106
In one study, acetylation modified the oligosaccharide, chitotriose, isolated from
chitosan observed antioxidant activity in a dose-dependent manner related to the
degree of substitution in the molecule (Li et al. 2013a, b). Similarly, porphyran (an
algal Porphyra haitanensis) polysaccharide made up of disaccharide units consisting of 3-β-D-galactosyl residues alternating with 4-linked 3,6-anhydro-α-Lgalactose units also possesses antioxidant activity (Zhang et al. 2009). Acetylation
of a heteropolysaccharide from the fruiting body of Ganoderma atrum has been
reported and exhibited immune-modulating effects and high antioxidant activity
than the parent un-modified polysaccharide (Chen et al. 2014a, b). Acetylation of a
polysaccharide (repeating disaccharide units are [β-D-GlcpA-(1→4)-α-L-Rhap3s]
and [α-L-IdopA-(1→4)-α-L-Rhap3s] from the alga Ulva pertusa has been reported
to control hyperlipidemia and it was revealed that the strongest anti-hyperlipidemic
activity, reducing total and LDL cholesterol, was obtained at a dose of 125 mg/kg
animal body weight (Qi et al. 2012). Therefore, antioxidant and immunomodulating
activities represent the main beneficial effects in tissue culture from acetylation of
polysaccharides. However, there are scarce reports available for the testing of glucans in vivo and proposing mechanisms to explain these effects.
Nutraceutical Properties
There are innumerable therapeutic effects of β-glucans, varying from general health
to specific therapeutic benefits. Numerous reports from in vitro and in vivo experiments have shown some biological properties of β-glucans including anti-oxidant
and immunomodulatory (Maity et al. 2014; Nandi et al. 2014), antihypercholesterolemic and hypoglyceamic (Pomeroy et al. 2001; Charles 2005) and
anticancerous properties (Hong and Jung 2014). Table 1 illustrates the sources and
bioactivities of some β-glucans. Some of the important health promoting properties
of β-glucans is discussed as under:
Anti-Oxidant Property
Increasing evidence reports that oxidative stress may cause cell injury which might
trigger both the physiological process of ageing (Harman 2006) and many pathological progressions that eventually results in serious health issues (Halliwell 2003).
There is a great deal of analysis showing that β-glucan from yeast and mushrooms
are potential antioxidant agents.
The antioxidant properties of β–glucan isolated from edible mushrooms such as
Agaricus bisporus, Pleurotus ostreatus and Coprinus attrimentarius were demonstrated using different assays like DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl), reducing
N. Jan et al.
In one study, acetylation modified the oligosaccharide, chitotriose, isolated from
chitosan observed antioxidant activity in a dose-dependent manner related to the
degree of substitution in the molecule (Li et al. 2013a, b). Similarly, porphyran (an
algal Porphyra haitanensis) polysaccharide made up of disaccharide units consisting of 3-β-D-galactosyl residues alternating with 4-linked 3,6-anhydro-α-Lgalactose units also possesses antioxidant activity (Zhang et al. 2009). Acetylation
of a heteropolysaccharide from the fruiting body of Ganoderma atrum has been
reported and exhibited immune-modulating effects and high antioxidant activity
than the parent un-modified polysaccharide (Chen et al. 2014a, b). Acetylation of a
polysaccharide (repeating disaccharide units are [β-D-GlcpA-(1→4)-α-L-Rhap3s]
and [α-L-IdopA-(1→4)-α-L-Rhap3s] from the alga Ulva pertusa has been reported
to control hyperlipidemia and it was revealed that the strongest anti-hyperlipidemic
activity, reducing total and LDL cholesterol, was obtained at a dose of 125 mg/kg
animal body weight (Qi et al. 2012). Therefore, antioxidant and immunomodulating
activities represent the main beneficial effects in tissue culture from acetylation of
polysaccharides. However, there are scarce reports available for the testing of glucans in vivo and proposing mechanisms to explain these effects.
Nutraceutical Properties
There are innumerable therapeutic effects of β-glucans, varying from general health
to specific therapeutic benefits. Numerous reports from in vitro and in vivo experiments have shown some biological properties of β-glucans including anti-oxidant
and immunomodulatory (Maity et al. 2014; Nandi et al. 2014), antihypercholesterolemic and hypoglyceamic (Pomeroy et al. 2001; Charles 2005) and
anticancerous properties (Hong and Jung 2014). Table 1 illustrates the sources and
bioactivities of some β-glucans. Some of the important health promoting properties
of β-glucans is discussed as under:
Anti-Oxidant Property
Increasing evidence reports that oxidative stress may cause cell injury which might
trigger both the physiological process of ageing (Harman 2006) and many pathological progressions that eventually results in serious health issues (Halliwell 2003).
There is a great deal of analysis showing that β-glucan from yeast and mushrooms
are potential antioxidant agents.
The antioxidant properties of β–glucan isolated from edible mushrooms such as
Agaricus bisporus, Pleurotus ostreatus and Coprinus attrimentarius were demonstrated using different assays like DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl), reducing
N. Jan et al.