Silver Ear, a name in traditional Chinese medicine. It is the dried fruiting body of Tremella fuciformis Berk., a fungus in the Tremellaceae family. It has the effects of nourishing yin, moistening the lungs, nourishing the stomach, and promoting the production of body fluids. It is used to treat coughs due to debility, coughing up blood, thirst due to fluid deficiency, post-illness weakness, and shortness of breath and fatigue.
Silver Ear
Silver Ear, a name in traditional Chinese medicine. It is the dried fruiting body of Tremella fuciformis Berk., a fungus in the Tremellaceae family. It has the effects of nourishing yin, moistening the lungs, nourishing the stomach, and promoting the production of body fluids. It is used to treat coughs due to debility, coughing up blood, thirst due to fluid deficiency, post-illness weakness, and shortness of breath and fatigue.
Chinese Name : 银耳
Latin Name : https://image.dayi.org.cn/img/20220124/Ne5bCFBeZW.jpegTremella
Aliases : White Wood Ear, White Ear, Mulberry Goose, Wudingzhi, White Ear Fruit
Nature, Flavor & Meridian Tropism : Sweet in taste, neutral in nature; enters the Lung, Stomach, and Kidney meridians
Benefits & Efficacy
Benefits
Nourishes yin and moistens the lungs; nourishes the stomach and promotes the production of body fluids.
Indications
Cough due to deficiency-syndrome, blood-streaked sputum, thirst due to fluid deficiency, post-illness physical weakness, shortness of breath, and fatigue.
Usage and Dosage
Internal use: Decoct 3–10 g; or stew with rock sugar and meat.
Precautions
In recent years, silver ear mushrooms that have been bleached with sulfur have appeared on the market; these are harmful to human health and should not be consumed. In addition, when silver ear mushrooms spoil, they become contaminated with bacteria that produce toxins; consuming them can cause food poisoning, and in severe cases, lead to kidney failure, cerebral edema, and even death.
Chemical Constituents
The main components of white fungus include polysaccharides, lipids, enzymes, proteins, and amino acids.The polysaccharides in silver ear mushrooms are primarily acidic and neutral polysaccharides, as well as cell wall and extracellular polysaccharides. Lipids include ergosterol and phosphatidylacetamide. There are two types of enzymes: mannosidase and β-N-acetyl-D-hexosaminidase.The proteins contain 17 amino acids, including proline, leucine, isoleucine, phenylalanine, glycine, serine, and glutamic acid, among which proline is present in the highest concentration. The inorganic salts primarily consist of ions such as S, Fe, Mg, Ca, and K.
Pharmacological Actions
Silver ear mushroom has immune-boosting, antitumor, anti-radiation, antiviral, antioxidant, anti-fatigue, anti-hepatitis, antimutagenic, blood glucose-lowering, blood lipid-lowering, and anti-aging effects.
Relevant Discussions
1. *Questions and Answers on Materia Medica*: “Treats dry mouth, pulmonary atrophy, and cough with phlegm congestion.”
2. *New Reference on Herbal Slices*: “Clears and nourishes lung yin, replenishes body fluids, and treats chronic cough.”
3. *Fujian Pharmacopoeia*: “Treats pulmonary atrophy, hemoptysis, and chronic hepatitis.”
Applications
Clinical Applications
1. To moisten the lungs, relieve cough, and tonify the body: 6 g of white wood ear fungus, 6 g of bamboo ginseng, and 3 g of epimedium. First, soak the white wood ear fungus and bamboo ginseng in cold water until plump. Then add one small bowl of water, rock sugar, and an appropriate amount of lard to mix well. Finally, take the epimedium, chop it slightly, place it in the bowl, and steam together. When serving, remove the epimedium residue. Drink the soup containing the bamboo ginseng and white wood ear fungus.(From *Collection of Folk Remedies and Medicines of Guizhou*)
2. For lung yin deficiency, cough, scanty phlegm, and thirst: 6g white wood ear (soaked in water beforehand), 15g rock sugar. Add an appropriate amount of water and steam over water until thoroughly cooked to make a white wood ear and rock sugar soup. Take in two doses; one dose per day.
