蜜蜂影视手机版app:桦褐孔菌 21世纪的保健功能性食品

桦褐孔菌
百科名片
桦褐孔菌
桦褐孔菌菌核呈现瘤状（不育性的块状物），外表黑灰，有不规则沟痕，内部黄色，无柄，直径25—40cm，深色，表面深裂，很硬，干时脆，可育部分厚5mm，皮壳状薄，暗褐色；菌管3—10mm，脆、通常菌管的前端开裂，菌孔每mm6—8个，圆形，浅白色，后变暗褐色；菌肉木柱质，有轻微的、模糊不清的环纹，鲜（明亮）淡黄褐色。孢子 阔椭圆状至卵状，光滑，9—10μm×5.5—6.5μm，有刚毛。
目录
简介形态特征药理作用药用价值药效及功能桦褐孔菌的安全性
简介
拉丁学名：Inonotus obliquus(Fr.)Pilát，日本人称之为白桦茸，日本名∶カバノア 桦褐孔菌
ナタケ ，在日语也用“チャーガ” 这个名字的。
欧洲人称之为“chaga”。
★俄罗斯科学家保守了30年的秘密！ 桦褐孔菌是来自西伯利亚原始森林中的神秘药用真菌，70年代俄罗斯医学科学院〔Hutchens〕、俄罗斯堪索莫乐斯基〔Komsomlski〕制药公司临床证明从桦褐孔菌中提取的“真菌多肽蛋白”的惊人作用。之后，一直封锁消息。直到美国科学家从白桦茸中发现类似“真菌多肽蛋白”，才触动了俄罗斯人的敏感神经，把这一研究成果公布于世。
详细信息是什么样的神奇礼物由俄日美风靡全世界！ 是什么样的神奇礼物使前苏联诺贝尔文学奖得主亚历山大·索尔仁尼琴在他的小说《癌症病房》中强烈推崇！ 是什么样的神奇礼物美国航天中心把它列入“特殊的天然物质”,作为航天员的未来饮品！ 是什么样的神奇礼物拥有那么强大的生命力，让火都烧不死的白桦树屈服！ 那就是上天送给苦难人类的神奇礼物白桦茸。
形态特征
桦褐孔菌化学成分有多糖、桦褐孔菌素、桦褐孔菌醇、多种氧化三萜类化合物、栓菌酸、多种羊毛甾醇型三萜类化合物、叶酸衍生物、芳香族的香草酸、丁香酸及γ羟基苯甲酸,还有报道称已分离出单宁化合物、类固醇、生物碱类化合物、黑色素类、低分子多酚类及木质素类化合物.
桦褐孔菌含有大量的抗癌、降血压、降血糖、复活免疫作用的植物纤维类多糖体。可以提高免疫细胞的活力，抑制癌细胞扩散和复发，在胃肠内防止致癌物质等有害物质的吸收，并促进排泄。据说桦褐孔菌的精制菌粉对糖尿病治愈率达93%。
段药理作用
是前苏联各共和国、波兰、日本等国的民间常用药物，现在已从菌核和菌丝中提取到一种糖蛋白（FIS-1）和一种水溶性多糖（F1），发现均有明显的降血糖作用。尤其是水溶性多糖（F1）， 桦褐孔菌
一次性给药50mg/kg体重，3小时后，高血糖鼠的血糖含量下降近一半，且可维持48小时之久；桦褐孔菌，又称血液血管的清洁剂，对高血压的防治效果显著。相关文献载：俄罗斯堪索莫乐斯基制药公司生产的桦褐孔菌精粉对高血压的有效率达93%，桦褐芝被广泛应用于2型糖尿病的科研和临床。 桦褐孔菌属担子菌亚门、层菌纲、非褐菌目、多孔菌科、褐卧孔菌属。是一种生于桦树上的药用真菌，其子实体呈现类似于碳的黑色块状形态。当桦褐孔菌10～15年后起药效时，它能吸干桦木的精髓，使树木枯死。桦褐孔菌主要分布于俄罗斯北部、北欧、中国黑龙江、日本（北海道），滋生在北半球北纬40°～50°的地区。
药用价值
神奇的桦褐孔菌被一般人所知是由前苏联诺贝尔文学奖获得者Solzhenitsyn，Aleksandr Lsayevich的小说（1970年获得）引起的。文中有这样一段描写：有一俄罗斯村庄多年来熬一种气味和色泽类似咖啡的桦褐孔菌茶，结果村庄里无一人得肠胃病及癌症。以此为据，桦褐孔菌开始被广泛关注。
