Structural characterization and anti-inflammatory activity of a linear β-d-glucan isolated from Pleurotus sajor-caju

Glucans comprise an important class of polysaccharides present in basidiomycetes with potential biological activities. A (1 → 3)-β-d-glucan was isolated from Pleurotus sajor-caju via extraction with hot water followed by fractionation by freeze-thawing and finally by dimethyl sulfoxide extraction. The purified polysaccharide showed a 13C-NMR spectrum with six signals consisting of a linear glucan with a β-anomeric signal at 102.8 ppm and a signal at 86.1 ppm relative to O-3 substitution. The other signals at 76.2, 72.9, 68.3, and 60.8 ppm were attributed to C5, C2, C4, and C6, respectively. This structure was confirmed by methylation analysis, and HSQC studies. The β-d-glucan from P. sajor-caju presented an immunomodulatory activity on THP-1 macrophages, inhibited the inflammatory phase of nociception induced by formalin in mice, and reduced the number of total leukocytes and myeloperoxidase levels induced by LPS. Taken together, these results demonstrate that this β-d-glucan exhibits a significant anti-inflammatory activity.