Inonotus obliquus, Chaga

Hua Jie Kong Jun 桦褐孔菌 (TCM)
Kabanoatanake (Japan)
Inonotus obliquus
(Photo by Tocekas) (Wikimedia)

Inonotus obliquus at the Chengdu Medicine Market
(Adam, 2018)

Botanical name:

Inonotus obliquus

Parts used:

Fungii, traditionally only from the Birch tree
Typically found on Birch, Elm and Alder trees

Temperature & Taste:

Neutral. slightly Sweet and Bitter

Constituents:

Polysaccharides
Phenols (high levels)
Betulinic acid (especially when derived from Birch tree, but also found in the mycelium when grown on rice.)

Uses:

1. Clears Damp, Resolves Masses
-Anti-tumor
-effective against Cancers of the Liver, Gastric, Colon, Lung, Breast, Prostate, Esophagus

2. Strengthens Spleen, Benefits Qi:
-Indigestion, Nausea, Vomiting,
-chronic gastroduodenal dysfunction
-beneficial effect on metabolism (Russian research)
-increases immunity
-Diabetes
-Anti-aging

3. Clears Stomach Heat:
-Diarrhea, Colitis, chronic Gastritis
-Gastric and Duodenal Ulcers
-Polyps of the Stomach and Bowels

4. Clears Liver Heat:
-Hepatitis
-Hypertension
-Psoriasis, Eczema and other skin diseases
-effective against allergies
-Anti-viral inc. AIDS
-Nephritis

5. Nourishes Heart, Calms the Mind:
-Neurasthenia, Insomnia
-beneficial effect on Nerves and Brain

Dose:

Decoction: 3–9 grams
Fluid Extract (1:1 in 45% alcohol): 2–8 mls
Powder: 2–6 grams

Comment:

In Russia an extract is prepared and sold under the name Befungin. It is used for its anti-cancer and immunostimulating effects, for chronic inflammations of the digestive system, for skin diseases etc.

Main Combinations:

Typically used alone although more recently it is often combined with other medicinal fungii.

Major Formulas:

Cautions:

None noted

Main Preparations used:

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1. GENERAL: –Review on Chaga Medicinal Mushroom, Inonotus obliquus (Higher Basidiomycetes): Realm of Medicinal Applications –Progress of research on Inonotus obliquus –Chemical characterization and biological activity of Chaga (Inonotus obliquus), a medicinal “mushroom” –An unusual lanostane-type triterpenoid, spiroinonotsuoxodiol, and other triterpenoids from Inonotus obliquus –Chemical Constituents from Inonotus obliquus and Their Biological Activities –Chemical constituents from the sclerotia of Inonotus obliquus –Analysis of aqueous extract of Inonotus obliquus –Effect of steam treatment on soluble phenolic content and antioxidant activity of the Chaga mushroom (Inonotus obliquus) –Chemical Constituents of Inonotus obliquus Ⅳ.: Triterpene and Steroids from Cultured Mycelia –Chemical analysis and antioxidant activity of polysaccharides extracted from Inonotus obliquus sclerotia –Triterpenoids, steroids, and a new sesquiterpen from Inonotus obliquus 2. ANTIOXIDANT: –Antioxidant effect of Inonotus obliquus –New antioxidant polyphenols from the medicinal mushroom Inonotus obliquus –Chemical modification and antioxidant activities of polysaccharide from mushroom Inonotus obliquus –Antioxidative Properties of Crude Polysaccharides from Inonotus obliquus –Antioxidant activities of five polysaccharides from Inonotus obliquus –Comparative study of antioxidant activity and antiproliferative effect of hot water and ethanol extracts from the mushroom Inonotus obliquus –Antioxidant activities of extracts and subfractions from Inonotus Obliquus –Anti-Oxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of Inonotus obliquus and Germinated Brown Rice Extracts –Inonotus obliquus Protects against Oxidative Stress-Induced Apoptosis and Premature Senescence 3. ANTI-VIRAL: –Identification of Inonotus obliquus polysaccharide with broad-spectrum antiviral activity against multi-feline viruses 4. HEPATOPROTECTIVE: –The polysaccharide from Inonotus obliquus protects mice from Toxoplasma gondii-induced liver injury 5. RENAL PROTECTIVE EFFECTS: –Renal Protective Effects of Low Molecular Weight of Inonotus obliquus Polysaccharide (LIOP) on HFD/STZ-Induced Nephropathy in Mice 6. ANTI-INFLAMMATORY: –Anti-inflammatory and anticancer activities of extracts and compounds from the mushroom Inonotus obliquus –In vivo and in vitro anti-inflammatory and anti-nociceptive effects of the methanol extract of Inonotus obliquus –Anti-inflammatory effect of Inonotus obliquus, Polygala senega L., and Viburnum trilobum in a cell screening assay –Ethanol Extract of Inonotus obliquus Inhibits Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Inflammation in RAW 264.7 Macrophage Cells –Anti-inflammatory effects of Inonotus obliquus in colitis induced by dextran sodium sulfate –Inonotus obliquus attenuates histamine-induced microvascular inflammation 7. INHIBITS PLATELET AGGREGATION: –Isolation and characterization of a novel platelet aggregation inhibitory peptide from the medicinal mushroom, Inonotus obliquus 8. IMMUNE-STIMULATING / IMMUNOMODULATORY: –Immuno-stimulating effect of the endo-polysaccharide produced by submerged culture of Inonotus obliquus –Antitumor and immunomodulatory activity of water-soluble polysaccharide from Inonotus obliquus –Phenolic compounds from Inonotus obliquus and their immune stimulating effects –Immunomodulatory Activity of the Water Extract from Medicinal Mushroom Inonotus obliquus –Immunostimulating Activity by Polysaccharides Isolated from Fruiting Body of Inonotus obliquus 9. REGULATES GUT MICROBIOME: –Inonotus obliquus polysaccharide regulates gut microbiota of chronic pancreatitis in mice

