CHAGA MUSHROOM AGAINST PSORIASIS

This article was published in the journal "Vestnik Dermatologii i Venerologii" in May 1973. The article described the experience of complete cure of psoriasis patients with chaga extract.

Prof. E.A. Dosichev, V.N. Bystrova.

TREATMENT OF PSORIASIS WITH CHAGA EXTRACT.

Clinic of Skin and Venereological Diseases (Director - Prof. E.A.Dosychev), Kuibyshev Medical Institute, Brest Regional Skin and Venereological Dispensary (Chief Physician - I.H.Brudner).

Introduction

The widespread incidence of psoriasis has led to the intensification of the search for new and more effective methods of treatment of this dermatosis. The reason that prompted Professor E.A. Dosichev to study the therapeutic efficacy of chaga preparations in the treatment of psoriasis was a case of psoriasis cure in a patient who had been taking chaga infusion for 14 years.

Patient N. (male), born in 1908, a resident of Leningrad, a librarian, suffered from extensive psoriasis since the age of 24. In 1954, the patient began to undergo examination and conventional treatment at the Skin and Venereological Dispensary of the Naval Medical Academy. After treatment, the patient was discharged with complete cure. However, after some time the disease returned, and further treatment of psoriasis was no longer successful.

In 1957, on the referral of a general practitioner and an oncologist, this patient underwent gastrointestinal examinations. As a result, he was diagnosed with gastric and intestinal polyposis. As a treatment, the oncologist prescribed chaga extract to this patient. As a result, along with the resorption of polyposis in the stomach and intestines, the patient's psoriasis rashes completely disappeared. Moreover, the patient's dyspeptic disorders disappeared, body weight increased, blood counts improved, and general body tone increased. X-ray examination confirmed the absence of polyposis. The patient was under medical supervision from 1958 to 1961 and it was confirmed that the patient's skin remained clean and healthy during all this time. The only exceptions were two occasions in the patient's life when he had to interrupt his use of chaga extract due to its unavailability. In both cases the patient noticed the appearance of small individual spots on the body. When he resumed taking chaga, these rashes quickly disappeared. The patient continues to take chaga and is practically healthy. Psoriasis does not manifest itself any more.

From the history of the study of chaga.

Scientific research on chaga began in 1951 at the Institute of Botany of the USSR, at the Academy of Sciences of the USSR together with the 1st Leningrad Medical Institute. As a result of clinical trials, chaga extract was officially recommended as a medicine for the treatment of stomach and duodenum, chronic gastritis, intestinal and gastric polyposis, and as a tonic symptomatic remedy in cases of inoperable cancer.

Examples from medical practice.

Taking into account the ability of chaga to restore the disturbed functions of the gastrointestinal tract, we decided to use chaga in the treatment of patients with acute cases of psoriasis, who also suffered from chronic diseases of the GI tract and liver. A general practitioner was present during the examination of the patients.

Fifty patients (14 females and 36 males) were examined. Of these, two patients were between 6-10 years of age, 5 patients between 10 and 20 years of age, 17 patients between 20 and 30 years of age, 18 patients between 30 and 40 years of age, 7 patients between 40 and 50 years of age, and one patient over 50 years of age. Thirty-seven people in this group had GI or liver disease (hyperacidity, gastritis, cholecystitis, gastric or duodenal ulcer, colitis) before they were diagnosed with psoriasis. Nine patients had GI problems after the diagnosis of psoriasis, while the other 4 patients had chronic nasopharyngeal diseases. Almost all patients with GI problems complained of heartburn, belching, unstable stools, intolerance to fatty foods, pain in upper right epigastric region etc. Patients noted that exacerbation of psoriasis often coincided with exacerbations of GI problems. Patients with nasopharyngeal problems also noted that acute tonsilitis, otitis media or sinusitis was the cause of regular psoriasis rashes. Apart from general clinical examinations, gastric juice, bile and blood tests were taken from all patients during the course of treatment and they were tested for various biochemical parameters (cholesterol, bilirubin, globulin levels, Waltman's test, sieving, etc.). Waltman's clotting test and sieving test are tests that record changes in plasma proteins in liver disease. Each patient had their medical records with them.

The first tests were conducted in Brest regional skin and venereological dispensary.

Before chaga treatment, five patients had a disease history of 1 year, seven patients up to 3 years, eight patients 7 to 10 years, seven patients 10 to 15 years, and more than 15 years in 10 patients. Among the patients, three had psoriatic erythrodermitis, one suffered from psoriatic arthritis, 18 had extensive psoriasis with massive ulcerative iffiltration, 20 had extensive ulcerative rashes with small ulceration, and 8 had localised psoriatic ulcers. 43 patients started chaga treatment during the acute stage of psoriasis and 7 during stabilisation of the condition.
The chaga extract was heated in a bain-mari type container and one tablespoon was dissolved in a glass of boiled water at room temperature. This solution was administered orally at a dose of 1 tablespoon three times a day, 20-30 minutes before meals. In addition, in a dose of 1 dessert spoon of concentrate per 100ml of boiled water at room temperature, an aqueous solution of Befungin was administered. This solution was taken according to the same scheme as the first one. Both chaga preparations have no unpleasant taste or odour and were well tolerated by patients even after several months of regular use.
Most of the patients (42) used chaga preparations only by taking them orally, 8 patients used the first solution as an ointment and the other was taken orally. 24 patients used chaga preparations for 3-6 months, 18 patients for almost 12 months, 8 patients for more than 2 years. The therapeutic effect of chaga application showed itself rather slowly, reaching its maximum in the third month of regular application.
In most cases, the disappearance of psoriasis rash occurred first on the trunk, then on the head, on the arms, and then on the buttocks and shins. The effect of nail normalisation was noted after 2-3 months of chaga treatment.

