Synopsis

Source of validity: Traditional
Rating (out of 5): 2

Poria mushrooms (Poria cocos, also known as Fu Ling in traditional Chinese medicine) have a long history of use in East Asian herbal practices. Traditionally, Poria is prescribed to “calm the spirit” (shen) and is believed to support emotional balance, reduce anxiety, and address symptoms such as palpitations, insomnia, and restlessness—conditions historically associated with “nervousness.” The classical Chinese medical text, the Shennong Bencao Jing, lists Poria as a superior herb for calming the mind and strengthening the spleen, which in Chinese medicine is linked to emotional stability.

Scientific investigations into Poria’s effects on the nervous system are limited and mostly preclinical. Some laboratory studies suggest that Poria extracts may have mild sedative or anxiolytic effects in animal models, possibly due to triterpenoids and polysaccharides that may influence neurotransmitter activity. However, robust clinical trials in humans are lacking, and there is insufficient scientific evidence to confirm Poria’s efficacy for nervousness or anxiety in modern biomedical terms.

In summary, Poria mushrooms are traditionally used to alleviate nervousness and related symptoms in Chinese medicine, but scientific validation for this use remains preliminary and inconclusive. The strength of evidence is therefore rated as 2, reflecting strong traditional use but weak scientific substantiation.

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