Chaga Mushroom (Inonotus obliquus)

Chaga (Inonotus obliquus) is a woody, parasitic fungus that colonizes birch trees in cold-climate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. In traditional medicine, it is taken as a nutraceutical because its fruiting body and sclerotium contain a rich mixture of polysaccharides, triterpenes, phenolics, and melanin that together provide antioxidant, immunomodulatory, and metabolic activity.

• Betulinic acid: C₃₀H₄₈O₃ (IUPAC: 3β-hydroxy-20(29)-lupene-28-oic acid).
• Betulin: C₃₀H₅₀O (IUPAC: 3β-hydroxy-lup-20(29)-en-28-ol).
• β-Glucan: A (1→3), (1→6)-β-D-glucan polymer with a molecular weight of 1–2 × 10⁶ Da.
• Polyphenols: Gallic acid (C₇H₆O₅) and catechin (C₁₅H₁₄O₆).
• Sclerotium Composition: The sclerotium is rich in melanin-like pigments (polyphenolic polymer) that confer a dark, carbon-rich matrix (≈70 % polysaccharide, 10 % triterpenes, 5 % polyphenols).
• β-Glucan Properties: The high molecular-weight β-glucans are water-soluble and resistant to gastrointestinal digestion, allowing interaction with gut-associated lymphoid tissue.

• Wild Harvesting: Wild Chaga is harvested from birch trees (Betula spp.) in Siberia, northern Canada, and Scandinavia, where cold temperatures promote high concentrations of triterpenes and melanin.
• Sustainable Harvesting: Sustainable harvesting involves removing only the outer rind (≈10 % of the sclerotium) and allowing the fungus to regenerate.
• Extraction Methods: Commercial supplements typically employ one of three extraction methods:
  • Hot water extraction: yields a polysaccharide-rich decoction (standardized to 30 % β-glucan).
  • Ethanol/acetone extraction: concentrates triterpenoids (betulinic acid ≥5 %).
  • Supercritical CO₂: provides a balanced profile of both polysaccharides and triterpenes.
• Quality Control: Quality certifications (e.g., ISO 22000, GMP) and third-party testing for heavy metals, PAHs, and microbial load are essential to ensure product safety.
• Product Recommendation: Look for products specifying “wild-harvested, sustainably sourced, and standardized to ≥30 % polysaccharides and ≥5 % betulinic acid” for the most consistent potency.