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Shennong Bencao Jing
013 / 030
Fuling (Poria) — classical plate
Poria · Poria Plate 013
Poria
茯苓 Fuling
Poria
Poria Cocos (Schw.) Wolf
Nature & FlavorSweet, bland; neutral
ChannelsHeart, Lung, Spleen, Kidney
Actions
Drains waterLeaches dampnessFortifies the spleenCalms the spirit
Six ChannelsTaiyang water amassment, Shaoyin water qi
The Classic The original text

「味甘平。主胸胁逆气,忧恚惊邪恐悸,心下结痛,寒热烦满,咳逆,口焦舌干,利小便。久服安魂养神,不饥延年。」

Sweet in flavor, neutral. It treats counterflow qi in the chest and ribs, worry, resentment, fright pathogens and palpitations, bound pain below the heart, cold and heat with vexation and fullness, cough with counterflow, parched mouth and dry tongue, and it promotes urination. Taken over a long time, it quiets the soul, nourishes the spirit, and removes hunger for years.

RootBro's note — 'Promotes urination' and 'quiets the soul and spirit' look unrelated, but they connect through one intermediate link — internal water retention. When retained water harasses the heart-spirit upward, there is palpitation and fright; once fuling drains the water, the spirit settles.
PhD Insight A systems-biology reading
Key constituents pachyman (poria polysaccharide) and pachymic acid: the first regulates immunity; the second suppresses aldosterone secretion, producing a gentle, long-lasting diuresis.
Pachymic acid · 茯苓酸
Aldosterone antagonism → renal tubular Na⁺ reabsorption ↓ → urine output ↑ (draining water). Poria polysaccharides also activate macrophages → immune regulation. Together they account for the full mechanism of 'fortify the spleen, drain dampness.'
A modern reading of fuling 'calming the spirit': retained water disturbs extracellular-fluid osmotic pressure, which destabilizes neuronal firing. Pachymic acid's diuresis restores water-electrolyte balance and indirectly steadies nerve function — the physiological basis of 'treat the water to calm the spirit.'
Logic Pairing Classical pairings
Wu Ling San (Five-Ingredient Powder with Poria)Ling Gui Zhu Gan Tang (Poria, Cinnamon Twig, Atractylodes & Licorice Decoction)Zhen Wu Tang (True Warrior Decoction)Zhuling Tang (Polyporus Decoction)Fuling Gancao Tang (Poria & Licorice Decoction)Suan Zao Ren Tang (Sour Jujube Decoction)
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