俄罗斯北部人认为：这是上帝赐给苦难人类的一种神奇的礼物，可用来防治肝癌、艾滋病贺-157大肠杆菌中毒。日本的研究人员高度评价桦褐孔菌，称此为一种'万能药'。
桦褐孔菌是俄罗斯的一种民间药用真菌，其有效成分已引起美国、日本、韩国等国研究者的广泛重视。根据初步的研究，桦褐孔菌含有桦褐孔菌醇、氧化三萜类化合物、羊毛甾醇、栓菌酸、叶酸衍生物、芳香族的香草酸、丁香酸等。1955年莫斯科医科院（The Medical Academy of Science in Moscow）宣布桦褐孔菌为抗癌物质，政府批准桦褐孔菌可用于医药品开发。美国把桦褐孔菌列入"特殊的天然物质"，作为宇宙人的未来饮品。日本则把桦褐孔菌作为肝癌、艾滋病和0-157大肠杆菌中毒的治疗剂，并申请多项有关桦褐孔菌的专利。
药效及功能
多年来，桦褐孔菌在俄罗斯民间作为治疗疾病的药用真菌，属于纯中药，是21世纪的保健功能性食品。长期的动物实验及临床实验表明使用桦褐孔菌无任何毒副作用，起到的药效分为以下几种：a. 治疗糖尿病。俄罗斯Komsomlshi制药公司桦褐孔菌精粉对糖尿病的治愈率为93%。b.抗癌作用。对多种肿瘤细胞（如乳房癌、唇癌、胃癌、耳下腺癌、肺癌、皮肤癌、直肠癌、霍金斯淋巴癌）有明显的抑制作用。防止癌细胞转移、复发，增强免疫能力，促进健康。并且用于配合恶性肿瘤患者的放疗、化疗，增强病人的耐受性，减轻毒副作用。c.防治艾滋病。对艾滋病有明显的抑制作用。d.抗衰老。清除体内的自由基，保护细胞，延长传代细胞的分裂代数，增进细胞寿命，促进代谢，因而能有效地延缓衰老，长期服用可延年益寿。e.有效抑制传染性病毒。可预防感冒。f.防止高血压。据报道桦褐孔菌不仅是一种补药，而且是血液的清洁剂和疼痛的缓解剂。g.改善并预防过敏性皮质。h.对肝炎、胃炎、十二指肠溃疡、肾炎有明显的治疗作用。并对呕吐、腹泻、胃肠功能紊乱有治疗作用。
桦褐孔菌的安全性
1、世界贸易组织关税编码 (WTO Tariff Code) HSK0712.39-1090 分类为无毒的食用菌。
2、日本卫生福利部 (The Japanese Ministry of Health & Welfare)及韩国卫生部 (The Korean Ministry of Health) 均认可使用chaga。
3、俄罗斯药物委员会 (Russian Medical Research Council) 批准使用chaga。
4美国FDA认证称为The King Of Herbs(草药之王)
桦褐孔菌 - 桦褐孔菌
桦褐孔菌，拉丁学名：Inonqqus obliquus，日本人称之为白桦茸，欧洲人称之为chaga。
桦褐孔菌菌核呈现瘤状（不育性的块状物），外表黑灰，有不规则沟痕，内部黄色，无柄，直径25—40cm，深色，表面深裂，很硬，干时脆，可育部分厚5mm，皮壳状薄，暗褐色；菌管3—10mm，脆、通常菌管的前端开裂，菌孔每mm6—8个，圆形，浅白色，后变暗褐色；菌肉木柱质，有轻微的、模糊不清的环纹，鲜（明亮）淡黄褐色。孢子 阔椭圆状至卵状，光滑，9—10μm×5.5—6.5μm，有刚毛。
桦褐孔菌化学成分有多糖、桦褐孔菌素、桦褐孔菌醇、多种氧化三萜类化合物、栓菌酸、多种羊毛甾醇型三萜类化合物、叶酸衍生物、芳香族的香草酸、丁香酸及γ羟基苯甲酸,还有报道称已分离出单宁化合物、类固醇、生物碱类化合物、黑色素类、低分子多酚类及木质素类化合物.
