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Details for article 30 of 110 found articles
| Title: |
Comparison of Two Methods for the Quantitation of β-Glucans from Shiitake Mushrooms |
| Author: |
Brauer, David Kimmons, Tom Phillips, Mark |
| Appeared in: |
Journal of herbs, spices & medicinal plants |
| Paging: | Volume 13 (2008) nr. 3 pages 15-26 |
| Year: |
2008-01-18 |
| Contents: |
Fungal polysaccharides and glucans, including lentinan from shiitakes, have been identified as promoting human health, and consequently, the sale of mushroom-based health products has increased significantly in recent years. Reliable methods for the quantitation of lentinan must be available if shiitakes or shiitake-derived products are to be promoted as health-promoting food. The objective of this study was to characterize two methods for the quantitation of β-glucans from aqueous extracts of shiitake mushrooms. The first method utilized ethanol precipitation and batch size exclusion chromatography to isolate a fraction enriched in lentinan, called high molecular weight polysaccharides, HMWP. Gel filtration chromatography characterization of HMWP fraction indicated that the size distribution of carbohydrates was similar to that of a lentinan standard. Analyses for total starch and glycogen, to a lesser extent, indicate these polysaccharides are less than 10% of the total carbohydrates in HMWP. These results suggest that the HMWP fraction had a high level of lentinan. The second method measured the production of glucose by enzymes that specifically hydrolyze plant β-glucans. The amount of carbohydrate detected by the enzymatic β-glucan assay was significantly less than the carbohydrate found in the HMWP fraction. The low content of β-glucan was not due to a failure of the assay's enzymes to unction. In addition, no glucose was produced when a lentinan standard was subjected to the β-glucan assay. These results indicate that the carbohydrate content of HMWP fraction was a better indicator of lentinan content of shiitakes compared to the mushroom's β-glucan content. |
| Publisher: |
Taylor & Francis |
| Source file: |
Elektronische Wetenschappelijke Tijdschriften |
Details for article 30 of 110 found articles
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