Molecular characterization of two polysaccharides from Phellinus vaninii Ljup and their anti-tumor activities.

Two water-soluble polysaccharides (PV-W, PV-B) were isolated and purified from fruiting bodies of P. vaninii Ljup (a traditional Chinese medicine) by hot water and sodium hydroxide, respectively. The chemical structure was analyzed by FT-IR, GC-MS analysis and 13C NMR spectra. The results illustrated that PV-W was a heteropolysaccharide, mainly composed of mannose, glucose, arabinose and galactose. PV-B was a β-1, 3-D-glucan branched with β-1, 6-D-glucose. The results of viscometry proved that PV-W and PV-B could be molecularly dispersed in water without aggregation. The results of SEC-MALLS-RI indicated that the two polysaccharides with the similar Mw but different chain conformation. PV-W was a stable chain with globular shape, while PV-B was a more expanded flexible random coils conformation. MTT assay indicated that PV-B showed higher inhibition effect on HepG2 and HeLa cells than PV-W in vitro. This work provided the important information of active components from traditional Chinese medicines and its potential applications in the food and medicine industry.