Antitumor 1,3-beta-glucan from cultured fruit body of Sparassis crispa

Sparassis crispa is an edible mushroom recently cultivable in Japan. Polysaccharide fractions were prepared from the cultured S. crispa by repeated extraction with hot water (SCHWE), cold NaOH (SCCA), and then hot NaOH (SCHA). HWE was further separated by 1 volume (SCHWE1v) or 4 volumes (SCHWE4v) of ethanol-precipitable fractions. By chemical, enzymic, and NMR analyses, the primary structures of SCHWE1v, SCCA, and SCHA were 6-branched 1,3-beta-glucan, having one branch in approximately every third mainchain unit. All of these fractions showed antitumor activity to the solid form of Sarcoma 180 in ICR mice with strong vascular dilation and hemorrhage reaction. These fractions also showed enhanced hematopoietic response to cyclophosphamide induced leukopenic mice following intraperitoneal or peroral administration.