Mo Gu
StarAgaricus campestris L.
Synonyms: Pratella campestris (L.) Gray, Psalliota campestris (L.) Fr.
☯ TCM Properties
Strengthens the Spleen, tonifies Qi and stimulates the appetite; Calms the Liver
Traditional Chinese Uses
Mo Gu is a general Chinese term for edible cultivated mushrooms of the genus Agaricus (the record specifies Agaricus campestris, the field mushroom). Sweet and neutral, entering the Spleen, Stomach and Liver channels, it is used chiefly as a gentle food-grade tonic. It strengthens the Spleen, tonifies Qi and stimulates the appetite, so it is taken for poor appetite, indigestion, fatigue and general weakness, and traditionally to promote lactation (hypogalactia).
It also calms the Liver and is used to help settle Liver-Yang patterns such as dizziness and hypertension. Mostly consumed as food or decocted in fairly large fresh amounts, it is a mild dietary-therapy substance rather than a strong single medicinal, and is generally combined with other Spleen-strengthening or Qi-tonifying foods and herbs.
Botanical Description
Mo Gu is the fruiting body of the field mushroom, Agaricus campestris (Agaricaceae), gathered fresh or dried for use. The basidiocarp has a fleshy white cap, first hemispherical then convex to flat, 3-10 cm across, dry and smooth to faintly silky-scaly, bruising slightly and often with an inrolled margin when young. The gills are free from the stipe, crowded, bright pink in youth and darkening through chocolate-brown to blackish as the dark spores mature. The short white cylindrical stipe bears a thin, fragile ring that soon disappears; the flesh is white and does not yellow strongly. It grows saprotrophically in meadows, pastures and grassy fields, fruiting in flushes after rain, especially in late summer and autumn. The whole cap is used medicinally.
Saprotrophic in nutrient-rich grasslands, pastures, meadows and lawns; fruiting after rain in late summer and autumn.
Dosage
| Form | Amount | Frequency | Duration | Population | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| decoction | 9-30g | Daily | — | — | — |
This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any herbal remedy, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking medications.
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