Study type:
Rodent study

Purpose:
To evaluate the effects of chaga mushroom in mice with cognitive dysfunction. Cognitive dysfunction was induced by scopolamine, a medication that blocks neurotransmitters in the brain which disrupts normal memory processes, leading to temporary or transient amnesia.

Method of evaluation:
Memory in mice was assessed using the Passive Avoidance Task, where the mice are placed in a two-compartment apparatus and learn to avoid the unfavourable compartment after experiencing an unpleasant event. Memory performance was measured by “step-through latency”, which reflects the time taken to move between compartments. A shorter step-through latency suggests reduced memory retention or learning ability, while a longer time indicates better memory function.
Spatial learning and memory were evaluated using the Morris water maze, where mice had to use environmental cues to locate a hidden platform. The time taken to find the platform, known as escape latency, was measured. Longer escape latencies indicate learning difficulties or memory impairment, while shorter escape latencies suggest better learning and memory abilities.

Dose:
50 and 100 mg/kg/day doses orally of chaga extract

Duration:
7 days

The study revealed that mice treated with scopolamine, a medication that blocks neurotransmitters in the brain which disrupts normal memory processes, had lower step-through latencies and escape latencies, indicating impaired memory. However, treatment with chaga mushroom partially restored the lower step-through latency, showing approximately 57% and 72% recovery at the doses of 50 and 100 mg/kg respectively. Escape latencies and swimming time also increased by 65% and 67%, indicating better memory function and learning abilities.
Additionally, the results of the study demonstrated that chaga mushroom extract reduced brain stress, restored essential brain-protective substances, and decreased acetylcholinesterase activity, an enzyme associated with memory problems