The physicochemical properties of a new class of anticancer fungal polysaccharides: A comparative study

The structural and physicochemical properties of polysaccharides isolated from fungi with anticancer properties were investigated. The majority of the polysaccharides considered, have the β-d-Glcp component mostly connected by 1→3 and 1→6 linkages in the backbones and the short branches, respectively. The established parameters of lead-like, drug-like and of known dug space (KDS) were used and the repeating units of the polysaccharides exhibit some overlap with these. It was found that a unique region of chemical space is occupied by the polysaccharides, with MW: 1.0 x 105 to 2.5 x 105 g mol−1; Log P: −3.0 x 103 to −1.0 x 103; HD: 1.0 x 103 to 5.0 x 103; HA: 5.0 x 103 to 1.0 x 104; PSA: 5.0 x 104 to 1.0 x 105 and RB: 5.0 x 103 to 1.0 x 104. These findings can be exploited in antitumor drug discovery projects.