3. For treating fever-induced fluid depletion with intense thirst and a strong urge to drink: 10 g of white fungus, 15 g of reed root, and 10 g of small ring grass. Decoct in water, remove the white fungus, strain out the herbal residue, drink the decoction, and consume the white fungus. Take one dose daily.
4. For use during radiation therapy and chemotherapy for cancer: 12 g of white fungus, 45 g of Gynostemma pentaphyllum, 30 g each of Codonopsis pilosula and Astragalus membranaceus. Decoct all ingredients in water, remove the white fungus, strain out the herbal residue, then add 30 g each of coix seed and rice to cook into porridge. Take one dose daily; long-term use in conjunction with radiation therapy and chemotherapy can help prevent a drop in white blood cell count.
5. For primary hypertension: 10 g of white fungus, 10 ml each of rice vinegar and water, and 3 eggs (boiled and shelled beforehand). Simmer all ingredients over low heat to make a soup; consume the white fungus and eggs. Eat one egg daily, and drink the soup while eating the white fungus. (Recipes 2–5 are from *Medicinal Parasites*)
Related Medicines
Jianbaoling Tablets, Jianbaoling Granules, Ginseng-White Fungus Five-Flavor Crystals, Ankang Granules, Chuanbei-Silver Ear Syrup.
Related Prescriptions
Silver Goji Eye-Brightening Decoction (*Folk Formulas*).
Medicinal Diet Therapy
1. Silver Ear Porridge: Soak 3–6 g of silver ear mushrooms in warm water for 1 hour, then simmer until thickened into a paste. Add an appropriate amount of rock sugar before consuming. Regular consumption of this formula moistens the lungs and stops bleeding; it is effective for dry cough due to lung deficiency, coughing up blood, hematemesis, or excessive uterine bleeding.
2. Silver Ear Mushroom and Chinese Cabbage Heart Stew: 10 g dried silver ear mushrooms, 12 Chinese cabbage hearts, 75 g cooked ham, 2 teaspoons cornstarch, 1 cup broth and 1/4 teaspoon salt; or 1 cup broth, 1/3 teaspoon sugar, and 1/3 teaspoon salt.Soak the dried white fungus in warm water until rehydrated, then trim off the hard, yellow stems. Add the seasonings and simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes, then remove and drain. Cut the cooked ham into thin strips. Trim the Chinese kale by removing the stems, tips, and tough outer leaves, then blanch in hot water until tender. Remove and arrange around the edge of a serving plate.Heat a wok, bring the seasonings to a boil over medium heat, then add the white wood ear mushrooms and cornstarch slurry to thicken the sauce. Stir well, transfer to a serving dish, and sprinkle with the cooked ham. This dish has the benefits of nourishing the body, promoting fluid production, moistening the lungs, and nourishing the stomach. It is primarily used to treat conditions such as coughs due to deficiency, blood in phlegm, and thirst caused by insufficient body fluids.
3. White Wood Ear and Bamboo Ginseng Soup: 10g white wood ear mushrooms, 10g bamboo ginseng,5g Epimedium. First, soak the white wood ear mushrooms and bamboo ginseng in cold water until plump, then rinse and drain. Add a small bowl of water along with rock sugar and an appropriate amount of lard, and mix well. Finally, lightly chop the Epimedium, place it in a bowl, and steam everything together. When serving, remove the Epimedium residue and consume the ginseng, mushrooms, and broth together. This soup moistens the lungs, relieves coughs, and nourishes the body. (From *Collection of Folk Remedies and Medicines of Guizhou*)
Processing & Preparation
Harvesting & Processing
When the silver ear slices have fully opened and stopped growing, harvest them promptly. Wash them three times with clean water, then dry them in the sun or in an oven immediately.
Storage Methods
Store in a dry container, sealed tightly, in a cool, dry place to prevent mold and insect infestation.
Crude Drug Identification
Properties of Crude Drugs
The fruiting body consists of several to more than 10 thin, deeply wrinkled lobes, forming a chrysanthemum, peony, or hydrangea shape, with a diameter of 3–15 cm. It is white or yellowish in color, with a smooth, glossy surface and a yellowish-brown stalk. It is horny, hard, and brittle. When soaked in water, it swells and becomes gelatinous. It has a faint odor and a mild taste.
