A Review of the Bioactive Ingredients, Pharmacological Functions and Mechanisms of Inonotus obliquus

: As a medicinal fungus, Inonotus obliquus (IO) has been widely used in the treatment of cancer and digestive system diseases. Despite the progress that has been made in the studies of IO and its active compounds, their applications in the treatment of other important clinical diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases, which are major global issues with limited treatment strategies, are seldom reported. This review summarizes the separation and purification methods of chemical components of IO, the advances in their applications, and research progress on the pharmacological effects and related mechanisms of IO in disease prevention. This review will help researchers and clinicians to further understand the pharmacological functions and mechanisms of IO and its active components, which may extend their medical applications in the prevention and treatment of other diseases in addition to tumors and digestive system diseases in the near future.