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Scientists at the Center of Virology and Biotechnology Vector in Novosibirsk have proved that the extract of the birch fungus chaga can inhibit the reproduction of new type of coronavirus particles in a test tube. This points to the fact, that an antiviral drug can be created on the basis of such an extract, TASS reports.

Chaga is a popular name for the parasitic Inonotus obliquus. Most often, it begins to grow on damaged areas of birch bark, but it is also found on other trees – for example, alder, mountain ash or maple.

Chaga extract is used in folk medicine for the prevention and treatment of gastrointestinal diseases, liver diseases, heart diseases, tuberculosis. Scientists attribute its healing properties to biologically active substances, which are formed by the interaction of the birch and mushroom.

Previously, Vector specialists have already tested the activity of chaga extract against type 1 immunodeficiency virus, type 2 herpes simplex, West Nile virus and smallpox virus. Their research showed that the water extracts abstracted from the chaga suppressed all the viruses studied in the work, including HIV. However, drugs against these viruses on the basis of the fungus has not yet been established.

Vector Center Virologists have studied whether water extracts of pharmacy chaga can affect the vital activity of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. To do this, scientists applied chaga extracts in different concentrations to the cell culture. After a while, a new type of coronavirus strain was applied to them.

It turned out that the extract reduces the activity of pathogenic particles. Researchers believe that, in view of the low toxicity of chaga, it can be used in creation of drugs against coronavirus, and have already proceeded with an application for a patent.

Scientists have developed several ways to prepare concentrated water extracts of chaga, one of which can be used at home. The effectiveness of chaga extract prepared using this method was tested by one of the authors of the study, as well as her colleagues and friends. According to them, after 5-7 days, the symptoms of the infection disappeared.

However, all of them underwent symptomatic treatment (for example, they took antipyretic drugs), and scientists have not yet conducted a full-fledged study of the effectiveness of chaga against COVID-19 and have not proved it.

Therefore, in this case, it is not known what exactly helped against the symptoms of coronavirus infection – chaga extract, symptomatic treatment, or the disease has gone itself.

Mikhail ERYOMIN