β-Glucane extracted from Pycnoporus coccineus by hot compressed water and sodium hydroxide solution

Abstract

Polysaccharides extracted from Pycnoporus coccineus by hot compressed water and sodium hydroxide solution involve β-1,3-glucane with β-1,6-linked side chains and/or β-1,4-glucane. The extract of hot compressed water at 200°C was partially decomposed and exhibited an average molecular weight of 7 × 103. The extracts of 1.25 M NaOH solution also underwent partial decomposition depending on pretreatment with NaCIO solution, and the average molecular weight ranged from 9.3 × 103 to 7.9 × 104. Measurements of visible absorption spectra of Congo Red with the polysaccharides suggested that the extracted β-1,3-glucane forms triple helix conformations. © 2010, The Society of Polymer Science, Japan.