Larch sponge
The larch sponge is one of the plants of the family called polypores; in Latin the name of this plant will be as follows: Fomitopsis officinalis L.
As for the name of the polypore family itself, in Latin it will be: Polyporaceae R. Br.
Description of larch sponge
The larch sponge is also known under such popular names as agaric and tinder fungus. The larch sponge is one of the groups of fungi that will parasitize larch and other coniferous plants. Most often, this plant is found in the form of a multi-layered hoof-like growth, colored yellowish-white, sitting on the larch trunk. The fruiting bodies of this plant can be either solid or sometimes very growing; the diameter of the larch sponge reaches about seventy to eighty centimeters, and they will weigh more than three kilograms. This mushroom is found in Siberia, the Far East and the northeastern regions of the European part of Russia. The larch sponge will grow on the trunks of Siberian cedar and larch trees, and sometimes also on fir trunks.
Description of the medicinal properties of larch sponge
The larch sponge is endowed with very valuable healing properties, and for medicinal purposes it is recommended to use the so-called fruiting body, which will be harvested in the spring or in the first half of the summer season. The presence of such valuable healing properties should be explained by the content of the main active substance in the larch sponge – resins and agaricic acid. In addition, the fruiting body of the larch sponge will contain phytosterols, fatty oil and the following organic acids: malic, citric, ricinolic, fumaric and eburicolic acids. Mineral salts, resin, glucose, mannitol and other healing substances will also be present here.
An aqueous infusion prepared from larch sponge is endowed with a very valuable hemostatic, laxative, mild hypnotic and sedative effect. In addition, such a healing infusion will also be endowed with the property of reducing debilitating sweating in tuberculosis patients. As for traditional medicine, the larch sponge is quite widespread here. In folk medicine, larch sponge is used for neurasthenia, various bleeding, fever, diabetes and insomnia.
The following remedy based on larch sponge is also very effective: to prepare such a healing remedy, you will need to take one tablespoon of chopped mushroom. This mixture should be boiled over low heat for twenty minutes in half a glass of water. After which it is recommended to leave this healing mixture to steep for at least four hours, after which it is recommended to strain the resulting healing mixture based on larch sponge very carefully. Take the resulting medicinal product three to four times a day, one tablespoon. It should be noted that in order to achieve the greatest effectiveness when taking such a remedy, it is recommended to strictly follow not only all the rules for preparing such a remedy, but also carefully follow all the rules for taking this remedy based on larch sponge.
It is noteworthy that the chemical composition of the larch sponge has not yet been fully studied; for this reason, the use of the medicinal properties of this plant is not yet complete. Accordingly, in the near future it is possible that new ways of using the healing properties of the larch sponge will emerge.
