The fruiting body and culture broth of many edible mushrooms contain watersoluble polysaccharides. Numerous researchers have reported that these polysaccharides have immunoenhancing effects. In this study, Hericium erinaceus and Hericium laciniatum were separately cultivated in a shaker at 25℃ for 25 days. Polysaccharides were extracted from the culture broth. The molecular weights were larger than 1 × 105 k Da and their polysaccharide components were mainly glucose in H. erinaceus and galactose in H. laciniatum. Furthermore, we investigated these two purified water-soluble polysaccharides for their anti-artificial pulmonary metastatic tumor and immunoenhancing effects in ICR mice. The results revealed that both polysaccharides had significant anti-artificial pulmonary, metastatic tumor effects in mice (p<0.05). Additionally, the polysaccharide from H. erinaceus was more effective than that from H. laciniatum. However, both of the polysaccharides enhanced the increase of T cells and macrophages. The numbers of CD4+ cells and macrophages were significantly higher in the test group than in the control group (p<0.05). From our results, no differences were found between the two purified water-soluble polysaccharides in the antitumor effects and immunoenhancing activities (p>0.05).
The fruiting body and culture broth of many edible mushrooms contain watersoluble polysaccharides. Numerous researchers have reported that these polysaccharides have immunoenhancing effects. In this study, Hericium erinaceus and Hericium laciniatum were separately cultivated in a shaker at 25℃ for 25 days. Polysaccharides were extracted from the culture broth. The molecular weights were larger than 1 × 105 k Da and their polysaccharide components were mainly glucose in H. erinaceus and galactose in H. laciniatum. Furthermore, we investigated these two purified water-soluble polysaccharides for their anti-artificial pulmonary metastatic tumor and immunoenhancing effects in ICR mice. The results revealed that both polysaccharides had significant anti-artificial pulmonary, metastatic tumor effects in mice (p<0.05). Additionally, the polysaccharide from H. erinaceus was more effective than that from H. laciniatum. However, both of the polysaccharides enhanced the increase of T cells and macrophages. The numbers of CD4+ cells and macrophages were significantly higher in the test group than in the control group (p<0.05). From our results, no differences were found between the two purified water-soluble polysaccharides in the antitumor effects and immunoenhancing activities (p>0.05).