Clinical Observations.

Patient K. (female) was born in 1928. She was diagnosed with psoriasis in 1964. Since then her scalp had been covered with ulcers. She also had ulcers in other parts of her body but they did not bother her as much as the ones on her head, she had to wear a hat all the time. She was treated for 6 years with mercury salicylic ointment, Rybakov ointment and vitamin injections. During the application of the ointments, the infiltration became less or disappeared and the scales became thinner. But then, the skin became thicker again and thicker layers of scaly crust appeared. This condition was accompanied by the following ailments: gastritis with hyperacidity, the patient constantly complained of heartburn and constipation. Regular outpatient use of Befungin began on January 27, 1970. By that time, the patient had a marked spread of ulcers over most of her scalp, and on her hands. No other medication was administered. One month later, on February 24, there were no longer foci of lesions on the scalp, but psoriasis lenticular papules were still present on the elbows. The wrists and hands showed signs of extensive skin lesions on what looked like long gloves.

After another three weeks, all problems related to the gastrointestinal tract completely disappeared. All the skin became normal in color. No rashes. During the last two years the patient has been under medical supervision. She constantly takes an aqueous solution of chaga and no more medicines. Heartburn, belching and constipation that used to bother the patient have disappeared. The acidity of the stomach has normalized. The scalp has no traces of psoriasis.
Patient Z. (male), born in 1924, began to suffer from psoriasis after a head wound he received at the front during WWII. The psoriasis lesions started on the head, then moved to the trunk and extremities. From 1942 to 1963 the patient was under constant medical supervision, both in the hospital and on an outpatient basis. After a stay in a sanatorium, the patient's condition improved for a few months. However, in 1963, the patient began to complain of joint pain in his arms and legs. From then on, the patient was periodically hospitalized for 50-60 days each year and discharged after improvement. In 1966, the patient was given a second degree disability with the diagnosis of psoriatic arthritis. The disease was accompanied by chronic gastritis. The state provided the patient with an automobile adapted for driving disabled persons.

The patient began outpatient treatment with chaga on October 16, 1969. He was examined two months later. He continued to take chaga. The joint pain and skin irritation were greatly reduced. Skin lesions on the legs were still present. The scalp and buttocks are covered with a massive infiltrate of ulcers with multiple layers of crusting.
February 13, 1970, after 4 months of constant outpatient treatment with chaga alone, the skin of the head, trunk and extremities is clear, joint pain is slight, general condition is good. The patient's weight has increased from 60kg to 65kg.
Medical examination on September 14, 1970: skin is clean, no signs of lesions, joint pain is insignificant and practically does not limit freedom of movement. The patient had taken a job of his own volition at a mechanical goods factory in the quality control department. All this time the patient was taking chaga preparations, regularly and enthusiastically. In May 1972 he was changed from the 2nd to the 3rd disability group. Medical examination in 1972: skin is clean, general health is good, movement limitations are insignificant. The patient takes chaga daily.

After receiving disability group 3, the patient took a break in treatment with chaga for 2 months. At the end of the second month, he again started to develop single papules on the scalp, the outside of the hand and the front of the shin, and his joint pain increased significantly. From that time on, the patient did not take any more breaks in his chaga treatment. From 1969 to 1972, the patient was not hospitalized again and remained active and cheerful. During all these years, the patient did not take any cytostatic drugs or corticosteroids and did not use ointments.

The results of our observations are summarized in the Table.

The experiment showed that 36 patients were completely cured by treatment with chaga, improvement in the condition was observed in eight people and four were ineffective. Probably, the reason for the lack of positive results in them was alcohol abuse during treatment, independent interruption of the treatment course, significant deviations in the recommended diet, and lack of rest.

Conclusion

According to our observations, we can conclude that therapy of psoriasis with chaga brings especially good results in those cases when psoriasis develops against the background of chronic inflammatory processes in the gastrointestinal tract, liver, biliary system, which are manifested before or during the disease of psoriasis. It is proved that the maximum effect in the treatment of chaga is achieved after 9-12 weeks of continuous use. Prolonged and regular use of chaga has resulted in the complete disappearance of psoriatic ulcers without the use of any additional drugs or procedures. Prolonged and regular use of chaga resulted in improvement of GI functions, and all patients without exception showed an increase in energy and general vitality. Laboratory tests of blood, stomach acid, bile, urine and stool also showed improved values.

Treatment of psoriasis with chaga allows obtaining a prolonged remission without the use of any other medication or therapy. When prescribing chaga preparations to patients, the doctor should warn them that the period of time during which a visible therapeutic effect is possible can be up to 9-12 weeks. In addition, patients should be advised to switch to a healthy diet and get more rest. No side effects have been noted during treatment with chaga.

The mechanism of the therapeutic effect of chaga on psoriasis should be further studied.

Translation from English. The original was published in Vestnik Dermatologii i Venerologii (Bulletin of Dermatology and Venereology), May 1973, pp. 79-83.

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