A heteropolysaccharide from aqueous extract of an edible mushroom, Pleurotus ostreatus cultivar: structural and biological studies.

Abstract A water soluble polysaccharide isolated from the hot aqueous extract of Pleurotus ostreatus cultivar was found to contain d -glucose and d -galactose in a molar ratio of nearly 7:1. Structural investigation was carried out using acid hydrolysis, methylation analysis, periodate oxidation, Smith degradation, and NMR studies ( 1 H, 13 C, DEPT-135, TOCSY, DQF-COSY, NOESY, ROESY, HMQC, and HMBC). On the basis of the above mentioned experiments the structure of the repeating unit of the polysaccharide was established as: Download full-size image This heteroglycan stimulates macrophages, splenocytes, and thymocytes.