Chaga
Chaga
(Inonotus obliquus)
What Is Chaga?
Chaga is a mycological species with a long tradition of use in Siberian medicine, in which it was used to treat intestinal, liver and heart problems. Since the 1960s, studies have been carried out on its effectiveness for oncological processes, cardiovascular and other chronic diseases. This medicinal mushroom stands out for the quantity and variety of naturally occurring polysaccharides it contains. These are immunomodulatory substances of interest in immune system disorders.
Powerful benefits of Chaga
The Chaga medicinal mushroom stands out for its quantity and variety of polysaccharides, immunomodulatory substances of interest for the immune system. It also contains betulinic acid, which has been studied in various areas:
Antioxidant
HEPATOPROTECTIVE
CARDIOPROTECTIVE
Nutrients in Chaga
- Polysaccharides, Beta-glucans are known to support the immune system
- Ergosterol, the precursor of vitamin D
- TRITERPENOIDS: Betulinic Acid
- ALKALOIDS: Inotopyrrole alkaloid
1. Balandaykin ME, Zmitrovich IV: Review on Chaga medicinal mushroom, Inonotus obliquus (higher Basidiomycetes): Realm of medicinal applications and approaches on estimating its resource potential. Int J Med Mushrooms, 2015; 17(2): 95–104.
2. Burmasova MA, Utabaeva AA, Sysoeva EV, Sysoeva MA: Melanins of Inonotus obliquus: Bifidogenic and antioxidant properties. Biomolecules, 2019;9(6):248.
3. Досычев ЕА, Быстрова ВН: Лечение псориаза препаратами гриба “Чага”. Вестник Дерматологии и Венерологии, 1973; 5: 79–83.
4. Duru KC, Kovaleva EG, Danilova IG, van der Bijl P: The pharmacological potential and possible molecular mechanisms of action of Inonotus obliquus from preclinical studies. Phytother Res, 2019;33(8): 1966–1980.
5. Fan LP, Ding SD, Ai LZ, Deng KQ: Antitumor and immunomodulatory activity of water-soluble polysaccharide from Inonotus obliquus. Carbohydr Polym, 2012;90(2): 870–874.
6. Geng Y, Lu ZM, Huang W, Xu YH, Shi JS, Xu ZH: Bioassay-guided isolation of DDP-4 inhibitory fractions from extracts of submerged cultured of Inonotus obliquus. Molecules, 2013;18(1): 1150–1161.
7. Géry A, Dubreule C, André V, Rioult JP, Bouchart V, Heutte N, Eldin de Pécoulas P, Krivomaz T, Garon D: 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). Integr Cancer Ther, 2018;17(3): 832–843.
8. Han ZH, Zhang JC, Liu JN, Dai XD, Kong XH, MA QF, Zhang PQ: Artificial cultivation of Inonotus obliquus. Acta Edulis Fungi, 2010;17(2): 36–42. [in Chinese]
9. Javed S, Mitchell K, Sidsworth D, Sellers SL, Reutens-Hernandez J, Massicotte HB, Egger KN, Lee CH, Payne GW: Inonotus obliquus attenuates histamine-induced microvascular inflammation. PLoS ONE, 2019;14(8): e0220776.
10. Liu P, Xue J, Tong SS, Dong WX, Wu PP: Structure characterization and hypoglycaemic activities of two polysaccharides from Inonotus obliquus. Molecules, 2018;23(8): pii: E1948.
11. Liu ZD, Yu DS, Li L, Liu XX, Zhang HN, Sun WB, Lin CC, Chen JF, Chen Z, Wang WH, Jia W: Three-phase partitioning for the extraction and purification of polysaccharides from the immunomodulatory medicinal mushroom Inonotus obliquus. Molecules, 2019;24(3): pii: E403.
12. Nomura M, Takahashi T, Uesugi A, Tanaka R, Kobayashi S: Inotodiol, a lanostane triterpenoid, from Inonotus obliquus inhibits cell proliferation through caspase-3-dependent apoptosis. Anticancer Res, 2008;28(5A): 2691–2696.
13. Sagayama K, Tanaka N, Fukumoto T, Kashiwada Y: Lanostane-type triterpenes from the sclerotium of Inonotus obliquus (Chaga mushrooms) as proproliferative agents on human follicle dermal papilla cells. J Nat Med, 2019;73(3): 597–601.
14. Staniszewska J, Szymański M, Ignatowicz E: Antitumor and immunomodulatory activity of Inonotus obliquus. Herba Pol, 2017;63(2): 48–58.
15. Sun Y, Yin T, Chen XH, Zhang G, Curtis RB, Lu ZH, Jiang JH: In vitro antitumor activity and structure characterization of ethanol extracts from wild and cultivated Chaga medicinal mushroom, Inonotus obliquus (Pers.:Fr.) Pilát (Aphyllophoromycetideae). Int J Med Mushrooms, 2011;13(2): 121–130.
16. Xue J, Tong SS, Wang ZR, Liu P: Chemical characterization and hypoglycaemic activities in vitro of two polysaccharides from Inonotus obliquus by submerged culture. Molecules, 2018;23(12): pii: E3261.
17. Yong TQ, Chen SD, Liang DL, Zuo D, Diao X, Deng CL, Wu YN, Hu HP, Xie YZ, Chen DL: Actions of Inonotus obliquus against hyperuricemia through XOD and bioactives screened by molecular modelling. Int J Mol Sci, 2018;19(10): pii: E3222.
18. Zhang LX, Fan C, Liu SC, Zang ZF, Jiao LL, Zhang LP: Chemical composition and antitumor activity of polysaccharide from Inonotus obliquus. J Med Plant Res, 2011;5(7): 1251–1260.
19. Zheng WF, Liu T, Xiang XY, Gu Q: Sterol composition in field-grown and cultured mycelia of Inonotus obliquus. Acta Pharmacol Sin, 2007;42(7): 750–756.
20. Zheng WF, Zhao YX, Zhang MM, Yin ZJ, Chen CF, Wei ZW: Phenolic compounds from Inonotus obliquus and their immune-stimulating effects. Mycosystema, 2008;27(4): 574-581.
21. Isokauppila T: Healing Mushrooms : A Practical and Culinary Guide to Using Mushrooms for Whole Body Health. New York : Avery, 2017. 215 p. ISBN 978-0-7352-1602-0
22. Lelley J: Die Heilkraft der Pilze : Gesund durch Mykotherapie. Düsseldorf : München : ECON Verlag GmbH, 1997. 236 p. ISBN 3-430-15953-9
23. Powell M: Medicinal Mushrooms : A Clinical Guide. 2nd updated and expanded ed. Mycology Press, 2014. 152 p. ISBN 978-0-9566898-2-5
24. Rogers R: The Fungal Pharmacy : The Complete Guide to Medicinal Mushrooms & Lichens of North America. Berkeley, CA : North Atlantic Books, 2011. 591 p. ISBN 978-1-55643-953-7
