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

A water soluble polysaccharide isolated from the hot aqueous extract of Pleurotusostreatus 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: This heteroglycan stimulates macrophages, splenocytes, and thymocytes.