Chaga (Inonotus obliquus) Mushroom Powder, Certified Organic Product Code: CHAGMUSPW-O

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Introduction
Mushrooms are a flavorful and nutritious food group. Good sources of B-Vitamins Thiamine, Riboflavin and Niacin. They contain all the essential amino acids. Mushrooms have also been used for thousands of years as some of the most effective, yet benign, of many plants that formed the Oriental herbal tradition. Garuda International offers more than ten species of the highest quality mushroom extract powders available in the world today. Some are certified organically grown and some have standardized levels of active compounds. These are perfect powdered materials for formulating immune system boosting dietary supplements and natural cosmetics. Chaga (Inonotus obliquus) is a highly prized medicinal fungus that has been used in Siberian folk medicine as a cleansing and disinfecting substance, often used to treat stomach discomforts. It is a parasitic fungus growing on birch, alder, beech and other hardwood trees throughout North America and Europe. The fungus produces a thick mass on the trunks of trees sometimes measuring up to 40 cm thick and 1.5 meters in length. Folk medicine practitioners have traditionally removed these masses from the trees and prepared teas and other decoctions for the treatment of diseases ranging from stomach diseases, intestinal worms, liver and heart ailments and cancers. More recent pharmacological studies using Chaga in Poland, Russia, and the U.S.A. have shown anti-tumor activity related to the mammary glands and female sexual organs. Much of this research was carried out in Finland by researchers at the School of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki. The most active compound, inotodiol, has shown activity against influenza viruses A and B, and various cancer cells. Studies in Japan have also confirmed antiviral activity, (inhibition of the protease enzyme of HIV-1).

Benefits
Chaga is rich in triterpenes. The main compounds are lanosterol-type triterpenes related to inotodiol. Other compounds isolated from Chaga include betulin, polysaccharides, and soluble lignins.

Advantages
Today, we use modern extraction techniques to concentrate the active components from the fungal masses. The highest quality fungal cankers are removed from birch trees (betula pubescens) in eastern europe, cleaned and shipped to north america where they are sorted. Chaga is extracted using a proprietary process that concentrates the active compounds. The finished powdered extract is standardized to a minimum 0.15% inotodiol content.

Quality Assurance
Mushroom extracts can be considered some of the first nutraceuticals - food concentrated into medicinal form. Garuda's extracts are carefully produced according to gmp standards from select raw materials. Many of our extracts are standardized to contain guaranteed levels of active compounds.

Applications
Chaga extract powder can be used to formulate various types of dietary supplement tablets and capsules. The powder can also be included in herbal tea blends. Chaga can also be blended with other medicinal mushroom extracts and powders from different species such as garuda's reishi (ganoderma lucidum), shiitake (lentinula edodes) or maitake (grifola frondosa).

References
Aoki, T. 1984. Lentinan. In Immune Modulation Agents and Their Mechanisms. R.L. Fenichel and M. A. Chirgis, eds. Immunology Studies. 25:62-77., Bo, L. and Bau Yun-sun. 1980. Fungi Pharmacopoeia (Sinica). Oakland: Kinoko Co., Chang, H.M. and P. Pui-Hay But. 1987. Pharmacology and Applications of Chinese Materia Medica. Vol. 2. Singapore: World Scientific., Chang, H.M., ed. et al. 1984. Advances in Chinese Medicinal Materials Research. Singapore: World Scientific., Huidi, F. and W. Zhiyuan. 1982. The clinical effects of Ganoderma lucidum spore preparations in 10 cases of atrophic myotonia. J. Trad. Chin. Med. 2:63-65., Miller, D. 1994. Current clinical protocol submitted to the N.I.H. Scientific Director Cancer Treatment Research Foundation, Arlington Heights, IL.,Nanba, H. 1994a. Power of maitake mushroom. Explore Professional (in press)., Nanba, H. 1994b. Activity of maitake D-fraction to prevent cancer growth and metastasis. J. Naturopathic Med. (In press)., Opletal, L. 1993. Phytotherapeutic aspects of diseases of the circulatory system. 2. The oyster mushroom and its potential use. Cesk. Farm. 42:160-166., Sharon, T.M. 1988. Personal Observations: Lentinus edodes (shiitake) mycelial extract. Typescript., Willard, T. 1990. Reishi Mushroom. Herb of Spiritual Potency and Medical Wonder. Issaquah: Sylvan Press., Yang, Q.Y. & S.C. Jong. 1989. Medicinal mushroom in China. Mushroom Science. XII. (Part I): 631-643. Proceeding of the Twelft International Congress on the Science and Cultivation of Edible Fungi. From K. Grabbe and O. Hilber (eds.). Braunschweig - Germany: Institue fr Bodenbiologie, Bundesforschungsanstolt fr Londwirtschoft., Ying, J. et al. 1987. Icones of Medicinal Fungi From China. Translated by X. Yuehan. Beijing: Science Press., Yoshioka, Y. et al. 1973. Studies on antiumor polysaccharides of Flammulina velutipes (Curt. ex Fr.) Sing. I. Chem. Pharm. Bull. 21:1772-1776.


Revision Date: 01/28/2010

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
This product is not meant to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.