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Review
. 2023 Oct 20;15(2):144-161.
doi: 10.1080/21501203.2023.2260408. eCollection 2024.

Therapeutic properties of Inonotus obliquus (Chaga mushroom): A review

Phoebe Tee Yon Ern  1 , Tang Yin Quan  1 , Fung Shin Yee  2 , Adeline Chia Yoke Yin  1
Affiliations
Review

Therapeutic properties of Inonotus obliquus (Chaga mushroom): A review

Phoebe Tee Yon Ern et al. Mycology. .

Abstract

Inonotus obliquus, also known as Chaga, is a medicinal mushroom that has been used for therapeutic purposes since the sixteenth century. Collections of folk medicine record the application of Chaga for the treatment of diseases such as gastrointestinal cancer, diabetes, bacterial infection, and liver diseases. Modern research provides scientific evidence of the therapeutic properties of I. obliquus extracts, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anticancer, anti-diabetic, anti-obesity, hepatoprotective, renoprotective, anti-fatigue, antibacterial, and antiviral activities. Various bioactive compounds, including polysaccharides, triterpenoids, polyphenols, and lignin metabolites have been found to be responsible for the health-benefiting properties of I. obliquus. Furthermore, some studies have elucidated the underlying mechanisms of the mushroom's medicinal effects, revealing the compounds' interactions with enzymes or proteins of important pathways. Thus, this review aims to explore available information on the therapeutic potentials of Inonotus obliquus for the development of an effective naturally sourced treatment option.

Keywords: Inonotus obliquus; Medicinal mushroom; anti-diabetic; anti-inflammatory; anticancer; therapeutic properties.

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Conflict of interest statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Figures

None
Graphical abstract
Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Inonotus obliquus sterile basidiome or conk naturally occurring on Betula papyrifera (Bal et al. 2019).
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Structures of bioactive compounds isolated from Inonotus obliquus.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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