Antitumor 1,3-beta-glucan from cultured fruit body of Sparassis crispa

Sparassis crispa is an edible mushroom recently cultivable in Japan, Polysa ccharide fractions were prepared from the cultured S. crispa by repeated ex traction with hot water (SCHWE), cold NaOH (SCCA), and then hot NaOH (SCHA) , HWE was further separated by 1 volume (SCHWE1v) or 4 volumes (SCHWE4v) of ethanol-precipitable fractions, By chemical, enzymic, and NMR analyses, th e primary structures of SCHWE1v. SCCA, and SCHA were 6-branched 1,3-beta-gl ucan, having one branch in approximately every third mainchain unit. All of these fractions showed antitumor activity to the solid form of Sarcoma 180 in LCR mice with strong vascular dilation and hemorrhage reaction. These f ractions also showed enhanced hematopoietic response to cyclophosphamide in duced leukopenic mice following intraperitoneal or peroral administration.