Effects of Ultrasonic-Enzymatic-Assisted Ethanol Precipitation Method on the Physicochemical Characteristics, Antioxidant and Hypoglycemic Activities of Tremella Fuciformis Polysaccharides

Summary

This research explores an improved method for extracting beneficial compounds from the medicinal mushroom Tremella fuciformis using a combination of ultrasound and enzyme treatments. The extracted compounds showed promising antioxidant and blood sugar-lowering properties, making them potentially valuable for health applications. Impacts on everyday life: • Could lead to more effective natural supplements for managing blood sugar levels • Provides a more efficient way to produce health-promoting compounds from mushrooms • May contribute to the development of new natural antioxidant products • Could make medicinal mushroom extracts more affordable through improved production methods • Offers potential applications in both healthcare and food industries

Background

Tremella fuciformis polysaccharides (TFPs) are important active compounds found in edible and medicinal fungi. While most research focuses on TFPs from fruiting bodies and mycelium, less attention has been given to spores and fermentation broth. Previous studies have shown that spore fermentation can be an effective alternative to fruiting body extraction for producing polysaccharides.

Objective

To investigate the effects of ultrasonic-enzymatic-assisted ethanol precipitation extraction method on Tremella fuciformis polysaccharides and compare it with enzymatic and ultrasonic extraction methods. The study aimed to optimize extraction conditions and evaluate the physicochemical properties, structural characteristics and biological activities of the extracted polysaccharides.

Results

The optimal conditions for ultrasonic-enzymatic-assisted extraction were: cellulase to papain ratio of 2:1, enzyme addition of 4000U/100mL, enzymolysis temperature of 49°C, ultrasonic power of 3 W/mL, and ultrasonic time of 20 min. Under these conditions, the polysaccharide yield was 23.94% with an α-amylase inhibition rate of 61.44%. The ultrasonic-enzymatic method produced polysaccharides with the highest yield, lowest viscosity, and superior antioxidant and hypoglycemic activities compared to other methods.

Conclusion

The ultrasonic-enzymatic-assisted ethanol precipitation method proved to be an effective, environmentally friendly, and safe approach for extracting Tremella fuciformis polysaccharides, resulting in higher yields and enhanced biological activities compared to traditional methods. While the three extraction methods produced polysaccharides with similar FT-IR spectra, they showed different morphological characteristics.
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