Chaga mushroom

Taxobox
name = Chaga
regnum = Fungi
subregnum = Dikarya
phylum = Basidiomycota
subphylum = Agaricomycotina
classis = Agaricomycetes
ordo = Russulales
ordo = Hymenochaetales
familia = Hymenochaetaceae
genus = "Inonotus"
species = "I. obliquus"
binomial = "Inonotus obliquus"
binomial_authority = L.Chaga, ("Inonotus obliquus"), also known as tinder mushroom, is a fungus in "Hymenochaetaceae" family. It is a parasitic fungus on Birch and other trees. The sterile conk is irregularly formed and has the appearance of burnt charcoal.

Medicinal use

The antimutagenic action of the molecules found in the white part of birch bark where chaga feeds inhibits free-radical oxidation and also induces the production of interferons, which helps induce DNA repair. The substances, contained in white part of birch bark contribute to the decrease of hypoxia and to increase of the stability of organism to the oxygen deficiency, being antihypoxant correcting the metabolism of cells. The anti-cancer properties of betulin or betulinic acid, a chemical isolated from birch trees, is now being studied for use as a chemotherapeutic agent. Chaga contains large amounts of betulinic acid in a form that can be ingested orally, and it also contains the full spectrum of immune-stimulating phytochemicals found in other medicinal mushrooms such as maitake mushroom and shiitake mushroom.The earliest evidence of chaga being used by humans comes from the 5600 year old "Ice Man" found in the Italian Alps [ P.Stamets http://www.fungi.com/pdf/pdfs/articles/HerbalGram.pdf] . Since the 16th century, there are records of chaga Mushroom being used in folk medicine and the botanical medicine of the Eastern European countries as a remedy for cancer and gastritis, ulcers, tuberculosis (TB) of the bones. In 1958, scientific studies in Finland and Russia found Chaga provided an epochal effect in breast cancer, liver cancer, uterine cancer, and gastric cancer, as well as in hypertension and diabetes. Herbalist David Winston maintains that it is the strongest anti-cancer medicinal mushroom. [ [http://oneearthherbs.squarespace.com/important-herbs/chaga-mushroom-inonotus-obliquus.html] Tillotsen, Alan. Chaga Mushrooms (Inonotus obliquus)]

Research

In 1998 there was a study in Poland that demonstrated Chaga's inhibiting effects on tumor growth. [ Rzymowska, J. Effect of aueous extracts from Inonotus Obliquus on mitotic index and enzyme activities] Noda et. al found that betulin seems to work highly selectively on tumor cells because the interior pH of tumor tissues is generally lower than that of normal tissues, and betulinic acid is only active at those lower levels. Fulda et al. found in 1997 that once inside the cells, betulinic acid induces apoptosis (programmed cell death) in the tumors. [ [http://oneearthherbs.squarespace.com/important-herbs/chaga-mushroom-inonotus-obliquus.html] Tillotsen, Alan. Chaga Mushrooms (Inonotus obliquus)] In 2005 there was a study done at Department of Medical Nutrition in South Korea. The Chaga Mushroom was evaluated for their potential for protecting against oxidative damage to DNA in human lymphocytes. The study found that the polyphenolic extract protected these cells against hydrogen peroxide-induced oxidative stress. [ [http://www.medscape.com/medline/abstract/15588653] Cui Y; Kim DS; Park KC Antioxidant effects of Inonotus obliquus. J Ethnopharmacol. 2005; 96(1-2):79-85 (ISSN: 0378-8741)] Another study that year found the endo-polysaccharide of Chaga produced indirect anti-cancer effects via immuno-stimulation. The mycelial endo-polysaccharide of I. obliquus was identified as a candidate for use as an immune response modifier and indicate that the anti-cancer effect of endo-polysaccharide is not directly tumorcidal but rather is immuno-stimulating. [ [http://www.medscape.com/medline/abstract/15970296] Kim YO; Han SB; Lee HW; Ahn HJ; Yoon YD; Jung JK; Kim HM; Shin CS Immuno-stimulating effect of the endo-polysaccharide produced by submerged culture of Inonotus obliquus. Life Sci. 2005; 77(19):2438-56 (ISSN: 0024-3205)] [ [http://www.medscape.com/medline/abstract/16458328] Kim YO; Park HW; Kim JH; Lee JY; Moon SH; Shin CS Anti-cancer effect and structural characterization of endo-polysaccharide from cultivated mycelia of Inonotus obliquus. Life Sci. 2006; 79(1):72-80 (ISSN: 0024-3205)] It has also been demonstrated as anti-inflammatory. [ [http://www.medscape.com/medline/abstract/15905055] Park YM; Won JH; Kim YH; Choi JW; Park HJ; Lee KT In vivo and "in vitro" anti-inflammatory and anti-nociceptive effects of the methanol extract of Inonotus obliquus.J Ethnopharmacol. 2005; 101(1-3):120-8 (ISSN: 0378-8741)] Saitoh Akiko published on the antimutagenic effects of Chaga in 1996, and Mizuno et al. published on the anti tumor and hypoglycemic activities of the polysaccharides from the sclerotia and mycelia of Chaga.

Chaga grows in birch forests of Russia, Korea, Eastern Europe, Northern areas of the United States and in the North Carolina mountains.

References

ee also

* Adaptogen
* Herbal medicine

External links

*http://www.medscape.com/medline/abstract/15588653 Antioxidant effects of Inonotus obliquus. J Ethnopharmacol. 2005; 96(1-2):79-85 (ISSN: 0378-8741)