Inonotus obliquus - CHAGA mushroom

Chaga, Inonotus obliquus, is a fungus belonging to the Hymenochaetaceae family; it is a parasite of birch trees and grows in forests in the cold regions of the northern hemisphere, particularly northeastern Europe, Siberian Russia, Korea, Canada, and the Okkaido islands. In ethnomedicine, that from Russia and Eastern European countries is generally used. It has been used as an ancient folk remedy to treat degenerative diseases, ulcers, gastritis and tuberculosis.

Chaga became "popular," in Western countries, thanks to Nobel laureate Alexander Solzhenitsyn's autobiographical book, "Cancer Pavilion" (published in Italy by Einaudi in 1968). In this book, he recounts his recovery from cancer thanks to Chaga decoction, after the failure of official therapies. Like many of the mushrooms, Chaga is rich in sterols (lanosterol, betulin, lupeol, inotidiol etc), antioxidants (SOD-Superoxide dismutase, melanin), polysaccharides (chitin, alpha- and bata-glucans). Chaga has the highest amount of SOD of all nutrients discovered so far, up to fifty times more than other medicinal mushrooms.

CHAGA AND CANCER: Chaga's rich array of active ingredients includes molecules belonging to the terpene/terpenoid classes, peptides, sterols, polyphenols, and polysaccharides, all of which are potentially active against cancer cells. For this reason, over the past decade, Chaga and its extracts have been subjected to in vitro tests to evaluate their possible effects on cancer. The triterpenoid Inotodiol, for example, has been shown to have inhibitory effects on carcinogenesis, and an antiproliferative action by induction of apoptosis. The polysaccharides contained in Chaga have also shown potential antitumor effects for both their antioxidant and immunostimulatory actions.

ANTIOXIDATIVE AND ANTI-INFLAMMATORY EFFECTS: As mentioned earlier, Chaga contains polysaccharides with antioxidant action, but it is above all a rich source of SOD (Super Oxide Dismutase), an enzyme with high antioxidant power, which is of fundamental importance for maintaining the correct cellular oxidoreductive state, since it allows the elimination of the superoxide ion (produced by the body in small amounts under physiological conditions and to a greater extent during pathological states) that, in the presence of transition metals, can be transformed into radical species endowed with high toxicity. The simultaneous presence of polyphenols and polysaccharides complements and enhances the antioxidant capabilities of Chaga. Chaga extracts have also shown anti-inflammatory effects in numerous tests, both in vitro and in vivo.

IMMUNOMODULATING ACTION: Various studies have shown that Chaga endopolysaccharides can modulate and stimulate the action of the immune system; Chaga extracts can, for example, promote macrophage activation by enhancing the immune response.

CHAGA AND BRAIN: Theantioxidant and anti-inflammatory action of Chaga extracts may also have a protective role against the onset and progression of neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's disease.

ANTIVIRAL ACTION: In parallel with the immunostimulatory action, aqueous extracts of Chaga have shown antiviral effects by inhibition of the cellular penetration mechanisms of viruses.

CHAGA AND CUTE: Chaga and its extracts also find use as cosmetic and cosmeceutical actives. Its antioxidant action may be useful in preventing oxidative damage from UV radiation. In vivo experiments performed on rats, have shown the ability of Chaga toreduce UV-inducedskin thickening and the appearance of wrinkles as well as increased collagen synthesis thus helping toreduce the process of skin senescence.

CHAGA AND METABOLISM: A number of studies have investigated the potential activities of Chaga on metabolism. In particular, potential effects in diabetes have been studied. Chaga extracts have been shown to be able toreduce hyperglycemia and pancreatic damage in diabetic mice, hoping for its use in the prevention of diabetes.