桦褐孔菌含有大量的抗癌、降血糖、复活免疫作用的植物纤维类多糖体。可以提高免疫细胞的活力，抑制癌细胞扩散和复发，在胃肠内防止致癌物质等有害物质的吸收，并促进排泄。据说桦褐孔菌的精制菌粉对糖尿病治愈率达93％。
药理&功效研究


桦褐孔菌精粉对糖尿病的治愈率为93％

[主治功能] 治疗糖尿病、抗癌作用、防治艾滋病、抗衰老、有效抑制传染性病毒、防止高血压、改善并预防过敏性皮质、对肝炎、胃炎、十二指肠溃疡、肾炎有明显的治疗作用。并对呕吐、腹泻、胃肠功能紊乱有治疗作用
【主要成分】桦树茸phaeoporus obliquus的化学成分有多糖、素、桦褐孔菌醇、SOD、多种氧化三萜类化合物等超过215种成份，它能有效地针对荷尔蒙和免疫系统失调及对抗癌肿瘤的成长。 含有大量的抗癌、降血糖、复活免疫作用的植物纤维类多糖体。作为细胞膜成分的2-Glucan、Kitchea质、Hetero多糖类、Pectin quality等物质。特别是多糖类的BRM物质中的2-Glucan含量较高。白桦茸化验结果发现其所含的S.O.D.(超氧化物岐化酵素)是灵芝的55倍, 巴西蘑菇的23倍, 猴头菇的25倍, 且水溶性多醣类如1,3-1,6 β--葡聚糖高达 55.6mg/g。
【临床功效】桦褐孔菌在俄罗斯民间作为治疗疾病的药用真菌，属于纯中药，是21世纪的保健功能性食品。长期的动物实验及临床实验表明使用桦褐孔菌无任何毒副作用，起到的药效分为以下几种：
1.治疗糖尿病。俄罗斯Komsomlshi制药公司桦褐孔菌精粉对糖尿病的治愈率为93％。
2.抗癌作用。对多种肿瘤细胞（如乳房癌、唇癌、胃癌、耳下腺癌、肺癌、皮肤癌、直肠癌、霍金斯淋巴癌）有明显的抑制作用。防止癌细胞转移、复发，增强免疫能力，促进健康。并且用于配合恶性肿瘤患者的放疗、化疗，增强病人的耐受性，减轻毒副作用。
3.防治艾滋病。对艾滋病有明显的抑制作用。
4.抗衰老。清除体内的自由基，保护细胞，延长传代细胞的分裂代数，增进细胞寿命，促进代谢，因而能有效地延缓衰老，长期服用可延年益寿。
5.有效抑制传染性病毒。可预防感冒。
6.防止高血压。据报道桦褐孔菌不仅是一种补药，而且是血液的清洁剂和疼痛的缓解剂。
7.改善并预防过敏性皮质。
8.对肝炎、胃炎、十二指肠溃疡、肾炎有明显的治疗作用。并对呕吐、腹泻、胃肠功能紊乱有治疗作用。


Chaga mushroom
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Chaga

Scientific classification
Kingdom:Fungi
Subkingdom:Dikarya
Phylum:Basidiomycota
Subphylum:Agaricomycotina
Class:Agaricomycetes
Order:Hymenochaetales
Family:Hymenochaetaceae
Genus:Inonotus
Species: I. obliquus
Binomial name
Inonotus obliquus
L.
