Can Chaga Mushroom Cure Cancer?
According to a 2018 cell study, chaga mushrooms have shown promise in treating lung cancer. A recent study in human cells compares the effects of powdered chaga mushrooms against gastric cancer cells in humans with those in healthy mice.
One study found that an extract of the Chaga mushroom inhibited the growth of human cancer cells in a laboratory setting (1). Another study looked at the effects of a Chaga mushroom extract on mice with colon cancer and found that the extract helped to reduce the size of the tumors (2).
While these studies are promising, more research is needed to confirm the anticancer effects of the Chaga mushroom. If you are considering using the Chaga mushroom for cancer treatment, please speak with your doctor first.
Most studies conducted on examining chaga mushrooms effects on cancer (for prevention or treatment) have been done in cell lines and animal models. While these studies found promising results, it will take much larger studies in humans for researchers to demonstrate chaga’s cancer-fighting benefits.
From all of the positive results from these experiments, there is little doubt that chaga could be used effectively to treat cancer. There has been much research done about Chagas cancer fighting powers, with a number of studies and experiments showing the efficacy of chaga. Despite chaga mushrooms wide application in folk medicine, and promising in vitro studies on certain compounds activity against cancer, clinical trials have not been conducted in human patients.
Although the health benefits of Chaga mushrooms (Inonotus obliquus) are possible, we only have limited information on their effects based on laboratory and animal studies. Extracts from Inonotus obliquus (chaga mushrooms) demonstrate potent anti-tumor activities and are used for the treatment of cancers in several countries; however, the actual effects and the underlying mechanisms are still not clear.
Including Inonotus obliquus in the diet may prevent and slow down lung cancer, though more studies are needed to discover the precise molecular mechanisms behind this benefit.
Considering chaga typically takes 20 years to mature before it is harvested, it is no wonder it contains many powerful chemical substances that may be used to destroy tumor cells. A 2010 study showed that the chaga mushroom could slow down breast, lung, and cervical cancer cells growth in a petri dish.
In a study, scientists examined how oxidative stress and mutations affect cancer cell growth, and noted that compounds in chaga appear to have antioxidative and antimutagenic properties. As a result, scientists who oversaw one of the studies agreed that chaga had a positive impact in inhibiting the growth of cancer cells and could be used as a prevention method — especially as a cancer-fighting food to consume on a daily basis.
Additional Studies on Chaga Mushroom being Anticancer
In an experimental study conducted on human colon cancer cells by Adbiotech Co. Ltd. and Kongju National University, South Korea, they found that ethanolic extracts from chaga mushrooms suppressed the progression of cells in HT-29 human colon cancer cells, suggesting that the mushroom could be a potential natural anti-cancer ingredient to explore in food and/or the pharmaceutical industry after validation in humans.
It is important to note that studies regarding chaga and anti-cancer cultivation has been done mostly in animals, and that further tests need to be done on humans in order to see the full potential — but studies are promising. According to the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) at their Herbs & Botanicals site, lab and animal studies show compounds found in chaga mushrooms may kill tumor cells and stimulate the immune system. Prevents & Fighting Cancer Multiple animal and test-tube studies show chaga may prevent and slow the growth of cancer.