10. ANTI-CANCER / ANTI-TUMOR –Anti-cancer effect and structural characterization of endo-polysaccharide from cultivated mycelia of Inonotus obliquus –Anti-inflammatory and anticancer activities of extracts and compounds from the mushroom Inonotus obliquus –Antitumor and immunomodulatory activity of water-soluble polysaccharide from Inonotus obliquus –Identification of Inonotus obliquus and Analysis of Antioxidation and Antitumor Activities of Polysaccharides –Chaga mushroom (Inonotus obliquus) induces G0/G1 arrest and apoptosis in human hepatoma HepG2 cells –Antitumor activity of water extract of a mushroom, Inonotus obliquus, against HT‐29 human colon cancer cells –Lanostane-type triterpenoids from the sclerotia of Inonotus obliquus possessing anti-tumor promoting activity –Triterpenoids from Inonotus obliquus and their antitumor activities –Chemical composition and antitumor activity of polysaccharide from Inonotus obliquus –Anticancer activity of subfractions containing pure compounds of Chaga mushroom (Inonotus obliquus) extract in human cancer cells –Ergosterol peroxide from Chaga mushroom (Inonotus obliquus) exhibits anti-cancer activity –Production of antioxidant and antitumor metabolites by submerged cultures of Inonotus obliquus cocultured with Phellinus punctatus –Effects of inotodiol extracts from Inonotus obliquus on proliferation cycle and apoptotic gene of human lung adenocarcinoma cell line A549 –Cancer Cell Cytotoxicity of Extracts and Small Phenolic Compounds from Chaga [Inonotus obliquus –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) –Continuous intake of the Chaga mushroom (Inonotus obliquus) aqueous extract suppresses cancer progression and maintains body temperature in mice –Ethanol extract of Innotus obliquus (Chaga mushroom) induces G1 cell cycle arrest in HT-29 human colon cancer cells –Anticancer activity of subfractions containing pure compounds of Chaga mushroom (Inonotus obliquus) extract in human cancer cells and in Balbc/c mice bearing Sarcoma-180 cells –Inhibitory and Acceleratory Effects of Inonotus obliquus on Tyrosinase Activity and Melanin Formation in B16 Melanoma Cells 11. ANTI-MUTAGENIC: –Antimutagenic effects of subfractions of Chaga mushroom (Inonotus obliquus) extract 12. ANTI-DIABETES: –Antitumor and Hypoglycemic Activities of Polysaccharides from the Sclerotia and Mycelia of Inonotus obliquus –Antihyperglycemic and antilipidperoxidative effects of dry matter of culture broth of Inonotus obliquus in submerged culture on normal and alloxan-diabetes mice –Phytochemical characteristics and hypoglycaemic activity of fraction from mushroom Inonotus obliquus –Anti-diabetic effects of Inonotus obliquus polysaccharides in streptozotocin-induced type 2 diabetic mice –Anti-diabetic effects of Inonotus obliquus polysaccharides-chromium (III) complex in type 2 diabetic mice and its sub-acute toxicity evaluation in normal mice –Antidiabetic activities of polysaccharides separated from Inonotus obliquus via the modulation of oxidative stress in mice with streptozotocin-induced diabetes –Chemical Characterization and Hypoglycaemic Activities In Vitro of Two Polysaccharides from Inonotus obliquus by Submerged Culture –Protective Effect of Polysaccharides from Inonotus obliquus on Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Symptoms and Their Potential Mechanisms in Rats –Structure Characterization and Hypoglycaemic Activities of Two Polysaccharides from Inonotus obliquus 13. PSORIASIS: –Russian research reported 76% cure rate and a further 16% improvement over a 9–12 week treatment period. (Medicinal Mushrooms A Clinical Guide – 2nd Ed., Powell, 2014)