title: Beta-glucans in higher fungi and their health effects.
abstract: Together with chitin, the beta-glucans are components of mycetes' cell walls. A high level of biological efficiency has been found in beta-glucans, especially beta-1,3-D-glucans and beta-1,6-D-glucans isolated from some basidiomycetes. (Biological efficiency refers to the relative ability of beta-glucans to promote a desired response, for example to induce leukocyte activation and to produce inflammatory mediators.) These polysaccharides increase the number of Th1 lymphocytes, which help protect organisms against allergic reactions. A number of beta-glucans, for example pleuran from Oyster (Pleurotus spp.) mushrooms or lentinan from Shiitake (Lentinus edodes) mushrooms, have shown marked anticarcinogenic activity. In addition to having an immunity-stimulating effect, beta-glucans may participate in physiological processes related to the metabolism of fats in the human body. Their application results in a decrease in the total cholesterol content in blood and may also contribute to reductions in body weight.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Engineering, Faculty of Technology, Tomas Bata University in Zlin, 762 72 Zlin, Czech Republic. rop@ft.utb.cz
authors.forename: Otakar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Rop
authors.forename: Jiri
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mlcek
authors.forename: Tunde
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Jurikova
mesh_terms: D000363:Agaricales / Q000737:chemistry; D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001487:Basidiomycota / Q000737:chemistry*; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D007912:Lentinan; D050356:Lipid Metabolism / Q000187:drug effects*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D047071:beta-Glucans / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D047071:beta-Glucans; D007912:Lentinan; C033363:beta-1,3-glucan