Chaga (aLatinisation of the Russian term 'чага' and pronouned as chah-ga), ( Inonotus obliquus ), also known as cinder conk, is a fungus in Hymenochaetaceae family. It is a fungus parasitic onBirch and other trees. The sterile conk is irregularly formed and has the appearance of burnt charcoal. It is not thefruiting body of the fungus, as many believe, but in fact a big mass ofmycelium, mostly black due to the presence of massive amounts ofmelanin. The fertile fruitbody can be found very rarely as aresupinate (crustose) fungus on or near the clinker, usually appearing after the host tree is completely dead. I. obliquus grows in birch forests of Russia, Korea, Eastern and Northern Europe, Northern areas of the United States, in the North Carolina mountains and in Canada. The Chaga mushroom is considered amedicinal mushroom that has a place in Russian and Eastern Europeanfolk medicine.
Contents
[hide]
1 Medicinal use2 Preparation3 Research4 Literature5 See also6 References7 External links
[edit] Medicinal use
Since the 16th century, there are records of chaga mushroom being used infolk medicine and thebotanical medicine of theEastern European countries as a remedy forcancer,gastritis,ulcers, andtuberculosis of the bones. A review from 2010, stated, "As early as in the sixteenth century, Chaga was used as an effective folk medicine in Russia and Northern Europe to treat several human malicious tumors and other diseases in the absence of any unacceptable toxic side effects. Chemical investigations show that I. obliquus produces a diverse range of secondary metabolites including phenolic compounds, melanins, and lanostane-type triterpenoids. Among these are the active components for antioxidant, antitumoral, and antiviral activities and for improving human immunity against infection of pathogenic microbes. Geographically, however, this fungus is restricted to very cold habitats and grows very slowly, suggesting that Chaga is not a reliable source of these bioactive compounds. Attempts for culturing this fungus axenically all resulted in a reduced production of bioactive metabolites."[1]Cultivated Chaga results in a product with a very different composition of active components, in particular the phyto-sterols. Betulinic acid is absent because cultivation is not using birches, the supplier of the betulin content in Chaga.[2]In 1958, scientific studies in Finland and Russia found Chaga provided an epochal effect inbreast cancer,liver cancer,uterine cancer, andgastric cancer, as well as inhypertension anddiabetes.[3] In 1973 in interesting case study including 50 patients about the effect of a Chaga extract onpsoriasis was published in the Russian journal Vestnik Dermatologii i Venerologii. The outcome was almost 100% successful.[4]
In China, Japan and South-Korea hot water extracts of the non-linear, complex (1<-3) and (1<-6)ß-glucanpolysaccharides that are found in Chaga and other mushrooms from the family Hymenochaetaceae are being produced, sold and exported as anti-cancer medicinal supplements. The biologic properties of crude preparations of these specific β-glucans have been studied since the 1960s. Although these molecules exhibit a wide range of biologic functions, including anti tumor activity, their ability to prevent a range of experimental infectious diseases has been studied in the greatest detail.[5] Recent scientific research in Japan and China has been focused more on the anti-cancer potential and showed the effects of these specific polysaccharides to be comparable tochemo therapy and radiation, but without the side effects.[6][7] Further research indicated these polysaccharides have strong anti-inflammatory[8] and immune balancing properties,[9] stimulating the body to produceNK (natural killer) cells to battle infections and tumor growth, instead of showing a direct toxicity against pathogens. This property makes polysaccharide-based supplements stand out from standard pharmaceuticals - no side effects will occur / develop; the body is healing itself.[10] HerbalistDavid Winston maintains that it is the strongest anti-cancer medicinal mushroom.[11] Russian LiteratureNobel Prize laureateAlexandr Solzhenitsyn wrote two pages on the medicinal use and value of chaga in his autobiographical novel, based on his experiences in a hospital inTashkent, "Cancer Ward" (1968).
