Chaga – Clinical World Studies, Statistics, Effects

CHAGA – NUMBER ONE

CONTENTS

1. WHAT IS CHAGA
2. WHAT IS BEFUNGIN
3. HISTORY
4. STATISTICS
5. WORLD STUDIES
6. EFFECTS OF CHAGA
6.1. CHAGA AND BENEFICIAL EFFECT ON GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT
6.2. CHAGA AGAINST HYPER- AND HYPOTENSION
6.3. CHAGA AGAINST PHLEBITIS AND THROMBOSIS
6.4. CHAGA NORMALIZES AND PREVENTS ALERGIES
6.5. CHAGA AGAINST CANCER AND METASTASES
6.6. CHAGA AS ADAPTOGEN
7. SUMMARY
SOURCES AND LITERATURE USED

1. WHAT IS CHAGA
The names like “Kabanoanatake” (Jap.), “Clinker” (Eng.), “Lingzhi” (China) or the entirely exotic one “W Sakechak Omik H'” are different names of the same plant, as well as the Latin sublimely sounding “Inonotus Obliquus”, in Czech less noble – “Rezavec šikmý” or “Choroš”. We will remain at the name Chaga, not only because it is short and well pronounced, but also because it is widely used in our lands.
Chaga has a black, irregular surface with deep cuts, reminiscent of a heap of burnt coal (hence the English name). There are approximately 150 species of explored and medically used mushrooms, but Chaga differs from them by its range of action. For centuries, Chaga was used in folk healing. The described effects and results were so interesting that in the first half of the last century, the Caga became the subject of modern medical research and laboratory tests that confirmed some of the earlier conclusions. Research still continues and the results are very surprising.

2. WHAT IS BEFUNGIN
Befungin is a concentrated extract from Chaga. It is opaque, very aromatic, slightly bitter, taste can be like coffee. It is so concentrated and dense that it must be literally “beated out” when dosing it from the bottle. The preparation is distributed in a 100 ml glass vial. The carton contains 30 packs.

3. HISTORY
The first written references about Chaga and its beneficial effects on the human body can be found in the more than 2000-year-old Chinese medical book, known in Japan as “Shinnoh Honsohkyo”. Here “medicines” has been divided into three categories: Perfect, Great and Good. The Perfect were called “the herbs of the gods” and served to maintain youth and health. The Great were used as a tonic and the Good as medicines for specific illnesses. From the perfect medicines listed in the text, the extract from Chaga was ranked 1st (Leone Fujimuri, 2002). The extract from Chaga was handed to Prince Vladimir Monomach, who suffered from cancer of the lips. (The Kiev Chronicles, 1082). In the 16th century, the extract was commonly used against “cancer” and inflammation of the digestive tract. In the official medical and healing procedures in the time of Tsarist Russia, the extract was introduced as an anticancer medicine in 1858. In 1870, there was a record on export of 8 tonnes of Chaga from Russia to Europe. In 1955, after a series of clinical trials, the extract from Chaga was introduced into the medical practice under the name Befungin. In 2003, the Korean company bought out the entire raw material reserve of the Befungin manufacturing plant and wanted to produce the product itself. Since the traditional method of processing and more than a hundred years of experience could not be replaced, the raw material was sold back.

4. STATISTICS
During experiments on animals and clinical trials to confirm or disprove the incredibly large positive effect of Chaga on the living organism in order to develop a new broad-spectrum drug, results gradually emerged, but the targets were not yet achieved. The research and development of new drugs is based on a huge amount of such works, which need to verify all effects in detail and in the long term. However, the intermediate results are consistent with significant improvement leading to cure for the following diseases:

• Coronary diseases
• Hypertension
• Increased cholesterol levels in the blood
• Nervous system diseases
• Chronic bronchitis and hepatitis
• Vascular and hematopoietic diseases

The most striking effects were observed in gastrointestinal diseases from mild inflammation, stomach and duodenal ulcer disease, ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, hemorrhoids to digestive tract oncology. Statistics on the positive impact of Chaga on various diseases show high numbers. For example, chronic inflammation was cured from 60% to 97.7%. In the upper respiratory tract infections, the rate of recovery exceeded 50% compared to normal with a reported efficacy of 80%.