Botanical Information
Morphological Characteristics
The fruiting body is pure white, gelatinous, and translucent, 5–10 cm wide, composed of numerous broad, thin lobes; it is soft when fresh and shrinks upon drying. Basidia are nearly spherical, longitudinally septate, (10–13) μm × (9–10) μm. Spores are colorless, smooth, and nearly spherical, (6–8.5) μm × (4–7) μm.
Distribution Area
It grows on decaying wood of oak and other broad-leaved trees.
Growth Habits
Silver ear is a saprotrophic fungus classified as mesophilic, but it is highly cold-tolerant. The optimal growth temperature for mycelium is 20–28°C, while fruiting bodies grow best at 20–26°C. Silver ear grows well when the moisture content of log substrates is 42%–47%, bark substrates is 44%–50%, or sawdust substrates is 60%–65%, with a relative humidity of 80%–96%;Silver ear is an aerobic fungus with an optimal pH range of 5.2–5.8. Its hyphae have very limited ability to break down cellulose, so it requires an ascomycete known as “fragrant ash” to assist in decomposing the wood and providing nutrients.
Cultivation Techniques
1. Strain Cultivation: The cultivation of the silver ear mushroom strain is relatively unique and requires a mixed cultivation method, in which the silver ear mushroom is cultured together with the “fragrant ash” fungus. When preparing the master strain, both fungi should be isolated from the same log. After obtaining pure strains, inoculate the PDA medium with the silver ear mushroom strain and incubate at 25°C. Once colonies of about 1 cm have formed on the slant, inoculate the “fragrant ash” fungus and co-culture the two strains. Then transfer the mixture to the primary strain and the cultivation strain.The primary culture can be produced using a medium composed of wood chips, rice bran, sucrose, and gypsum. Rod-shaped or wedge-shaped inoculation blocks are added to the primary culture medium to produce the secondary culture.
2. Cultivation Methods: There are log cultivation and substrate cultivation. Log Cultivation: Select broad-leaved trees aged 10–15 years with a diameter of 6–10 cm as ear logs. Cut them down after the leaves fall in the fall and before new buds emerge in early spring, then cut them into 1–1.2 m long sections and stack them to air-dry.Select a forest clearing with diffused sunlight in the morning and evening—approximately one-third sun and three-quarters shade—as the cultivation site. Begin inoculation when the temperature stabilizes between 15–18°C, typically between the Qingming Festival and the Start of Summer. First, drill inoculation holes on the logs in a “pin” formation or spiral pattern, each measuring 10 cm × 3 cm,with a diameter of 1–1.2 cm and a depth of 1.2–1.8 cm. Distribute the sawdust spawn into each hole, press it down slightly, and cover with a piece of bark. If using spawn logs, tamp them down firmly after insertion.After inoculation, stack the logs in a “well” pattern under tree shade or in a slightly shaded area, with a stack height of 1.2 m and a stack temperature between 22–26°C. Turn the stack once every 7–10 days. After 40 days of mycelial growth, dismantle the stack and arrange the logs in rows.For the drying room setup, the logs are typically arranged in a “人” shape on racks. During the ear-forming period, maintain a temperature of 20–25°C; during the peak growth period of the fruiting bodies, spray water 3–5 times daily to maintain a relative humidity of 85%–95%, while ensuring adequate ventilation and light penetration within the drying room.Substrate Cultivation: Wood shavings, wood chips, sugarcane bagasse, sugar beet pulp, cottonseed hulls, and peanut shells can be used as primary raw materials. These are combined with other nutrients to prepare the culture medium. After filling plastic bags, make 4–8 inoculation holes (2 cm long and 1.5 cm deep) on the side of each bag and seal them with zinc oxide adhesive tape.After autoclaving, remove the tape to inoculate the culture, then securely reseal the tape. Incubate at a room temperature of 25–28°C for 4 days, then transfer to an environment of approximately 25°C and continue incubation for 14 days. When the mycelium has formed circular growth zones in the inoculation holes, partially remove the tape to allow air circulation, and lower the temperature to around 23°C.One week later, when “yellow liquid” begins to ooze from the inoculation holes, lower the room temperature to 20°C, spray water 3–4 times daily to maintain a relative humidity of 90%, and harvest the ears after 40 days of growth.