THE HYPOCHOLESTEROLEMIC EFFECT OF EXTRACELLULAR POLYSACCHARIDE FROM THE SUBMERGED FERMENTATION OF MUSHROOM

Male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed two semisynthetic diets supplemented with 2% cholesterol, and 1% beta-glucan type extracellular polysaccha ride isolated from two liquid cultures of straw mushroom (Volvariella volvacea) mycelium containing different carbon sources. The experiment al diets containing the two mycelial extracellular polysaccharides had induced a significant reduction in the levels of serum total choleste rol, LDL-cholesterol, and liver total cholesterol in the animals. Ther e was no significant changes in the concentrations of serum triacylgly cerol, HDL-cholesterol and liver total lipids. The fecal neutral stero id level was significantly increased while the fecal bile acid excreti on was not significantly affected. Both mycelail extracellular polysac charides exhibited hypocholesterolemic activity in rats with alimentar y-induced hypercholesterolemia. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science In c.