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Medicinal Mushrooms

by LJH - January 23, 2010

Hi Steve,
Can you tell me how the medicinal mushrooms(ganoderma, tremella, Polyporus with Poria) act from a TCM point of view. I have used them in a variety of cancer patients as immune tonics with no problems(despite various tongues and pulses, Damp Heat/Phlegm and Blood def cases)However I had one patient vomit and develop orangish almost liquid diarhea then loose stool after taking 1 tablet. This dog did appear to be more on the Damp, Damp/ Heat side with a slightly slippery pulse, pale slightly flabby tongue. I wondered if this was a case of the mushrooms moving blood away from the skin and GI mucosa in a dog needing outward movement of blood instead.She didn't seem particularly hot and the pulse was neither weak nor deep. She is on a raw food diet and had been on metronidazole previously.Stools are back to fairly normal but not defecating as regularly as previous. Your thoughts would be appreciated
Llewanda

by naturevet

January 24, 2010

Hi Llewanda,

Generally mushrooms, as traditionally used, function as Yin tonics, Damp drainers, or Qi tonics. It could be the one you tried was more of a Yin tonic, since you saw Damp symptoms as a result.

I don't use mushrooms very much, having not seen a lot of success with them. Are there situations where certain ones work really well for you? It would be great if you could share that with the forum.

All the best,

Steve

by LJH

January 31, 2010

Hi Steve,
Thanks for the reply. The formula I used in this case was Health Concerns Power Mushrooms which I have used in conjunction with different herbal formulas in a variety of cancer types and TCM presentations primarily (I thought) as a Qi tonic/immune booster.I started using it in my patients after it was advised by our chinese herbalist for my mother who was receiving treatment for lung cancer.We also used Cordyceps for cardiopulmonary function and Coriolus for its antitumor effects especially in lung tumors. While I'm sorry to say my mother passed away after almost 4 years of treatment, she stunned her oncologists/surgeons with her quality of life during that time, the very minimal degree of metastasis, and her exercise capacity.I have never used this formula alone but have found it helpful as an addition to other herbal formulas and have never had any sort of adverse reaction even in dogs with definite Damp/Damp Heat signs. However, as you have suggested in this case the mushrooms may have boosted the Yin and exacerbated the existing Dampness in this dog.I was just surprised at the degree of reaction to( what I thought of primarily as a Qi tonic) 1 tablet given once to a large dog I would have expected to tolerate 2 tab BID-TID. I have maybe just been lucky in the past and will certainly keep this in mind in the future. Many thanks yet again for all of your help.
Llewanda

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