Submerged Culture of Phellinus linteus for Mass Production of Polysaccharides

In order to increase the mycelial production of Phellinus linteus, which exhibits potent anticancer activity, some ingredients of the medium used to culture P. linteus were investigated. The optimal medium composition for the production of Phellinus linteus was determined to be as follows: fructose, 40 g/l; yeast extract, 20 g/l; K2HPO4, 0.46 g/l; KH2PO4, 1.00 g/l; MgSO4.7H2O, 0.50 g/l; FeCl2.62O, 0.01 g/l; MnCl2.4H2O, 0.036 g/l; ZnCl2, 0.03 g/l; and CuSO4.7H2O, 0.005 g/l. The optimal culture conditions were determined to be as follows: temperature, 28degrees C; initial pH, 5.5; aeration, 0.6 vvm; and agitation, 100 rpm, respectively. Under optimal composition and conditions, the maximum mycelial biomass achieved in a 5 l jar fermentor was 29.9 g/l.

Antitumor and Antioxidant Activities of the Extracts from Fruiting Body of Phellinus linteus

Fruiting bodies of Phellinus linteus were extracted by hot water and alkali methods. Sugar contents of PL-H (hot water extract) and PL-A (alkali water extract) were 81.1%, 37.4% and protein contents were 6.2%, 21.8%, respectively. Amino acid pattern showed that two extracts contained large amount of aspartic acid and alanine. Two extracts showed characteristic IR absorption pattern for glycosidic bond at 890 cm(-1). PL-H was divided two fractions by gel filtration chromatography and the molecular weights of each fraction were estimated to be about 10 kD and 225 kD, respectively and also PL-A was estimated 10 kD. Two extracts showed strong antitumor, immunomodulating and antioxidant activities, and were compared with commercialized glycopeptide anticancer drugs.