Wood Ear, a name in traditional Chinese medicine. It is the fruiting body of the fungus Auricularia auricular (L.) Underw., belonging to the Auriculariaceae family.It is distributed throughout China. It has the effects of tonifying qi and nourishing blood, moistening the lungs, stopping bleeding, lowering blood pressure, and fighting cancer. It is commonly used for qi deficiency and blood deficiency, limb tremors, chronic cough due to lung deficiency, hemoptysis, hematemesis, epistaxis, bloody dysentery, bleeding from hemorrhoids, menorrhagia, hypertension, constipation, retinal hemorrhage, cervical cancer, vaginal cancer, and traumatic injuries.
Wood Ear
Wood Ear, a name in traditional Chinese medicine. It is the fruiting body of the fungus Auricularia auricular (L.) Underw., belonging to the Auriculariaceae family.It is distributed throughout China. It has the effects of tonifying qi and nourishing blood, moistening the lungs, stopping bleeding, lowering blood pressure, and fighting cancer. It is commonly used for qi deficiency and blood deficiency, limb tremors, chronic cough due to lung deficiency, hemoptysis, hematemesis, epistaxis, bloody dysentery, bleeding from hemorrhoids, menorrhagia, hypertension, constipation, retinal hemorrhage, cervical cancer, vaginal cancer, and traumatic injuries.
Chinese Name : 木耳
Latin Name : Auricularia auricular (L.) Underw.
Aliases : Black wood ear, wood fungus, cloud ear, ear fungus, smooth wood ear, wood moss
Authentic Producing Area : Nationwide
Nature, Flavor & Meridian Tropism : Sweet in taste, neutral in nature; enters the Lung, Spleen, Large Intestine, and Liver meridians
Benefits & Efficacy
Benefits
Tonifies qi and nourishes blood; moistens the lungs; stops bleeding; lowers blood pressure; and has anticancer properties.
Indications
Qi deficiency and blood deficiency; limb tremors; chronic cough due to lung deficiency; hemoptysis; hematemesis; epistaxis; bloody dysentery; bleeding from hemorrhoids; menorrhagia; hypertension; constipation; retinal hemorrhage; cervical cancer; vaginal cancer; and trauma.
Usage and Dosage
5–30 g; may also be used as a food ingredient; or charred to preserve its properties and ground into powder.
Precautions
Use with caution in cases of loose stools due to deficiency-cold.
Relevant Discussions
1. Meng Shen: Benefits the five viscera; dispels stagnant qi and toxic qi from the stomach and intestines.
2. *Daily-Use Materia Medica*: Treats intestinal disorders with bloody stools; also cools the blood.
3. *Compendium of Materia Medica*: Treats hemorrhoids.
4. *Essential Applications of Medicinal Properties*: Moistens dryness and promotes bowel movements.
5. *Dietary Spectrum of Suixi Residence*: Tonifies qi and alleviates hunger; invigorates blood circulation; treats injuries from falls and blows. For conditions such as metrorrhagia, dysuria, bloody dysentery, hemorrhoids, and intestinal itching, regular consumption may provide relief.
Applications
Related Compatibility
1. Acute and chronic diarrhea and dysentery: 50 g of dried wood ear mushrooms (roasted) and 12.5 g of deer antler gelatin (roasted). Grind into a powder; take 15 g per dose, mixed with warm wine, twice daily. (*Formulas of the Imperial Pharmacy*)
2.Chronic non-healing sores in the elderly: Roast black fungus on a clay tile until charred, grind into a powder, and sift. Mix two parts black fungus powder with one part white sugar, add water to form a paste, spread on gauze, and apply to the affected area; change the dressing once in the morning and once in the evening.
3. Postpartum weakness, muscle cramps, and numbness: Soak 30g of black fungus in aged vinegar; consume in 5–6 portions, three times daily;Alternative formula: 15g each of black fungus and brown sugar, plus 31g of honey; steam until tender and consume in 3 divided doses; Another formula: 12g of black fungus, 9g each of Qiannianjian and Zhuidifeng. First, decoct Qiannianjian and Zhuidifeng, strain out the residue, then add the black fungus and an appropriate amount of white sugar to the decoction. Eat the black fungus and drink the broth, taking it twice daily. (Formulas 2–3 are from *Medicinal Fungi of China*)
Processing & Preparation
Harvesting & Processing
Harvest in summer or fall; sun-dry or dry in a drying room by gradually raising the temperature from 35°C to 60°C.
Crude Drug Identification
Properties of Crude Drugs
The fruiting body appears as irregular chunks or fragments, often shriveled and of varying sizes. The non-spore-bearing surface is blackish-brown or purplish-brown, sparsely covered with very short villi, while the spore-bearing surface is paler in color. When soaked in water, it swells to resemble an ear, approximately 2 mm thick, brownish-black, supple, slightly translucent, and coated with a slippery mucus. It has a faintly fragrant odor and a mild taste.
Botanical Information
Botanical Classification
A fungus belonging to the Auriculariaceae family, specifically Auricularia.
Morphological Characteristics
The fruiting body is gelatinous and translucent, with elasticity; it consists of thin, ear-shaped slices up to 12 cm in diameter and approximately 2 mm thick. It is attached to the substrate by a short lateral stalk, with irregular, wavy edges;the outer surface is purplish-brown with sparse, short villi, which are denser along the margins; the inner surface is smooth, dark brown to purplish-brown, with a well-developed hymenium that is pale purplish-brown; the spores are curved, oblong, or cylindrical.
Distribution Area
Found throughout China; it is also cultivated in various regions.