Tu Fu Ling
Also known as: Smilax glabra, china root, sarsaparilla rhizome.
Tu Fu Ling is included to preserve the damp-clearance branch of the TCM protocol, but the site keeps it low-tier because the rationale is traditional and mechanistic rather than clinically decisive.
Where this fits in the system
What it does
Tu Fu Ling is an optional herb for the heavy, bogged-down version of a hangover. It belongs to the drainage layer, not the main detox layer.
How it works
Where it fits
This is for recovery that feels sluggish, puffy, and sticky rather than sharp or wired. It shows up in Debrief and Mayday because that is where the user is most likely to want the broader full-coverage stack.
Buying guidance
Buy from a TCM herb supplier that sells the raw herb for tea or decoction. This is not worth chasing through generic supplement marketplaces.
Deep science · Tu Fu Ling — deep dive
Why it is Tier 4
Tu Fu Ling is retained for completeness, not because it competes with the evidence-backed core. The page makes that distinction explicit.