Birch mushroom - Inonotus obliquus, Pilat, Chaga

Approved for public use against cancer by the Medical Academy of Science in Moscow in 1955. It has a long history of anti-cancer use. In vitro, Chaga has demonstrated anticancer, antitumor ^(12) (13), anti-mutagenic ⁽⁹⁾, antiviral ⁽¹⁴⁾, antiplatelet ⁽²⁾, antidiabetic ⁽¹⁵⁾, antioxidant ⁽⁸⁾, and analgesic ⁽³⁾ effects. In vivo studies also demonstrate immunomodulating ⁽¹⁶⁾, anti-inflammatory, and pain-relieving properties ⁽³⁾.

In animal studies, Chaga displayed anti-allergic ⁽¹⁷⁾, cognition-enhancing, and antioxidant activities ⁽¹⁸⁾. In murine colitis models, Chaga exerted anti-inflammatory effects ⁽¹⁹⁾. Oral administration of polysaccharides from Chaga increased exercise endurance and biological measures related to fatigue ⁽²⁰⁾. Antidiabetic effects have also been observed ^(4) (27).

2. Park YM, Won JH, Kim YH, et al. In vivo and in vitro anti-inflammatory and anti-nociceptive effects of the methanol extract of Inonotus obliquus. J Ethnopharmacol. Oct 3 2005;101(1-3):120-128.
3. Sun JE, Ao ZH, Lu ZM, et al. Antihyperglycemic and antilipidperoxidative effects of dry matter of culture broth of Inonotus obliquus in submerged culture on normal and alloxan-diabetes mice. J Ethnopharmacol. Jun 19 2008;118(1):7-13.
4. Lee SH, Hwang HS, Yun JW. Antitumor activity of water extract of a mushroom, Inonotus obliquus, against HT-29 human colon cancer cells. Phytother Res. Apr 15 2009.
5. Ham SS, Kim SH, Moon SY, et al. Antimutagenic effects of subfractions of Chaga mushroom (Inonotus obliquus) extract. Mutat Res. Jan 10 2009;672(1):55-59.
6. Ning X, Luo Q, Li C, et al. Inhibitory effects of a polysaccharide extract from the Chaga medicinal mushroom, Inonotus obliquus (higher Basidiomycetes), on the proliferation of human neurogliocy... Int J Med Mushrooms. 2014;16(1):29-36.
7. Pan HH, Yu XT, Li T, et al. Aqueous extract from a Chaga medicinal mushroom, Inonotus obliquus (higher Basidiomycetes), prevents herpes simplex virus entry throu... Int J Med Mushrooms. 2013;15(1):29-38.
8. Ying YM, Zhang LY, Zhang X, et al. Terpenoids with alpha-glucosidase inhibitory activity from the submerged culture of Inonotus obliquus. Phytochemistry. Dec 2014;108:171-176.
9. Ko SK, Jin M, Pyo MY. Inonotus obliquus extracts suppress antigen-specific IgE production through the modu... J Ethnopharmacol. Oct 11 2011;137(3):1077-1082.
10. Yoon TJ, Lee SJ, Kim EY, et al. Inhibitory effect of Chaga mushroom extract on compound 48/80-induc... Int Immunopharmacol. Apr 2013;15(4):666-670.
11. Giridharan VV, Thandavarayan RA, Konishi T. Amelioration of scopolamine-induced cognitive dysfunction and oxidative stress by Inonotus obliquus - a medicinal mushroom. Food Funct. Jun 2011;2(6):320-327.
12. Mishra SK, Kang JH, Kim DK, et al. Orally administered aqueous extract of Inonotus obliquus ameliorates acute inflammation in dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-ind... J Ethnopharmacol. Sep 28 2012;143(2):524-532.
13. Yue Z, Xiuhong Z, Shuyan Y, et al. Effect of Inonotus Obliquus Polysaccharides on physical fatigue in mice. J Tradit Chin Med. Aug 2015;35(4):468-472.
14. Kang JH, Jang JE, Mishra SK, et al. Ergosterol peroxide from Chaga mushroom (Inonotus obliquus) exhibits anti-cancer activity by down-regulation of the beta-cate... J Ethnopharmacol. Sep 15 2015; 173:303-312.
15. Wang J, Hu W, Li L, et al. Antidiabetic activities of polysaccharides separated from Inonotus obliquus via the modulation of oxidative https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/... PLoS One. 2017;12(6): e0180476. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0180476
    https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/integrative-medicine/herbs/chaga-...