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Pleurotus citrinopileatus is an edible mushroom, which has recently become very popular, with a consequent increase in industrial production. Water-soluble polysaccharides (WSPS), extracted from edible mushrooms, have been found to have antitumor and immunoenhancing effects. In this study, we investigate the effects of WSPS extracted from submerged fermented medium of P. citrinopileatus on hyperglycemia and damaged pancreatic cells in rats with streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes. The diabetic rats fed with water-soluble polysaccharide of P. citrinopileatus (SPPC) lost less body weight than those fed SPPC-free regular diet. Serum total cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the diabetic rats fed with SPPC at a dose of 0.4 g/kg bw daily was lower than in the groups fed with SPPC at doses of 0.04 and 0.12 g/kg bw. The fasting blood glucose levels of diabetic rats fed with SPPC were 44% lower than the negative controls. The degree of damage to the islets of Langerhans of the rats fed with the highest dosage of SPPC was significantly lower than those fed with SPPC at doses of 0.04 and 0.12 g/kg bw. The results showed that STZ-induced diabetic rats fed with SPPC might help alleviate the elevation of the level of that in fasting blood glucose.

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Commercially available microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) preparations are widely used as substrates for the characterization of cellulolytic enzymes. The intent of this paper is to demonstrate the importance of considering particle size when using these substrates and to provide a rationale for particle‐size related phenomena. Rates of saccharification of MCC substrates having average particle sizes of 20, 50 and 100 μm were compared under typical Trichoderma reesei cellulase‐based saccharification conditions. The results demonstrate that MCC substrates of different particle size are not equivalent with respect to their kinetics of enzymatic saccharification. The three MCC substrates were shown to be essentially equivalent with respect to physical and chemical parameters commonly correlated with rates of saccharification. Hence, the influence of particle size on rates of MCC saccharification is likely due to the relative importance of mass transfer limitations within the agglomerate particles that make up these substrates.