoma S180 and mouse liver cancer; extracts inhibit synthesis of mouse sarcoma S180 and increase intracellular cAMP and D content in ascitic cancer cells. Polyporus polysaccharides have significant protective effects against liver damage induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) and D-galactosamine, reducing ALT activity and restoring activities of liver 5′-nucleotidase, acid phosphatase, and glucose-6-phosphatase. Alcohol extracts of Polyporus inhibit Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli.
3. Clinical reports: (1) Viral hepatitis: Polyporus polysaccharide injection, 40 mg intramuscularly daily for 20 days, followed by 10 days rest, repeated for 3 months as one course. Among 359 cases treated, 35.6% of 279 patients with elevated ALT returned to normal; total enzyme reduction effective rate was 76.51%. Among 120 HBeAg-positive patients, 41 converted to negative (34.17%); among 296 HBeAg-positive patients, 38 converted (12.8%), and 36.8% had a titer decrease of more than fourfold. [Journal of Integrated Traditional and Western Medicine, 1988, 8(3):141] (2) Tumors: Polyporus polysaccharide alone or combined with chemotherapy was used to treat over 200 cases of advanced primary lung cancer (mainly squamous cell carcinoma), nearly 40 cases of acute leukemia, and 68 cases of liver cancer and nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Results showed improvement in cellular immune function, symptom relief, and reduction of chemotherapy side effects. No adverse reactions were observed. [Journal of Integrated Traditional and Western Medicine, 1983, (3):160] (3) Psoriasis: Polyporus injection (equivalent to 0.5 g raw herb per ml) was administered intramuscularly, 2 ml twice daily for adults, once daily for children aged 5–12 years, for more than 2 weeks. Among 265 cases treated, 83 were basically cured, 67 markedly effective, 79 improved, and 36 ineffective, with a total effective rate of 86.4%. [Journal of Integrated Traditional and Western Medicine, 1984, (5):285]