Reishi Mushroom Ling Zhi
Taste and properties:
Bland, sweet, or bitter depending on cultivar. Neutral to warming.
Channels of entry:
Heart, liver, lung, spleen, kidney.
Functions:
Nourishes and calms shen, relieves cough, tonifies qi and
blood, supplements the kidneys, and stabilizes the will
Nourishes the Heart and Calms the Spirit (Shen)
Ling zhi nourishes the heart and strengthens qi and blood. It is used to treat symptoms of heart and spleen deficiency manifesting as symptoms of insomnia, forgetfulness, fatigue, listlessness, and poor appetite. For insomnia: use in combination with dang gui (Angelica sinensis), bai shao (Paeonia albiflora), suan zao ren (Zizyphus spinosa), and long yan rou (Arillus longan), or with long yan rou and sang shen (Morus alba).
Relieves Coughs and Arrests Wheezing
Ling zhi dispels phlegm, relieves cough, and arrests wheezing. It is used to treat cough due to cold, cough with profuse sputum, accelerated respiration, chronic asthma, and inability to sleep due to dyspnea. For asthma and coughing: use with dang shen (Codonopsis pilosula), wu wei zi (Schisandra chinensis), gan jiang (Zingiber officinale), and ban xia (Pinellia ternata).
Tonifies Qi and Nourishes Blood
Ling zhi has traditionally been used to strengthen the body and tonify qi. It is used alone to treat qi and blood deficiency with weak digestion, poor appetite, listlessness, loose stool, and fatigue. Other symptoms may include dizziness and soreness of the lower back associated with liver imbalance and kidney deficiency.
Other Effects
In modern Chinese medicine, reishi has been used to treat angina pectoris, high cholesterol, hypertension, hepatitis, and leukopenia.
Actions
Nourishes the heart and calms shen, relieves coughing and arrests wheezing, tonifies qi, and nourishes blood.
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