A diverse ally

When it comes to bacteria, chaga is most effective against Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus cereus. However, Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli, and Enterobacter cloacae are receptive to its effects. Among fungi, chaga works well against Trichodermaviride — less so against Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus fumigatus. (Glamoclija J et al 2015).

Chaga’s anti-inflammatory effect is thought to be linked to the presence of ergosterol, ergosterol peroxide, and trametenolic acid (Ma L et al 2013). It also helps regulate blood-sugar levels, apparently thanks to inotodiols and terpenoids (Ying YM et al 2014).

Cancer treatment in folk medicine

Russian folk medicine has used chaga to treat non-operable breast cancer, oral cancer, cancer of the digestive tact, thyroid cancer, skin cancer, and Hodgkin disease (Pilz D 2004). If the patient’s condition improved, healers couldn’t of course associate it with specific compounds in chaga. Modern scientific methods have allowed researchers to do just that.

Among isolated compounds in chaga, the more important ones include triterpenes, lactones, lanosterols, inotodiols, trametenolic acid, oxalic acid, protocatechuic acid, p-hydroxybenxoic acid, cinnamic, betulin, betulinic acid, phytosterols, beta-D-glucans, etc. (J.Glamoclija et al 2015; Shin Y et al 2000).

Chaga stimulates macophagi and, in tumours, promotes cell death (Staniszewska J et al 2017). A large role in this is attributed to endopolysaccharids in chaga (Mizuno T et al 1996). In animal testing, chaga has increased the presence of T-helper lymphocytes (Leontev M et al 1990) and intensified the production of T-lymphocytes (T-killers) (Shashkina M et al 2006). Lab experiments with ergosterol peroxide have shown it to inhibit the growth of rectal-cancer cells (Kang JH et al 2015).

The apparent ability to suppress cancerous growths and mutation-causing factors is linked to the presence of melanin in chaga. Melanin participates in repairing DNA defects, is an electron acceptor in the respiratory chain, and a radiation protector (Britton B 1986).

Polysaccharides, too, contribute to the anti-cancer mechanism — they directly attack cancer cells. Another contribution is the indirect activation of the immune system by endopolysaccharides (Mizuno T et al 1996).

Regarding healing properties, rose hips have been linked to enhancing the immune system, having antiinflammatory, antioxydant, antimicrobial and anti-arthritis properties. It is also recommended for people with diabetes and for protecting the cardiovascular system. (Mármol I et al 2017). Over 129 chemical compunds have been found from the rose hip fruit (Ayati Z 2018). Many of those are linked to alleviating different diseases and ailments.

Studies have shown that the healing properties of rose hips are caused by flavonoids, carotenoids, vitamins and fatty acids (Shameh S et al 2019, Winther K et al 2016).

Clinical research regarding II type diabetes have shown that consuming water extract from the fruits of the dog rose (rosa canina) has lead to blood sugar decrease and blood cholesterol normalisation (Dabaghian HF 2015). A similar effect has been identified also on diabetes patients when consuming a combination of other herbal extracts, one of the components being rose hip (Mehrzadi S et al 2020). This effect is associated with the oligosaccharides in rose hips (Rahimi M, 2020).

Halvorsen et al. (2002) researched the antiocydant properties of over 40 different agricultural crops, garden crops and wild berries. Rose hips had the biggest concentration of antioxydants. Antixydant properties are particularly associated with fenols and flavonoids contained in rose hips (Jemaa HB et al 2017).

Rose hips are known to have one of the highest vitamin C contrentrations (300-4000 mg/100 g) (Ercisli S, 2007). Vitamin C concentration varies depending on the species. The cinnamon rose (rosa cinnamomea) has been noted having one of the highest concentrations of vitamin C.

The galactolipids in rose hips are attracting a lot of attention and interest lately. They are the compounds belonging to the glycolipid group which have higher bio value than fatty acids. They are responsible for the anti-arthritis properties in rose hips. Research on arthritis patients have shown significant pain reduction effects after consuming rose hip powder (Cohen M 2012).

References

Ayati Z, Amiri MS, Ramezani M, Delshad E, Sahebkar A, Emami SA Phytochemistry, Traditional Uses and Pharmacological Profile of Rose Hip: A Review. Curr Pharm Des. 2018;24(35):4101-4124.

Cohen M. Rosehip – an evidence based herbal medicine for inflammation and arthritis. Aust Fam Physician. 2012 Jul;41(7):495-8.

Dabaghian HF, Abdollahifard M, Khalighi Sigarudi F, Taghavi Shirazi M, Shojaee A, Sabet Z, et al. Effects of Rosa canina L. fruit on glycemia and lipid profile in type 2 diabetic patients: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. J Med Plant. 2015;14(55):95-104.

Ercisli, S. Chemical composition of fruits in some rose (Rosa spp.) species. Fod chemistry. 2007, 104 (4):1379-1384.

Halvorsen B.L., Holte K, Myhrstad MCW, Barikmo I, Hvattum E, Remberg SF, Wold A.-B, Haffner K, Baugerød H, Frost Andersen L, Moskaug J Ø, Jacobs DR, Blomhof Jr R A Systematic Screening of Total Antioxidants in Dietary Plants. The Journal of Nutrition, 2002, 132 (3), 461–471.

Heinemann W. The ilder Pliny. In: Natural History VII: Books XXIV-XXVII Pearson, 1962: 149.

Jemaa HB, Jemia AB, Khlifi S, Ahmed HB, Slama FB, Benzarti A, Elati J, Aouidet A. Antioxidant activity and a-amylase inhibitory potential of rosa canina L. Afr J Tradit Complement Altern Med. 2017 Jan 13;14(2):1-8.

Mármol I, Sánchez-de-Diego C, Jiménez-Moreno N, Ancín-Azpilicueta C, Rodríguez-Yold M.J. Therapeutic Applications of Rose Hips from Different Rosa Species. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2017, 18, 1137.

Mehrzadi S, Mirzaei R, Heydari M, Sasani M, Yaqoobvand B, Huseini HF. Efficacy and Safety of a Traditional Herbal Combination in Patients with Type II Diabetes Mellitus: A Randomized Controlled Trial. J Diet Suppl. 2020 Feb 21:1-13.

Rahimi M, Sajadimajd S, Mahdian Z, Hemmati M, Malekkhatabi P, Bahrami G, Mohammadi B, Miraghaee S, Hatami R, Mansouri K, Moahammadi Motlagh HR, Keshavarzi S, Derakhshankhah H Characterization and anti-diabetic effects of the oligosaccharide fraction isolated from Rosa canina in STZ-Induced diabetic rats. Carbohydr Res. 2020 Mar; 489.

Shameh S, Alirezalu A, Hosseini B, Maleki R.J Fruit phytochemical composition and color parameters of 21 accessions of five Rosa species grown in North West Iran. Sci Food Agric. 2019 Oct;99 (13):5740-5751.

Strehlow W, Herzka G. Hildegard of Bingen’s Medicine. Rochester, VT: Bear and Company; 1988:63.

Winther, K., Vinther Hansen, A.S., Campbell-Tofte, J. Bioactive ingredients of rose hips (Rosa canina L.) with special reference to antioxidative and anti-inflammatory properties: in vitro studies. Botanics: Targets and Therapy, 2016, 6: 11—23.