5. WORLD STUDIES
The longest and most comprehensive analytical work on Chaga was conducted by Dr. Kirsti Kahlos, from the University of Helsinki, Finland. Kahlos and her colleagues found various types of active triterpene in the extract. Triterpene promoting the most effective anti-cancer activities has been named inotodiol. The team of Dr. Kahlos also discovered a substance – betulin, which moves to the fungi from the birch (host), and other active non-specified polysaccharides. Scientific research related to the influence of Chaga on the human organism was further focused on its direct use. Kahlos and others have found significant anti-cancer activities against specific tumor systems. They also highlight high activity against viral flu. Chaga has also shown anti-inflammatory activity with beneficial effects on the stomach and digestive tract. Other world studies of Chaga confirmed anti-tumor activity. In 1960, the National Cancer Institute of the United States adopted a report describing the successful treatment of cancer in Australia using the extract from Chaga (Hartwell, 1971). According to Reid (1976), Chaga reduces pain, improves the condition of the patient, and avoids weakness. If the extract is used in the early stages of the disease, it can stop the growth of tumors and is particularly effective against tumors of the stomach and breasts. It states that Chaga is very effective in the case of chronic inflammation of the digestive tract and stomach, including ulcers. Once betulinic acid penetrates the cells, it causes apoptosis (program cell death) of the tumor (Fulda, 1997). Noda (1997) found that betulin contained in the Chaga concentrate works against the tumor cells highly selectively. He found that the internal tumor tissue generally had a lower pH than the healthy tissue, and betulinic acid is active just at these lower pH levels. Rzymowska (1998) states, based on studies conducted in Poland, a strong attenuation effect of the Chaga extract on neoplasm growth. Other studies indicate that the fungus is rich in triterpenes, lanosterol and inotodiol just like betulin and other sterols. Tests of these separations, with regard to their anti-tumour action, indicate that inotodiol was the most active separator capable of 100% destruction of the Walker 256 and MCF-7 cancer cells. By further separation testing, it has been demonstrated that several other separations that have been exposed to carcinogenic cells in vitro have been effective. Lanosterole was found to be ineffective against Walker 256 but was able to kill 90% of MCF-7 cells. (Nelson, 2002)

6. EFFECTS OF CHAGA

6.1. CHAGA AND BENEFICIAL EFFECT ON GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT
The digestive tract has an extraordinarily toning effect on the digestive tract, normalizes its function and acts very efficiently in gastritis, polyps and ulcers (documented). In Russia, it is commonly used in clinics against stomach ulcers and stomach cancer. (Raal, 2001). Since these effects are mapped and documented the most, and Befungin's use for these problems is common, we will no longer pay attention to them.

6.2. CHAGA AGAINST HYPER- AND HYPOTENSION
Tests on the use of Chaga on animals suffering from hereditary hypertension and frequent bleeding have shown excellent results. The test groups were divided into two parts, one was treated for 2 weeks with the extract from Chaga and the other with nothing. After five hours, immediate pressure dropped in group 1 and the condition stabilized without side effects in 14 days. Hypertensive human patients were treated with Chaga preparations for 20 weeks, 30% of patients were receiving the pure extract of Chaga and 70 % in combination with other means. It was found that Chaga can significantly improve diastolic pressure and related symptoms (headaches, dizziness, fatigue and rigor) that gradually disappeared without side effects. Other tests on patients with inherited hypertension who stopped taking their medications showed extreme improvement after 4 weeks of Chaga administration. The conclusion was that Chaga has a very positive and curative effect on blood pressure and can also solve related problems.

6.3. CHAGA AGAINST PHLEBITIS AND THROMBOSIS
By tests, it was verified that chaga reduce excessive accumulation of platelets in thrombi which were easier to dissolve, the membranes of the red blood cells were strengthened and consequently the incidence of inflammation of the veins rapidly reduced regardless of where it occurred in the body. No side reactions. (Morishige, 2002).

6.4. CHAGA NORMALIZES AND PREVENTS ALERGIES
The description of Chaga's effects in allergies is very extensive, it could be a separate article, and, therefore, we will confine ourselves to a few facts only. If the tested subjects were treated with Chaga, the medicinal effect was gradual but distinct. Chaga works as a nutrition and repair agent for the damaged organ, thereby improving the function of immune regulation. Patients have experienced typical problems (itching, rash, and difficulty in breathing). High IgE levels in blood have decreased. Metabolic processes have been catalyzed by the production of cortisone and chain allergic reactions were prevented. There was no weakening of the organs. The process of revitalization was gradual and reliable, with no side effects. The most effective it was with a well-tailored diet along with Chaga administration.

