Wild Chaga (Inonotus obliquus) modulates inflammation, neural cell survival and inhibits proliferation of cancer cells

•From a wild Chaga sclerotium, a pure mycelium isolate was propagated in vitro.•Genome taxonomy confirms the identity of Chaga mycelium isolate.•Chaga tea shows immune modulatory activities ex vivo.•Chaga tea inhibits human brain and pancreatic cancer cells in vitro.•Chaga tea protects mouse neuroblastoma-spinal motor neurons from oxidative stress.