Lasiosphaera seu Calvatia, Puffball, Ma Bo 马勃

Fuss Balls, Puck-Fists
Bovista, Fungus Chirurgorum, Crepitus Lupi (Latin)
Ma Bo 马勃 (TCM)
Pha bad go dgo rigs ཕ་བད་གོ་དགོ (Tibet)

Puffball
Salmon, Botanologia, 1710

Lycoperdon bovista
E. Hamilton, Flora homoeopathica, vol. 1 (1852)

Lycoperdon coronatum
M.E. Descourtilz, Flore médicale des Antilles, vol. 2: (1822)

Giant Puffball
Calvatia gigantea (syn. Lycoperdon gigantea)
A.M. Hussey [born Reed], Illustrations of British mycology, (1849-1855)

Lycoperdon stellatum
P. Bulliard, Herbier de la France, vol. 6: (1776-1783)

Botanical name:

A number of species of Puffball have been used:
1. Lasiosphaera spp.
    i. L. fenzlii (Shedding Puffball) (TCM)
    ii. L. nipponica (TCM)
2. Calvatia spp.
    i. C. gigantea (syn. Lycoperdon gigantea) (Giant Puffball) (TCM)
    ii. C. lilacina (Purple Puffball) (TCM)
    iii. C. utriformis (Tibet)
3. Lycoperdon spp.
    i. L. stellatum (syn. Geastrum rufescens) (Star Puffball)
    ii. L. coronatum
    iii. L. pusillurn
    iv. L. bovista
4. Bovistella spp.
    i. B. chinensis (TCM)
    ii. B. radiata (TCM)
5. Mycenastrum corium (TCM)
6. Scleroderma cepa (TCM)
7. Pisolithus tinctorius (TCM)

Parts used:

Fruiting Body; Spores

Temperature & Taste:

Neutral, very dry. Pungent, Bitter

Classification:

B. Clears Heat and Toxin

Uses:

1. Clears Heat, Resists Poison, Benefits Throat: (TCM)
-Throat swelling and pain, Loss of Voice
-Lung Heat Cough
-‘Malignant Sores and serious Scabies.’ (Ming Yi Bie Lu)
-Epidemic Infection (Li Dong Yuan)
-Snake bite (Tibet)

2. Stops Bleeding: (West, TCM)
-topically to stop bleeding in East and West
-applied to bleeding sores of the mouth, lips and gums
-also to stop Bleeding Wounds
-pledgets on compressed spores were applied to bleeding wounds where they’d swell and stop bleeding (West)
-tincture has been used for excessive Menstruation (West)

3. Clears Heat, Settles Wind:
-tincture has been used for Nervous affections (King’s)
-some claimed them to have a mild narcotic effect.

4. Externally:
-stops Bleeding applied topically (West, TCM, Tibet)
-applied to chronic and moist Ulcers, Weeping Eczema (West, Tibet)
-mixed with water and applied to Burns (Tibet)
-‘apply it to treat sores of various kinds’ (Tao Hong Jing)
-a good application to open Cancerous wounds, to ease pain and stop bleeding and discharge (King’s)
-fumes from the burning Puffball are narcotic and anaesthetic (King’s)

Dose:

1.5–3 grams (up to 6 grams) internally
Tincture (1 in 4, 40% alcohol): 1 dram for nervous diseases
In TCM it was classically taken by mixing the powder with Honey to a paste, then mixing the paste with water and drinking.
It can be blown directly onto the Throat or applied to stop Bleeding, or dry moist sores and wounds.

Comment:

1. This was widely used previously by Surgeons to stop Bleeding hence its name Fungus Chirurgorum.
2. When young, and still firm, they have been used as food in various cultures, including throughout Europe. Slicing finely, dipping in egg, then bread crumbs, and then shallow frying was a common way to prepare.
3. The smoke was used to stupify Bees to collect the honey.
4. It was also used as a form of tinder, smoldering spores remaining for a period, allowing people to carry fire.

Main Combinations:

1. Throat Swelling and Pain:
i. ‘Take off the peel and blend it with honey. Mix it with water and sip it to treat inflammation of the throat’. (Kou Zong Shi)
ii. Heat in the Blood, Puffball with Figwort (Xuan Shen)
iii. Heat and Toxin, Puffball with Belamcanda She Gan, Licorice
iv. Heat and Toxin, Puffball, Lonicera Jin Yin Hua, Forsythia Lian Qiao
v. Heat and Toxin, Puffball with Isatis Ban Lan Gen
2. Loss of Voice from Wind-Heat and Toxin, Puffball, Lonicera Jin Yin Hua, Gardenia Zhi Zi, Figwort (Xuan Shen), Isatis Ban Lan Gen, Mint (Bo He)
3. Nose-bleeding or Hemoptysis during Pregnancy, 1 ½ grams of Puffball powder is taken with Rice Congee.
4. Bleeding, mix with Bile and applied topically. (Tibet)
5. Snake Poison, mixed with Musk and applied (Tibet)

Major Formulas:

Yin Qiao Ma Bo San
Pu Ji Xiao Du Yin

Cautions:

Generally safe.
1. Some reports of allergic reactions have occurred. Symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, chest oppression, throat constriction, papular eruptions, facial edema. (Bensky)
2. Beware of getting the powder in the eyes which is greatly irritating.