Fulingpi, also known as Lingpi, is the outer skin of the fungus Poria cocos (Schw.) Wolf., which belongs to the Polyporaceae family. It is mentioned in the "Compendium of Materia Medica". When processing Fulingpi, the dark purple-black outer skin of Poria cocos is peeled off and then dried in the shade or sun.
[Processing Method] Take the original medicinal material, remove impurities, wash it with clean water, remove it, cut it into thin slices, and dry it in the sun or oven-dry it on the same day. Remove the ash residue by sieving.
[Appearance of prepared slices] Irregular thin slices with skin, varying in size. The outer surface is brown or black-brown, while the inner surface is white or light brown. The texture is soft and slightly elastic. It has a faint odor and a mild taste.
[Processing Effect] Fulingpi has a sweet and mild taste, and is neutral in nature. It has the function of promoting diuresis and reducing edema. This product is mostly used raw, and is used for edema and difficulty in urination caused by water and dampness. For example, it is used in the Wupi San (Five Peel Powder) for edema and difficulty in urination mentioned in the "Hua Shi Zhong Cang Jing"; and in the Fulingpi Tang (Poria Skin Decoction) for damp-heat syndrome, absorption of filthy dampness, urinary difficulty, and stupor mentioned in the "Differentiation of Warm Diseases". Processing it can clean the medicinal material, facilitate the dissolution of active ingredients, and make it easier for formulation and dispensing.
