The efficacy and function of Poria polysaccharide

Poria cocos is a common health product in our daily diet. It can also be said to be a health food and can be bought in major supermarkets. Among them, Poria polysaccharide is a traditional Chinese medicine with high medicinal value. So what are the effects and functions of Poria polysaccharide? Poria polysaccharide has a good regulatory ability, especially in terms of body immunity; inhibiting the growth and spread of tumor cells is also one of the main effects of Poria polysaccharide.

Structure and properties

(1) Structural composition: Poria cocos polysaccharides are divided into water-soluble polysaccharides and alkali-soluble polysaccharides. Its structure is 50 β-(1→3)-bound glucose units, and each β-(1→5)-bound glucose branch is separated by 1 to 2 β-(1→6)-bound glucose units.

(2) Solubility: Poria polysaccharide is easily soluble in water, but insoluble in organic solvents such as ethanol, acetone and ether.

Physiological functions

(1) Immune regulation ability. It can activate lymphocyte T cells and B cells, resist thymus atrophy, resist spleen enlargement, and enhance the phagocytic ability of macrophages.

(2) Assist in tumor suppression. It has a good inhibitory effect on mouse sarcoma S180, with an effective rate of 19.6%~35% (used alone). If used in combination with other inhibitory drugs (such as cyclohexine), the effective rate reaches 38.9%~69%. It can prolong the survival time of leukemia (L1210), extending it by 70% when used alone, and by 168.1% when used in combination with cycloheximide.

(3) Anti-aging effect. It can inhibit free radical peroxidation reaction, reduce lipid peroxidation and reduce lipofuscin formation. It had a significant reducing effect on the lipofuscin in the serum and myocardium of mice compared with the control group. Therefore, it has the function of delaying the aging of the body.

(4)Others. The decoction of Poria cocos has sedative, diuretic and strengthening effects. Patients with cardiac edema were given 30 to 100 grams per day, which has a strong diuretic effect. It has an improving effect on hypoglycemia in rabbits. It has a significant protective effect on liver damage caused by carbon tetrachloride and prevents liver cell necrosis.

(5) Traditional Chinese medicine believes that it can promote diuresis and eliminate dampness, strengthen the spleen and calm the mind. Used for edema, oliguria, phlegm, dizziness and palpitations, spleen deficiency, poor appetite, loose stools and diarrhea, restlessness, palpitations and insomnia