Betulin andbetulinic acid, are compounds found naturally in chaga and birch trees. The compounds are now being studied for use as achemotherapeutic agent. Whereas Betulin as it is found in birch bark is indigestible by humans, the Chaga mushroom converts it into a form that can be digested orally. In an animal study, researchers found betulin from birch bark lowered cholesterol, obesity and improved insulin resistance.[12]
Although the majority of research has been performed in vivo and in vitro, there have been a few human clinical trials. In a 48 patient human clinical trial in Poland in 1957, ten patients treated with chaga showed a reduction of tumor size, a decrease in pain, a decrease in the intensity and the frequency of hemorrhaging, and a recovery that was accompanied with better sleep, appetite and feelings of improvement. Most of these patients were females treated with chaga for cancer of the genital organs or breast cancer.[13]
[edit] Preparation

Chaga is usually grated into a fine powder and used to brew a beverage resemblingcoffee. For medicinal use, anextraction process is needed to release the major active ingredients, the polysaccharides[14]—which are found in the mostly indigestiblechitin cellwalls of the Chaga. Humans lack the enzymechitinase and therefore cannot fully digest raw mushrooms or derivatives of these. Scientific studies and research are in general also based on highly concentrated extracts. Currently three extraction processes are used, each with a different outcome.
Hot water extraction. This is the most common and cheapest way. All water soluble components will be present in the resulting extract. Non-water soluble components, like phyto-sterols, betulinic acid and betulin, will be absent. Several extraction rounds can result in very high levels of polysaccharides, up to 50%.Polyphenolic components are also present.[citation needed]Alcohol /ethanol extraction. This will isolate the non-water soluble components, like betulinic acid, betulin and phyto-sterols.Fermentation method. Being the most time consuming and therefore the most expensive (to purchase), this method is not used very often. Because fermentation methods are not standardized (many types of bacteria and fungi can be used in the process) the outcome is also not standardized.
Extracts with a therapeutic value usually combine two methods, in general hot water extraction and alcohol / ethanol extraction. This will result in the most valuable components being present. Cheap mass produced extracts are in general hot water based low percentage (4-20%) polysaccharide extracts with limited therapeutic value. The information on the label will usually reveal a lot, be it by inclusion or exclusion of components.
[edit] Research
In 1998 there was a study in Poland that demonstrated Chaga's inhibiting effects on tumor growth.[15] Noda and colleagues 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.[citation needed] In 2005, I. obliquus was evaluated for its 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.[16] 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.[17][10] It also has anti-inflammatory properties.[9] Saitoh Akiko published on the antimutagenic effects of Chaga in 1996. Mizuno et al. published on the anti-tumor and hypoglycemic activities of the polysaccharides from the sclerotia and mycelia of Chaga.[18] Due to the hypoglycemic activity of polysaccarides caution may be taken by those with hypoglycemia.
[edit] Literature
Smith JE, Rowan NJ, Sullivan RMedicinal Mushrooms: Their Therapeutic Properties and Current Medical Usage with Special Emphasis on Cancer Treatments, 2001 Cristina Lull, Harry J. Wichers, and Huub F. J. Savelkoul"Antiinflammatory and Immunomodulating Properties of Fungal Metabolites", Wageningen University and Research Center, The Netherlands 2005 Ulrike Lindequist, Timo H. J. Niedermeyer, and Wolf-Dieter Jülich" The Pharmacological Potential of Mushrooms", Oxford University Press 2005 Andrea T. Borchers, Anita Krishnamurthy, Carl L. Keen, Frederick J. Meyersà, and M. Eric Gershwin"Immunobiology of Mushrooms", Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine 2008
[edit] See also
Fungi portal
AdaptogenHerbal medicine
[edit] References
^ Zheng W, Miao K, Liu Y, Zhao Y, Zhang M, Pan S et al. (2010). "Chemical diversity of biologically active metabolites in the sclerotia of Inonotus obliquus and submerged culture strategies for up-regulating their production.". Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 87 (4): 1237–54.doi:10.1007/s00253-010-2682-4.PMID20532760.^[1] Sterol composition in field-grown and cultured mycelia of Inonotus Obliquus^[2] Medical Research Concerning Chaga^[3] (Pubmed reference)[4] Treatment of psoriasis with Chaga fungus preparations - Vestnik Dermatologii i Venerologii, 1973, May; 47(5):pp. 79-83 - USSR. © (English translation)^ Bleicher P, Mackin W. Betafectin PGG-glucan: a novel carbohydrate immunomodulator with anti-infective properties. J Biotechnol Healthcare. 1995;2:207–222.^ Polysaccharide Immunomodulators as Therapeutic Agents: Structural Aspects and Biologic Function - Arthur O. Tzianabos[5]^ 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 - Mi Ja Chung et.al.[6]^ Identification of Inonotus obliquus (Chaga) and Analysis of Antioxidation and Antitumor Activities of Polysaccharides - Yana Song et.al.[7] ^ab Park YM, Won JH, Kim YH, Choi JW, Park HJ, Lee KT (October 2005). "In vivo and in vitro anti-inflammatory and anti-nociceptive effects of the methanol extract of Inonotus obliquus". J Ethnopharmacol 101 (1-3): 120–8.doi:10.1016/j.jep.2005.04.003.PMID15905055. ^ab Kim YO, Park HW, Kim JH, Lee JY, Moon SH, Shin CS (May 2006). "Anti-cancer effect and structural characterization of endo-polysaccharide from cultivated mycelia of Inonotus obliquus". Life Sci. 79 (1): 72–80.doi:10.1016/j.lfs.2005.12.047.PMID16458328.^[8] Tillotsen, Alan. Chaga Mushrooms (Inonotus obliquus)^ Betulin from birch bark could treat metabolic disorders[9]^ Piaskowski S. - Preliminary studies on the preparation and application of preparations from black birch touchwood in human cases of malignant tumors. Sylwan 105: 5-11, 1957.^ PDF with background on extraction processes[10]^ Rzymowska J (January 1998). "The effect of aqueous extracts from Inonotus obliquus on the mitotic index and enzyme activities". Boll Chim Farm 137 (1): 13–5.PMID9595828.^ Cui Y, Kim DS, Park KC (January 2005). "Antioxidant effect of Inonotus obliquus". J Ethnopharmacol 96 (1-2): 79–85.doi:10.1016/j.jep.2004.08.037.PMID15588653.^ Kim YO, Han SB, Lee HW, Ahn HJ, Yoon YD, Jung JK, Kim HM, Shin CS (September 2005). "Immuno-stimulating effect of the endo-polysaccharide produced by submerged culture of Inonotus obliquus". Life Sci. 77 (19): 2438–56.doi:10.1016/j.lfs.2005.02.023.PMID15970296.^ Mizuno T. (1999). "Antitumor and hypoglycemic activities of polysaccharides from the sclerotia and mycelia of Inonotus obliquus". International Journal of Medicinal Mushrooms 1 (1): 301–316.
The Chaga; Nature’s Medicinal Mushroom
July 16, 2011 | Filed under:health,survival | Posted by:Ron Fontaine

Chaga Conk on a Yellow Birch
Timeless Wisdom: “Take only what you need and leave the rest”.
Yesterday while snowshoeing I came upon a fine chaga conk or tinder fungus, known scientifically as the chaga mushroom Inonotus obliquus.
The Chaga is such a valuable mushroom for wilderness survival and health I wanted to introduce Survival Topics readers to some of the ways in which it can be identified and used to help keep yourself in optimum health.
Where Chaga Grows
Siberians and other northern peoples in Asia, Europe, and North America for centuries have highly prized chaga for its great medicinal and curative powers. Those of us who know its value seek it out when traveling in the northern forest.
