A multidimensional perspective on Poria cocos, an ancient fungal traditional Chinese medicine

Poria cocos occupies a foundational position in Asian medicinal systems, with documented use spanning over 2500 years. Modern applications have expanded its utility across diverse sectors, including functional foods, cosmeceuticals, and veterinary medicine.

This review aims to systematically consolidate historical insights, production, phytochemical profiles, pharmacological mechanisms, and modern applications of Poria cocos, while addressing challenges in quality standardization and sustainable development.

For the collection of pertinent information, extensive searches were conducted across diverse literature and electronic databases. Primary keywords such as "Poria cocos" and "Poria" were utilized, supplemented by secondary search terms including "source", "cultivation", "processing", "chemical composition", "pharmacological effects", "practical applications", "quality standard" and "toxicity and safety". Through integration, systematically summarize and analyze the extracted data to evaluate the research progress of Poria cocos.

This review summarizes the main findings on the history, production, phytochemistry, pharmacology, practical applications, quality standards, and safety of Poria cocos. The medicinal use of Poria cocos has spanned over 2500 years, and its cultivation techniques are constantly evolving. Modern cultivation practices, including pine segment wood and substitute cultivation, highlight trade-offs between yield, cost, and ecological impact. Phytochemical analysis determined that polysaccharides and triterpenes are the main bioactive components, and 120 triterpenoid compounds have been reported. Pharmacological studies have confirmed that Poria cocos has diuretic, liver protective, anti-inflammatory, antitumor, antioxidant, and antidiabetic effects. Practical applications extend beyond medicine to functional foods, cosmeceuticals, and veterinary products. However, there are still challenges in the dynamic balance between resource development and environmental protection, clarification of active ingredients, deepening of pharmacological mechanisms, development of products in practical application fields, and quality standardization, especially in the qualitative and quantitative analysis of active ingredients (polysaccharides and triterpenoids) in Poria cocos, the risk of sulfur fumigation, and heavy metal pollution. Collectively, these findings underscore Poria cocos as a multifaceted resource.

Poria cocos remains a promising candidate for global health and wellness initiatives. Combining traditional knowledge with innovative research to ensure the green cultivation of Poria cocos, with clear ingredients, reliable therapeutic effects, controllable quality, safety and effectiveness, is an important direction for future research.