Zhu Ling
English Name: polyporus
Pharmaceutical Name: Polyporus
Medica Category: Water-Regulating and Damp-Resolving Herbs
Properties: Zhu Ling enters the Kidney and Urinary Bladder channels; it is sweet and bland in nature and neutral in temperature.
What is Zhu Ling?:
The Chinese Herb Zhu Ling comes from a type of wood-decaying mushroom (Polyporus umbellatus) whose fruiting body comprises clusters of small, soft-bodied caps which together can grow quite large (up to 50cm.). These individual caps are harvested, sliced, and air dried for use as medicine.
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Therapeutic Actions of Zhu Ling:
Zhu Ling promotes urination and resolves dampness and water accumulation with interior heat to address such concerns as edema, dysuria, and diarrhea.
**safety note—this herb has a diuretic effect and should be used with caution/under supervision of a trained TCM practitioner when combined with pharmaceutical medications that have diuretic effects (such as chlorothiazide, hydrochlorothiazide, furosemide (Lasix), bumetanide (Bumex), and torsemide (Demadex)) to avoid potentially excessive loss of fluids and/or electrolytes.