title: MALDI-TOF to compare polysaccharide profiles from commercial health supplements of different mushroom species.
abstract: In this work MALDI-TOF mass spectroscopy was investigated to characterise the β-glucan profiles of several commercial health supplements, without any derivatisation or purification pre-treatment. The effect of two solvents (water and dimethyl sulfoxide) and two MALDI matrices (2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid and 2',4',6'-trihydroxyacetophenone) was first evaluated on dextran standards. MALDI-TOF was found as a useful and quick technique to obtain structural information of diverse food supplements based on mushroom extracts. The MALDI polysaccharide profiles of 5 supplements from different mushroom species were qualitatively similar showing [Glucan+Na](+) cations with a peak-to-peak mass difference of 16 Da consistent with the repeating unit of the β-(1→3)-glucan. The profiles strongly depended on the sample solvent used, with m/z values around 5000-8000 for water and 2000 for dimethyl sulfoxide; differences between samples were revealed in the molecular weight of the aqueous preparation, with the highest values for Maitake and Cordyceps species.
authors.affiliation: Grupo de Polímeros, Centro de Investigacións Tecnolóxicas (CIT), Universidade da Coruña, Campus de Esteiro s/n, 15403 Ferrol, Spain.
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: López-García
authors.affiliation: Grupo de Polímeros, Centro de Investigacións Tecnolóxicas (CIT), Universidade da Coruña, Campus de Esteiro s/n, 15403 Ferrol, Spain.
authors.forename: María Sonia Dopico
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: García
authors.affiliation: Grupo de Polímeros, Centro de Investigacións Tecnolóxicas (CIT), Universidade da Coruña, Campus de Esteiro s/n, 15403 Ferrol, Spain. Electronic address: iquimica@udc.es.
authors.forename: José Manuel López
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Vilariño
authors.affiliation: Grupo de Polímeros, Centro de Investigacións Tecnolóxicas (CIT), Universidade da Coruña, Campus de Esteiro s/n, 15403 Ferrol, Spain.
authors.forename: María Victoria González
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Rodríguez
mesh_terms: D000363:Agaricales / Q000737:chemistry*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004121:Dimethyl Sulfoxide; D008970:Molecular Weight; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000032:analysis*; D012997:Solvents / Q000737:chemistry; D013045:Species Specificity; D019032:Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization / Q000379:methods; D014867:Water; D047071:beta-Glucans / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D011134:Polysaccharides; D012997:Solvents; D047071:beta-Glucans; D014867:Water; D004121:Dimethyl Sulfoxide
keywords: Dextrans; Health supplements; MALDI-TOF; Molecular weight average; Mushroom extracts; β-glucans