Evaluation of the biological activities of beta-glucan isolated from Lentinula edodes

Lentinula edodes (shiitake) is an edible mushroom that contains many constituents and beta-glucan is considered a major polysaccharide. This study, therefore, aimed to characterize beta-glucan and evaluate its activities. Fresh fruit bodies of L. edodes were used for beta-glucan extraction and followed by analyses via Fourier transform infrared, nuclear magnetic resonance and high performance liquid chromatography confirming its characteristic structure. For evaluating biological activities of beta-glucan, different concentrations (0.1-3.5 mg ml(-1)) were assessed. The optimal dose was 3.5 mg ml(-1) that showed the highest scavenging radical ability (75.3%) confirms antioxidant activity, strong inhibition of the peroxyl radical (80.9%) to inhibit lipid peroxidation, elevation the inhibition percentage of both alpha-amylase (73.4%) and alpha-glucosidase (70.3%) indicates the antidiabetic properties, and highest AFB1 reduction (88%) which ensured the aflatoxin-detoxifying ability. In addition, antifungal activity of beta-glucan was evaluated to inhibit sporulation process in Aspergillus niger and recorded with minimum inhibitory concentration of 2.5 mg ml(-1) and minimum fungicidal concentration of 3 mg ml(-1). In a dose-dependent manner, higher concentration of beta-glucan affects viability of tumour cells concomitant induces potent anti-cancer immune responses and inhibited the activity of topoisomerase I which are considered an important target for cancer chemotherapy. Therefore, L. edodes-beta-glucan has the potential to act as a suggestive agent for antioxidant, antidiabetic, antifungal activity and aflatoxin detoxification.