The Anti-complementary Activity of Exo-polymers Produced from Submerged Mycelial Cultures of Higher Fungi with Particular Reference to Cordyceps militaris

The anti-complementary activity (immuno-stimulating activity) was tested for the exo-polymers (extra-cellular polymer) produced from submerged mycelial cultures of 21 types of higher fungi. Anti-complementary activity of the exo-polymer from Cordyceps militaris showed the highest (69.0%) followed by Pleurotus ostreatus (63.7%) and Trametes suaveolens (61.4%). The mycelial growth rate and biomass doubling time of C. militaris in a 5 I air-lift fermenter were 0.0255 $h^{-1}$ and 27.2 h, respectively. The yield of the exo-polymer produced from the culture broth of C. militaris was 2.95 mg of dry weight/ml of culture broth. Sugar and amino acid compositions of this exo-polymer were analyzed.