STUDIES ON THE STRUCTURE, FUNCTION AND UT ILIZATION OF WATER-SOLUBLE POLYSACCHARIDES FROM TROPICAL MUSHROOMS .1. ELEVATION CONTROL OF SERUM-CHOLESTEROL IN RATS OF PLEUROTUS-ABALONUS HAN CHEN ET CHENG

The effect of edible mushroom, such as Pleurotus abalonus Han. Chen et Cheng., Tricholoma giganteum Massee, and Auricularia polytricha (Mont .) Sacc. growing tropics and subtropics, on serum and liver lipids in rats were investigated. Rats were fed diets containing 5% mushrooms, 1 % cholesterol, and 0.2% cholic acid, Serum and liver total cholesterol were significantly lower in rats fed diets supplemented with each mus hroom. HDL-Cholesterol concentrate in the serum was not converted, but VLDL+LDL-Cholesterol was lowered. As rats were fed diets containing e ach fraction P. abalonus, the serum and liver total cholesterol concen trate were lowered Fractions II and IV. Both Fractions II and IV of po lysaccharide were obtained from P. abalonus. In addition, P. abalonus was extracted with sodium chloride, and the residue was extracted with hot water. Then to the hot water soluble fraction was added C.P.C. (C etylpyridinium chloride). Fraction II was separated from the C.P.C.-co mplex polysaccharide. The residue in hot water described above was ext racted with sodium hydroxide, and C.P.C, was added. Finally, Fractions IV was separated from the C.P.C.-complex polysaccharide. Both Fractio ns II and IV were effective even with the addition of 1% of them in di ets.