Chaga is a parasitic carpophore that enters a wound on a mature tree, usually birch. The chaga grows under the bark and erupts into a grotesque black charcoal-like conk on the tree trunk; hence the Latin term “Obliquus” in its scientific name.
The Chaga conk grows with the birch tree for five to seven years during which time it absorbs nutrients and phytochemicals from the wood. When the chaga conk flower ripens it falls to the forest floor. Usually the host tree then dies, completing a 20 year cycle.
It is estimated that only about 0.025% of trees, only a few of every ten thousand, will grow a chaga conk. This makes the chaga mushroom somewhat rare even in its prime northern range.
Identifying Chaga Mushrooms

Chaga Conk
The Chaga mushroom is a fungi that grows on the wounds of birches. Occasionally chaga is also found on ironwood, elm, alder and beeches but both paper birch and yellow birch seems to be its favorite.
This Chaga tinder fungus I found while snowshoeing yesterday is growing on a large yellow-birch tree that had been damaged years ago during logging operations. The outside of this easy to identify mushroom somewhat resembles the charred remains of burnt wood, being black and crumbly.
Of irregular shape, the inside of a chaga is the color of rusted iron or yellowish with white or cream colored veins. It is corky of texture and tends to become lighter in color closest to the tree. You can see the colors in third picture where I have pulled the chaga off the yellow birch tree using my tomahawk.
Chaga is known as a polypore fungus, which means it has pores instead of gills. The chaga mushroom does not hold a great deal of water as does other types of mushrooms. As the chaga conk grows its outside dries out, turns black, and cracks. I have seen large Chagas well over three feet (one meter) in length and one foot (.33 meter) thick.
The chaga mushroom is commonly known as the true “tinder fungus” for its use in building fires. In fact, chaga is the true tinder fungus, as opposed to the false tinder fungus which is shelf-like in shape and does not crumble.
Wilderness Medicinal Mushroom
Fire making aside, the chaga mushroom is also well known for its huge load of immune stimulating phytochemicals and betulin that can be consumed as a tea. Some of these compounds are derived from the birch tree and bark it consumes and concentrates in its flesh.
The chaga fungus has some of the highest amounts of anti-oxidants of any substance consumed by man. Siberian folk medicine and modern uses of a tea made from Chaga fungus include:
boosting the immune system treating stomach diseases Intestinal worms Liver and heart ailments Cancers including those of the breast, liver, uterine, and gastric Hypertension Diabetes anti-tumor activity The active compound inotodiol which works against influenza A and B viruses and cancer cells. Activity against HIV-1 As an anti-inflammatory
Some experts claim the Chaga is the best anti-cancer mushroom of all.
Properties and Ingredients of Chaga include:
Polysaccharides that enhance the immune system; treat cancer, live, HIV virus and other bacterial and viral infections. Betulinic acid to counter viral infections and tumors Triterpenes to lower cholesterol, improve circulation, detoxify the liver, treat hepatitis, bronchitis, asthma, and coughs. Germanium (a free-radical scavenger) to cleanse the blood, normalize blood pressure, and prevent tumors. Other nucleosides, phytonutrients, minerals, and amino acids including saponin, magnesium, chromium, iron, kalium, beta-glucan, inotodiol, isoprenoid, and others.
How to Make Chaga Tea

Harvesting Chaga
“He could not imagine any greater joy than to go away into the woods for months on end, to break off this chaga, crumble it, boil it up on a campfire, drink it and get well like an animal. To walk through the forest for months, to know no other care than to get better! Just as a dog goes to search for some mysterious grass that will save him…”
—From Cancer Ward by Alexander Solzhenitsyn”
Some northern peoples are said to drink Chaga tea on a regular basis as Westerners do coffee and suffer very low cancer rates because of it. Chaga is a bit on the bitter side, rather like coffee, and cork-like in texture.
When I come upon chaga in the forest I am apt to brake off a bit to chew on, and am sure to pack some away for use at home. With an item from nature’s free pharmacy that is this valuable to my health I make sure my chaga stocks are always full and take an extra hit when the opportunity presents itself. I don’t mind chewing on a bit of cork-like chaga conk since it is giving me a great boost of immune stimulating phytochemicals.
