CAS 9037-88-1: Pachyman

Poria cocos is an edible medicinal fungus known as “Fuling” in Chinese that has been used as a Chinese traditional medicine for more than two thousand years. Polysaccharide material is the most abundant organic substance in the fungus, accounting for about 85% of the total and is a mixture of polysaccharides with the major component being Pachyman, a β-glucan with a 1,3 backbone and 1,6 side chains. It is reported that Pachyman has a wide range of biological activities including antitumour, immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory and antioxidative properties. Pachyman is a beta-glucan with a 1,3 backbone and 1,6 side chains of fungal origin (Poria cocos). The image was kindly provided by Dr. Chris Lawson.

This β-glucan contain D-glucose residues with β-1,3 links and b-1-6 side branches. The frequency, location, and length of the sidechains may play a role in immunomodulation. Differences in molecular weight, shape, and structure of β-glucans can also affect the differences in biological activity. The water-soluble β-D-glucan is extracted from fruiting bodies of Piptoporus betulinus by hot aqueous extraction, followed by freeze-thawing and dialysis. Methylation analysis and NMR spectroscopy, indicated the presence of a β-D-glucan with a main chain (1,3)-linked, substituted at O-6 by single glucose residues. The image was kindly provided by Dr. Chris Lawson.