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Chaga inhibits SARS-CoV-2 replication in lungs | Animal study
If SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19, ever returns in a highly virulent form, in addition to supplementation with vitamin D, zinc, quercetin and vitamin C, supplementation with the Siberian mushroom Chaga may provide protection.
Study
The animal study on which we base this post was published in Voprosy Virusologii in 2023. The authors are Russian virologists, affiliated with the State Research Center of Virology and Biotechnology 'Vector' of Rospotrebnadzor.
In this study, the researchers build on in vitro research in which they showed that a water-based Chaga extract in Vero E6 cells could reduce the replication of an early version of SARS-CoV-2. [Int J Med Mushrooms. 2022;24(2):23-30.] The Russians have patented the use of this extract as a remedy against Covid-19. [RU2752872C1] So there may be financial interests at play here.
GRP78
Molecular scientists from Iran and Egypt published an in silico study in 2022 in which they studied how Chaga components interacted with GRP78 in computer models. This is a receptor in cells. Viruses such as SARS-CoV-2, MERS-CoV, Ebola virus, Dengue virus, Zika virus and influenza virus use GRP78 to sneak into cells. [Comput Biol Med. 2022 Jun:145:105478.]
According to this study, many components in Chaga block GRP78. This may help explain how Chaga extracts inhibit virus replication.
The very best GRP78 blockers in Chaga is oleanolic acid [chemical structure below], followed closely by inonotsulide A and inonotsutriol B.
The Russians gave BALB/c lab mice an oral supplement with their Chaga extract every 12 hours for 10 days. If the mice had been adult humans, they would have received 6-10 milligrams of extract per intake.
On day 7, the researchers infected the mice with an omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2. With BA.5.2, to be precise.
Results
Supplementation reduced the number of viruses that the Russians were able to find in the nasal cavity and especially in the lungs of the test animals.
The values on the Y-axis in the figures below are logarithmic.
Source:
Vopr Virusol. 2023 May 18;68(2):152-60.
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