Beta-glucans from edible and medicinal mushrooms: Characteristics, physicochemical and biological activities

Comparative chemical and biological investigations of β-glucan-containing products from shiitake mushrooms

“…These polysaccharides are composed of glucose units which mostly form a β-(1-3) backbone branched with short β-(1-6) linked side chains. They are often described as 'biological response modifiers' (BRMs) due to their ability to trigger usually non-specific reactions of the immune system against tumour cells and viral and bacterial infections (Zhu, Du, Bian, & Xu, 2015). Lentinan, a well-known isolated β-glucan from shiitake mushroom, is used as an approved drug for adjuvant tumour therapy in Japan and other Asian countries.…”

β-Glucans and Probiotics

“…In addition, the viscosity of β-glucans has been indicated to contribute to limit the insulin secretions (Wood, 2004;Brennan and Cleary, 2005) and to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease (FDA, 1997;Bell et al, 2001). These and other features render β-glucans particularly suitable for the formulation of functional food products and or supplements with health promoting effect such as the prevention of cardiovascular diseases, the facilitation of bowel motility and prevention of obstipation (Dongowski et al, 2002;Tsukada et al, 2003;Zhu et al, 2015).…”

Purification, characterization, and biological activities of purified polysaccharides extracted from the gray oyster mushroom [Pleurotus sajor-caju (Fr.) Sing.]

“…Among medically active compounds in mushrooms, polysaccharides, especially β‐glucan, which is a polymer of β‐glucoses that connect to each other through β‐(1→3) glycosidic bonds, have been shown to possess immunomodulatory, antitumor, antiviral, wound healing, anti‐obesity, and antidiabetics activities (Ahmad, Anjum, Zahoor, Nawaz, & Dilshad, ; El Khoury, Cuda, Luhovyy, & Anderson, ; Özcan & Ertan, ). To date, many medicinal mushrooms have been used as the sources of polysaccharide extraction (Wasser, ; Zhu, Du, Bian, & Xu, ).…”