A brief overview of the medicinal and nutraceutical importance of Inonotus obliquus (chaga) mushrooms

Emma Camilleri; Renald Blundell; Bikash Baral; Tomasz M Karpinski; Edlira Aruci; Omar M Atrooz

doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e35638

A brief overview of the medicinal and nutraceutical importance of Inonotus obliquus (chaga) mushrooms

Heliyon. 2024 Aug 6;10(15):e35638. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e35638. eCollection 2024 Aug 15.

Authors

Emma Camilleri¹, Renald Blundell^{1

2}, Bikash Baral^{3

4}, Tomasz M Karpinski⁵, Edlira Aruci⁶, Omar M Atrooz^{7

8}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Malta, Imsida, MSD2080, Malta.
² Centre for Molecular Medicine and Biobanking, University of Malta, MSD2080, Imsida, Malta.
³ University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
⁴ Institute of Biological Resources (IBR), Kathmandu, Nepal.
⁵ Department of Medical Microbiology, Poznań University of Medical Sciences, Rokietnicka 10, 60-806, Poznań, Poland.
⁶ Western Balkans University, Autostrada Tirane-Durres km 7, Albania.
⁷ Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Al-Ahliyya Amman University, Amman, 19328, Jordan.
⁸ Department of Biological Sciences, Mutah University, P.O.Box(7), Mutah, Jordan.

Abstract

This literature review offers an extensive exploration of Chaga mushrooms (Inonotus obliquus), focusing on their phytochemical composition, health-promoting attributes, and mechanisms of action. The aim was to provide an up-to-date overview of Chaga's significance in the medicinal sector, emphasizing its potential role in diverse health benefits. The review highlights Chaga's remarkable anticancer, antioxidant, anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and immunomodulating properties. By synthesizing recent findings, this work underscores Chaga's importance in the medicinal industries and provides valuable insights into its pharmacological potential.

Keywords: Anti-inflammatory; Anticancer; Antimicrobial; Chaga mushrooms; Health benefits; Inonotus obliquus; Phytochemicals.

Publication types

Review