Anti-tumor polysaccharides from mushrooms during storage

The changes in the contents of an anti-tumor polysaccharide from Lentinus edodes (lentinan) and Grifolafrondosa (GGF) during storage were investigated using by an ELISA inhibition assay. When the mushrooms were stored at low temperature, the contents of their anti-tumor polysaccharides show hardly any changes, but their contents decreased markedly at higher temperature (20 degrees C). Moreover, the effect of the extract from Lentinus edodes stored at different temperatures on tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and nitric oxide (NO) productions from macrophages was investigated to confirm the influence to the stimulation of macrophages. Because lentinan stimulates macrophages to augment their antitumor activity. Their productions showed little difference between Lentinus edodes stored at low temperature and the fresh mushroom, although the cytokine production decreased significantly in Lentinus edodes stored at 20d egrees C. These results suggest that low-temperature storage is more effective in maintaining not only the quality of the mushrooms but also the contents of anti-tumor polysaccharides as health-beneficient foods.