6.5. CHAGA AGAINST CANCER AND METASTASES
The concentrate contains substances of type dihydric alcohols from the group of triterpenes. These include lanosterol, inoitodiol, obliquol, and betulin, which is derived from (alpha)-lupane and lupeol alcohol. Betulin is not only found in Chaga, it is traceable in birch bark and other tree fangi, such as birch fungus, hazelnut skins, rose hips and some cactuses (Jakube and Jeschkeit 1976). Cytostatic effects of this kind are shown by the substance called inotodiol. Chemically, it is triterpene 1-hydroxy-22-ε(epsilon)-lanosterol (Reinach-Hirtzbach-Ourisson 1971), the formula C30H50O2. Another Chaga triterpene with cytostatic activity was called obliquol, the formula C30H50O (Kier 1961). According to Šivrna, preparations of Chaga include, among others, chagic acid (a mixture of humic acids, more complex than soil humic acids, and six steroid compounds). The drug also contains polysaccharides and a number of unidentifiable substances. Today its prophylactic and immunostimulatory effect is demonstrated, it creates resistance to cancer, and cases of cure are well documented too. (Raal 2001). Research and development of cancer drugs is always under the public's attention, so resources are very cautious about information. At present, the studies agree that Chaga affects the enhancement and stabilization of carcinogenic cell membranes, thereby preventing their spread in the body. It further reduces the spread of metastases and, when administered with conventional anticancer drugs and in chemotherapy, eliminates their undesirable side effects and enhances their action. Therefore, at present we can say that Chaga is not a universal cancer treatment but slows the growth of neoplasms and the development of metastasis, reduces pain until it is completely extinct. Significantly positive is in the early stages of oncological diseases. Another source (Hyesung, 2002) is no longer reticent and states “the epochal effect of Čaga against uterine cancer, liver cancer, breast cancer, stomach, hypertension and diabetes”.

6.6. CHAGA AS ADAPTOGEN
CHAGA shows all the main features of the adaptogen concept (the Royal Medical Society) – it is nontoxic, without harmful side effects, its action is not limited to specific organs or tissues and has a normalizing effect in general. Chaga is able to standardize the functions of a substantial part of the body, but cannot treat all the diseases. It should be remembered that no substance can be pure, be the ultimate panacea.

7. SUMMARY
Chaga and the extract of it is certainly not the ultimate panacea. The magical elixir that cure everyone and immediately has not been invented so far. In order to get the expected effect, Chaga needs time to express itself – like all processes in nature. A multi-week cure is not unusual. But the results are convincing and we can sum up them as follows: Over the centuries, Chaga has been known to increase viability. It supports the key systems of the body and has beneficial effects on the main organs. It stimulates the immune system and acts against some tumors and their metastases. It acts on the stomach and lungs, on inflammatory processes, ulcers, and relieves pain. It improves metabolism at the cellular level and thus increases the body's resistance. As a side effect, it improves the functioning of the nervous system, in popular terms “it strengthens the nerves and the brain”. It is very active in diseases of the digestive tract and hemorrhoids, heart and circulatory system, hypertension and hypotension, venous inflammation and thrombosis, is a strong prevention of metastasis and cancer, acts as an adaptogen and imonomodulator. It works in eczema, psoriasis, and allergies. Befungin – is solution, made from three teaspoons of concentrate mixed into 150 ml of water, is used 3 times a day with 1 tablespoon. One pack (100ml) is sufficient for a 90 day cure.

SOURCES AND LITERATURE USED
Willard, Terry, “Reishi Mushroom: Herb of Spiritual Potency and Medical Wonder “. Sylvan Press, Seattle, Washington, 1990
Wen-yen-Li and Eric J. Lein, "Fu zhen Herbs in the Treatment of Cancer", Oriental Healing Arts International Bulletin, 1986
Subhuti Dharmananda, Chen Fu Tai, and George Weissmann, "Herbal Foods in Asia: Role in the Prevention and Treatment of Cardiovascular Diseases"
In Nutrition and Heart Disease II. Ronald R. Watson, Ph.D., Press, Inc., Boca, Florida, 1986
Raal, USA, 2001
Nelson, Canada, 2002
Reid, 1976
Belarussian State University, MinskInstitute of Microbiology, National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, Minsk
Dr. Kirsti Kahlos, University of Helsinki, FinlandHartwell, 1971
Rzymowska, 1998
Noda, 1997
Dr. Fukumi Morishige, M.D.Phd., 2000
Wasser, 1999
Hyesung, 2002
Médecine et traditions populaires, 1992, par le Dr J.BAUR
The periodical newsletter of North American Reishi, Canada, 2001
Cir Ciruj, Manifestaciones digestivas en la fase crónica de la enfermedad de Chagas, 1997.