Structural characterisation and anti-ageing activity of extracellular polysaccharide from a strain of Lachnum sp.

A homogeneous extracellular polysaccharide of Lachnum YM261(LEPS-1) with a molecular weight of 21670 Da was characterised. According to HPGPC, IR, periodate oxidation and Smith degradation, GC–MS and 1H NMR analysis, the results indicated that LEPS-1 was a glucan linked by the β-(1 → 3)-d-pyran glycosidic bond. The effect of LEPS-1 on anti-ageing in d-gal model mice was also studied. It was found that LEPS-1 significantly increased the activities of antioxidant enzymes (i.e. SOD superoxide dismutase, CAT catalase, GSH-PX glutathione peroxidase) and decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) content in liver, brain and serum of d-gal model mice. These results showed that LEPS-1 had a strong anti-ageing activity.