Poria, also known as Poria (Fuling), is sweet and tasteless in flavour, neutral in nature, and it acts on the heart, spleen and kidney channels. Being tasteless for inducing diuresis to alleviate edema, sweet for tonifying the heart and spleen, and neutral for inducing diuresis without impairing vital Qi, and for tonifying without drastic allects, it is used reinforcing and purging, as important herb for Edema, phlegm retention, diarrhea and other syndromes caused by deficiency of spleen and retention of dampness. In addition, it also has the effects of invigorating the spleen and tranqilizing.

1) Alzheimer's Disease
Preliminary research shows that poria may help fight Alzheimer's disease. In a 2009 study published in the German journal Die Pharmazie, tests on rat cells demonstrated that poria may inhibit Alzheimer's development by reducing oxidative stress. The study's authors also found that poria may help shield the brain from the toxic effects of beta-amyloid (a substance that forms the brain plaques associated with Alzheimer's disease).

2) Diabetes
Triterpenes found in poria may be effective against diabetes, a 2011 study from Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine shows. In test on mice with diabetes, the study's authors found that treatment with poria triterpenes helped regulate the animals' blood sugar levels and treat insulin resistance.

3) Cancer
Several studies on human cells indicate that poria may possess anti-tumor properties and could help fight some forms of cancer (including pancreatic cancer and breast cancer). However, it's too soon to tell whether taking poria can aid in cancer prevention.

4) Immune System
Poria may help boost immune function, according to a 2011 report published in Planta Medica. For the report, researchers analyzed the available research on poria. Along with finding significant evidence that poria can help fight inflammation, the report's authors determined that polysaccharides found in poria may help strengthen immune response.