Isolation, Purification and Characterization of Polysaccharides that induce in vitro Immuno-Stimulation of Macrophases derived from Liquid Culture of Cordyceps militaris

The crude polysaccharides(C-CPF, C-CPM, C-CPB) derived from fruiting body, mycelia and mycelia free broth of cordyceps militaris were obtained by ethanol precipitation of hot water extracts. After a batch fermentation of C. militaris was carried out in a 5 L jar vessel, endo-polysaccharide and exo-polysaccharide were obtained. They were demonstrated as the hetero polysaccharides which were composed of glucsose, galactose and mannose by performed with HPAEC(high pH anion exchange chromatography) and conformation of random coil by its complex forming ability with congo red reagent. They were purified by ion exchange (DEAE-cellulose) and gel filtration chromatography. They were monitered by phenol-sulfuric acid method and Bradford method. The NO induction activities of crude polysaccharides and purified polysaccharides derived from mycelia free broth were enhanced rather than LPS(lipo polysaccharide) which was used as a general NO inducer. These effects presumably contibute to the antitumor activities. The homogenieties and molecular weights of polysaccharides were determined by using Sepharose CL-6B. The yield, molecular weights and NO induction activities of C-CPFN Fr.III, C-CPMN Fr.III, C-CPBN Fr.II were 0.387, 0.408 and 0.153, 127 K 210 K and 36 K, 40.79%, 88.72%, and 104.17%, respectively.