Russian Chaga Tea
This is perhaps the most written about method of making tea from chaga mushrooms:
Shred the inner part of the Chaga mushroom. Soften in cold water for four hours. Filter with a coffee filter and save the liquid and the softened Chaga separately. Pour water heated to a temperature of about 50C (122F) over the softened chaga in a ratio of 5-parts water to 1-part fungus. Let stand at room temperature for 48-hours. Filter the new mixture and add this water to that prepared in step 3. Use this batch within four days, drinking 3-glasses at eight hour intervals each day. After four days make a new batch of chaga tea.
Mushroom Hunters Chaga Method
Vladimir of Mushroom Hunter dot net uses this method, which also shows you how to store chaga for extended periods:
Remove the outer black part of the chaga using a chisel. It may help if you leave the chaga attached to the tree while you do this. Cut the clean chaga into 1-inch cubes. Dry the chaga cubes in a dehydrator at about 105 F. When completely dry put the cubes in an air-tight container where they can be stored for years.
To use the chaga
Bring two gallons (8 liters) of water to a boil. Let the water cool until you can touch the pot without it burning your hand. Put 3 or 4 handfuls of the chaga into the water. Cover the pot and let stand for 48-hours. Strain the liquid and store in a refrigerator. The cubes can be used at least two additional times.
According to the Mushroom Hunter some people say boiling the chaga releases additional cancer fighting ingredients so he as a last step he boils the cubes to obtain the last bit of goodness.
Chaga Liqueur
Put 3 tablespoons of milled chaga into .5 liter vodka. Let sit for two weeks in a cool dark place. Filter.
Chaga liqueur dosage is 3-tablespoons three to six times per day.
Mushroom Hunters Lazy Man’s Chaga Tea
The mushroom hunter and I agree; why go through all the bother of breaking off the hard black coating from the chaga mushrooms. Simply throw that in the pot too!
Harvest chaga and allow to dry. Bring two gallons of water to a boil and drop in several handfuls of unprocessed chaga, black parts and all. Let steep for 48-hours. Strain into bottles and store in refrigerator.
The Mushroom Hunter on Chaga
Survival Topics recently received an email from VladThe Mushroom Hunter with more information about the Chaga mushroom. He writes:
“The specie name obliquus refers to way the pores of the fruiting body are positioned relative to the ground. In most of the polypores, the pores are positioned down to the ground. In the obliquus the pores are at an oblique angle to the ground; therefore the name.
Chaga is not the fruiting body of Inonotus obliquus. The true fruiting body is hard to find and I have not, as yet, seen one, even in pictures.
The scientists are not sure what the purpose of the Chaga is. Some people refer to it as a “Sterile Conch”. This implies that there is a Fertile Conch, which is not true. The actual fruiting body is supposed to grow around where the Chaga grew when the tree was alive. It grows under the bark and slowly raises it until it cracks it. The oblique pores then release their spores and they fall out of the crack in the bark.”
The Chaga mushroom remains somewhat mysterious even to those who have are familiar with its habits. For me, that is part of the allure of this special fungus that is so useful for survival.
If you are interested in more information about mushrooms and how you can use them be sure to visit the mushroom hunters website!
Chaga Warning
As with anything so good for your health, there is a great deal of hype about chaga. Exaggerated claims and expensive products manufactured from chaga are put out with the hope of luring your hard earned dollars in exhange for questionable products. For all you know, those chaga products hawked on the internet and elsewhere may be of dubious quality at best.
If you are interested in acquiring high quality true Chaga for use as tinder or tea let me know and we can make arrangements to get you some. I am in the Great Northwoods forest of northern New Hampshire nearly every day and occasionally come upon this most useful of mushrooms. I’ll harvest some for you.
In another Survival Topic I will discuss the use of the Chaga tinder fungus as fire making aid.