Recently I have made some Chaga tincture. Chaga (Inonotus obliquus), also known as True Tinder Fungus
is renowned for its medicinal properties which include; anti-tumor, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-viral, anti-septic, anti-inflammatory and it helps to strengthen the immune system.
It is recommended that you crush the mushroom into a powder and use to make a tincture (a tincture is an alcohol extract), but I wanted to use the fungus after to teach firelighting, so I broke it up into small pieces and placed in a tar which has an air-tight seal. I then covered the pieces of Chaga with 40% vodka.
I sealed the jar and left it in a dark cupboard for two weeks, agitating the jar everyday. After two weeks I poured the jars contents through a coffee filter, into a bottle.
Then I put the pieces of Chaga back into the jar and filled the jar with fresh vodka and repeated the hole process again. Eventually I had a vodka bottle full with Chaga tincture. The Chaga pieces I have dried and use for firelighting and some of the tincture I have transferred into small medicine bottles and I take a dropper full of tincture two times every day.
Kevin
Great blog. Does this fungi grow in the UK? For fire-lighting would you carve off thin strips before it dries out?
Wayne
Not as far as I know. If it does it will be right up in the north of Scotland. You just break it up into pieces and dry it. Then break off small pieces to make fire.
For what purposes is Chaga tincture used? I heard about it, as something used in Russian medicine.
Ok, its written in the beginning of your article
How are you feeling? Have you noted any improvements in your well being? Eg has it prevented illness… Or improved a pre- existing condition?
I hadn’t had a cold since January, but then last week I got one and it’s a bad one, so I would have to say that I do not feel any improvements.