Chaga, nonotus obliquus, commonly called chaga (a Latinisation of the Russian word чага), is a ungus in the family Hymenochaetaceae. It is parasitic on birch and other trees. on birch and other trees. The sterile conk is irregularly formed and resembles burnt charcoal. It is not the fruiting body of the fungus, but a sclerotium or mass of mycelium, mostly black because of a great amount of melanin.
Wiki – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inonotus_obliquus
The Health Benefits of Chaga:
- Prevent and treat cancer – The betulinic acid found in chaga mushrooms is known to induce apoptosis or cell death and prevent tumors from developing. Many research articles have confirmed that chaga has exciting anti-tumor potential. Another study has demonstrated that inotodiol; the triterpenoid compound found in chaga has potential as an anticancer agent. Researchers concluded that these subfractions isolated from chaga had the potential to be used in food or by the pharmaceutical industry as an anticancer ingredient. A study in World Journal of Gastroenterology looked at the effects of Chaga on cancerous human liver cells and shows that chaga extract may be able to prevent liver cancer cell growth, making it a potential treatment for cancer in the liver. One study showed tumor-bearing mice who supplemented with chaga mushroom extract experienced a 60 percent tumor size reduction. Others with tumors spread to other parts of the body (metastatic cancer) had a 25 percent decrease in their number of nodules. Similar results have been seen in lung, breast, prostate and colon cancers, but more research is needed. Chaga mushroom has been shown to have inhibitory and proapoptoic effects. (Apoptosis means cell death) on human colon cancer cells, cervical cancer cells, brain cancer cells, hepatoma cells, and lung cancer cells.
- Lowers Blood Suger – Several studies show the potential — as much as a 31% decrease in blood sugar levels. People with Type 2 diabetes or insulin resistance, polycystic ovarian syndrome, using chaga mushroom may help reduce blood sugar levels and improve insulin resistance.
- Stimulate the immune system – Research has demonstrated that chaga could both stimulate immune response while simultaneously reducing inflammation, unlike most medications which typically have one effect or the other. Chagas healthy ingredients include beta-glucans, other polysaccharides, phytosterols and triterpenes like botulin and betulinic acid which give chaga a diverse range of therapeutic benefits.
- Lowers cholesterol – Chaga has high amounts of antioxidants, and may help to lower cholesterol, which can reduce your risk of heart disease. One study shows that chaga mushrooms reduced bad LDL cholesterol, overall cholesterol and triglycerides. There is also evidence that chaga may increase good HDL cholesterol.
A list of published studies on Chaga mushroom – Inonotus obliquus
Chaga mushrooms could aid memory loss and other cognitive functions
https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2011/FO/C1fo10037h//
Anticancer effects of fraction isolated from fruiting bodies of Chaga medicinal mushroom
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22135889/
The Antiviral, Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Natural Medicinal Herbs and Mushrooms and SARS-CoV-2 Infection
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7551890/
the antioxidant activity, anti-glycation activity, a-amylase, a-glucosidase, inhibitory activity of polysaccharides from Inonotus obliquus
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0278691518302618/
A Critical Review on Health Promoting Benefits of Edible Mushrooms through Gut Microbiota
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5618583/
Inonotus obliquus polysaccharides protect against Alzheimer’s disease by regulating Nrf2 signaling and exerting antioxidative and antiapoptotic effects
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30878614/
Spatial structure and anti-fatigue of polysaccharide from Inonotus obliquus
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32068062/
Continuous intake of the Chaga mushroom (Inonotus obliquus) aqueous extract suppresses cancer progression and maintains body temperature in mice
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4946216/
Chaga (Inonotus obliquus), a Future Potential Medicinal Fungus in Oncology? A Chemical Study and a Comparison of the Cytotoxicity Against Human Lung Adenocarcinoma Cells (A549) and Human Bronchial Epithelial Cells (BEAS-2B)
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1534735418757912/
In vivo and in vitro anti-inflammatory and anti-nociceptive effects of the methanol extract of Inonotus obliquus
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15905055/
Comparative study of antioxidant activity and antiproliferative effect of hot water and ethanol extracts from the mushroom Inonotus obliquus
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19147108/
The Antiviral, Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Natural Medicinal Herbs and Mushrooms and SARS-CoV-2 Infection
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7551890/
The Antiviral, Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Natural Medicinal Herbs and Mushrooms and SARS-CoV-2 Infection
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7551890/
A study of the antiherpetic activity of the chaga mushroom (Inonotus obliquus) extracts in the Vero cells infected with the herpes simplex virus]
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25069286/
Genoprotective effects of Chaga mushroom (Inonotus obliquus) polysaccharides in UVB-exposed embryonic zebrafish (Danio rerio) through coordinated expression of DNA repair genes
Anticancer effects of fraction isolated from fruiting bodies of Chaga medicinal mushroom, Inonotus obliquus
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22135889/
Inonotus obliquus polysaccharide ameliorates serum profiling in STZ-induced diabetic mice model
https://bmcchem.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13065-021-00789-4
Inonotus obliquus – from folk medicine to clinical use
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8240111/
Continuous intake of the Chaga mushroom (Inonotus obliquus) aqueous extract suppresses cancer progression and maintains body temperature in mice
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4946216/
Inonotus obliquus polysaccharide ameliorates serum profiling in STZ-induced diabetic mice model
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34920751/
nonotus obliquus attenuates histamine-induced microvascular inflammation