Poria

Scientific Name(s): Poria cocos (Schw.) Wolf. Family: Polyporaceae

Common Name(s): Poria , fu-ling (Mandarin/Chinese), tuckahoe , Indian bread , hoelen

Uses of Poria

Poria has been used for its immunological, antitumor, diuretic, anti-inflammatory, anti-emetic, and CNS effects, primarily in animal studies.

Poria Dosing

There is no clinical evidence to support specific dosage of poria.

Contraindications

Contraindications have not yet been identified.

Pregnancy/Lactation

Information regarding safety and efficacy in pregnancy and lactation is lacking.

Poria Interactions

None well documented.

Poria Adverse Reactions

No studies have directly linked poria to any severe toxicities.

Toxicology

Toxicity has been shown to be low in animal studies. Derivatives of poria are suggested to be less toxic than 5-fluorouracil in cancer studies.

Botany

Poria possesses a large potato-shaped formation known as a sclerotium that grows on pine tree roots. The sclerotium can be as large as 30 cm long and 1 kg in mass. Poria is a type of brown rot fungus that can attack and destroy timber. The texture is soft and elastic and the flavor is sweet and bland. The fungus is harvested and then dried in the shade. 1 , 2 P. cocos was formerly known as Sclerotium cocos .

History

Poria has a history in Asian medicine of “draining dampness,” for insomnia, to balance electrolytes, and “invigorate” the spleen. Poria has been known as the “medicine of immortality.” A legend about Bok-Ryung, the Korean name for poria, tells of an upper class daughter, Ki-Ryung, falling in love with a servant, Ki-Bok, which at the time was strictly forbidden. They decided to run away together, but Ki-Ryung became ill. In Ki-Bok's search for medicinal herbs, he shot a rabbit, followed it, and eventually found the arrow stuck in a hole in the ground near a pine tree. Here, Ki-Bok discovered a mushroom, which he believed was a blessing from God to cure his love. He prepared an infusion of this mushroom, Ki-Ryung drank it, and was cured. This mushroom was named “Bok-Ryung” from their names. 2

Chemistry

Poria contains several monosaccharides including the D - forms of glucose, xylose, mannose, galactose, fucose, and rhamnose. 3 , 4 Several studies report beta-d-glucan structured polysaccharides being present as well, discussing behaviorial characteristics and antitumor potential. 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 The glucan pachyman, specifically, has been evaluated. 10 , 11 , 12 Compounds O-acetylpachymic acid, methyl-O-acetylpachymate and Me pachymate have also been isolated from poria. 13 , 14

Several reports list triterpene derivatives present in poria. 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 These include lanostane triterpenes. 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 Examples include polyporenic acid C, pachymaic acid, 24 pachymic acid, tumulosic acid, a carboxylic acid, 25 and dehydropachymic acid. 26 , 27

Poria also contains 15 amino acids, including primarily aspartic acid, serine, and valine. 28 Enzymes carboxyl proteinase (aspartic proteinase), 2 , 29 , 30 beta-pachymanase, protease, and ergosterol and choline have also been found in poria. 1

Poria Uses and Pharmacology

Several reports can be found on the immunological effects of poria. In vitro testing demonstrates poria extract as being a suppressor of cytokine secretion. 31 , 32 In mice at doses of 250 and 500 mg/kg, poria appeared to be a promising and potent candidate for modulation of the brain-endocrine-immune axis. 33 Poria monosaccharides, including mannose, galactose, glucose, and others were effective in humoral, cellular, or nonspecific immunities in another report. 34 A review concludes that a decoction including poria has potential importance in cancer immunotherapy and to detoxify anticancer drugs. 35

Polysaccharides from plants including ascomycetes, basidiomycetes, and fungi imperfecti have well-known anti-tumor effects. 36

Animal data

Several reports confirm these actions and prove how beta-d-glycans (ie, beta-pachymans) and several new or modified polysaccharides possess anticancer activities in vitro or in mouse tumor against sarcoma 180 and Ehrlich ascites carcinoma. 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 10 , 13 , 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 Similarly, later studies report immunostimulation of T-cells and other modulations 28 , 41 and synergism between certain fungal polysaccharides in a mixture containing poria. 41

Triterpene fractions of poria possess antitumor effects as well. Lanostane-type triterpenes, including pachymic acid, 3-O-acetyl-16-alpha-hydroxytrametenolic acid, dehydropachymic acid, dehydroeburiconic acid, and poricoic acid, demonstrated antitumor activity in sarcoma 180 and skin tumor formation in mice. 42 , 43 , 44 , 45

Anti-inflammatory effects of poria have been reported. Triterpene carboxylic acids and derivatives in poria extract inhibit induced mouse ear edema, paw edema, other edemas, chronic inflammation, and dermatitis in mice. 17 , 45 , 46 , 47 , 48 Pachymic and dehydrotumulosic acids were found to inhibit phospholipase A2 in snake venom, showing potential as anti-inflammatory agents. 22

Reports of poria or formulas containing poria include blood flow analysis, 49 improvement of cerebral blood flow in rats with cerebral ischemia, 50 promotion of hippocampal long-term potentiation in vivo, 51 memory improvement from the effect on neurotransmitters, 52 and antidepressant effects similar to Prozac (fluoxetine HCl). 53

Poria may possess antiemetic actions as well. Triterpene fractions inhibited induced emesis in frogs. 54

Clinical data

Certain triterpenoid fractions from poria showed high inhibitory activity on growth of lung, ovary, skin, central nerve, and rectal cancers and possessed antimicrobial actions. 18 A clinical trial evaluated a Chinese herbal remedy containing a 5-component mixture including poria, studied human uterine myomas. In 110 premenopausal patients with this condition, symptoms of hyper- and dysmenorrhea were improved in more than 90% of cases and shrinkage of uterine myomas occurred in approximately 60% of the cases. 55

A patent for poria lanostane triterpenes as antiemetics has been applied for in Japan and includes doseforms such as tablets, granules, injections, and suppositories. 56 A mixture of 7 herbs including poria studied in more than 400 children was effective in 96.4%, with a cure rate of 90% vs controls for acute and chronic diarrhea and noninfective and infective diarrhea. 57

Poria extract has been studied to measure melanocyte proliferation as a possible application in vitiligo treatment. 58

Dosage

There is no clinical evidence to support specific dosage of poria.

Pregnancy/Lactation

Information regarding safety and efficacy in pregnancy and lactation is lacking.

Interactions

None well documented.

Adverse Reactions

Research reveals little or no information regarding adverse reactions with the use of this product.

Toxicology

Toxicity of poria polysaccharides has been reported as low during IP administration of 100 mg/kg killing none of the mice in 1 report. 36 Glucans and modified derivatives from poria were suggested to be less toxic than 5-fluorouracil in cancer studies. 40

Bibliography

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