title: Structural analysis of monocyte activation constituents in cultured mycelia of Cordyceps sinensis.
abstract: It has been reported that mycelia of the Cordyceps sinensis (CS) can function as an immunostimulant. However, the active constituents of the mycelia are not well known. In this study, we investigated which components of the mycelia of CS induce monocyte activation and then structurally analyzed the active components. Assay of the effect of crude-(CS-P), soluble-(CS-Ps) and insoluble-(CS-Pp), polysaccharides extracted from the mycelia of CS, on macrophage production of TNF-alpha, indicated that CS-Pp enhanced TNF-alpha production to the highest extent. Furthermore, Structural analyses demonstrated that CS-Pp is a 1,3-beta-D-glucan contained some 1,6-branched chains and the mean particle diameter is 1.5 mum.
authors.affiliation: Kobayashi Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., R&D Company, 1-30-3 Toyokawa, Ibaraki, Osaka 567-0057, Japan.
authors.forename: Junji
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Akaki
authors.forename: Yasunori
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Matsui
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kojima
authors.forename: Satomi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nakajima
authors.forename: Kaeko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kamei
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tamesada
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001688:Biological Products / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002460:Cell Line; D032661:Cordyceps / Q000737:chemistry*; D005936:Glucans / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051379:Mice; D015394:Molecular Structure; D009000:Monocytes / Q000187:drug effects*; D025282:Mycelium; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D001688:Biological Products; D005936:Glucans; D011134:Polysaccharides; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha