Chaga mushroom

Chaga mushroom (birch black mushroom)

 

In appearance, these are large, black, heavy, oval or round growths up to 40-50 cm in diameter, 3-5 kg ​​in weight. The inner part of the fruiting body is very hard, from yellow-brown to dark brown.

False and real tinder fungi similar to chaga, also growing on a birch, cannot be harvested.

Mushroom growths are harvested all year round, but it is better to do this in spring and autumn, when the activity of the raw material is higher. They are knocked down with axes or hammers from trunks in cutting areas, wood and bark are separated, as well as loose and light brown parts. Large growths are cut into pieces with an ax. It is not necessary to collect fruiting bodies from dried trees and in the lower part of the trunks, since such raw materials are inactive. Dry in ovens or dryers at a temperature not exceeding 60 ° C, laying out on sieves. The smell of dry raw materials is absent. The taste is bitter. The storage period is 4-6 months, according to other sources – 2 years. Collect only from birch trunks.

The chemical composition of birch fungus is little studied. The active principles are, apparently, water-extractable dark-colored pigment substances (chromogens), upon hydrolysis of which aromatic hydroxy acids are obtained. In addition, the fungus contains agaricic acid, triterpenoid, inoiodiol, flavanoid, a non-cordial number of alkaloids, also resins, from which a crystalline substance and ash elements (18%) are isolated, especially potassium, sodium, a relatively large amount of manganese and other substances.

In medical practice, chaga products (thick befungin extract, tablets) are used as symptomatic agents for the treatment of patients with malignant tumors of various localizations in cases where surgery or radiation therapy is not indicated. There are indications of the use of chaga in gastric ulcers.

Chaga is also used in the treatment of diseases of the stomach, accompanied by its reduced secretion (hypocidal and anacid gastritis). In these cases, the use of chaga causes an improvement in the general condition of the sick, relieves nausea, pain in the epigastric region and has a normalizing effect on the activity of the intestine.

There is also information about the beneficial effect of chaga in increased secretory function of the stomach (hyperacid gastritis).

In folk medicine, chaga is widely used as a remedy for the treatment of diseases of the digestive system and malignant tumors – with stomach cancer, stomach ulcers, diseases of the liver and spleen. It cannot cure cancer, but it reduces pain, improves the patient’s well-being.

Application

In pharmacies, there is a ready-made thick extract of chaga, which is prescribed orally (daily dose of 3.5 g). The bottle with the extract is heated, 2 teaspoons of the extract are diluted in 3/4 cup of heated boiled water. Take 1 tbsp. spoon 3 times every day 30 minutes before meals.

Tablets are prescribed 3 times every day, 1 piece 30 minutes before meals. Treatment is carried out in courses of 3-5 months with breaks of 7-10 days.

Infusion of chaga, prepared at home: dried birch fungus is poured with boiled water and infused for 4 hours, then the soaked pieces are passed through a meat grinder or rubbed on a grater. For each part of the crushed chaga, add 5 parts of boiled water (temperature not higher than 50 ° C) and infuse for 48 hours, then drain the liquid; the residue is squeezed out and water is added to the resulting liquid, in which the chaga was first infused. The prepared infusion can be stored for 4 days, with this in mind, it should be prepared. Assign 3 glasses a day before meals every day. For tumors in the pelvis, it is recommended to do enemas (50-100 ml of infusion). When using the infusion, a milk-vegetable diet is prescribed. When treating with chaga, the use of canned food, sausages, hot spices is prohibited.

Tincture: 1/2 cup of chopped mushroom is poured into a dark bottle. Pour 1/2 cup of warm water there, insist 2-3 hours. Then the bottle is filled to the top with port wine. Insist 2 weeks. Take 1 tbsp. spoon 3 times every day after eating with gastritis, ulcers.