Guidoderma lucidum polysaccharide is a glucan composed of three strands of monosaccharides with a helical three-dimensional configuration (tertiary structure), its three-dimensional configuration is similar to that of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA), and it is a kind of macromolecular compound with molecular weight ranging from several thousand to several hundred thousand, and it is a kind of substance extracted from Ganoderma lucidum spore powder or Ganoderma lucidum. It is insoluble in high concentrations of alcohol, slightly soluble in low concentrations of alcohol and cold water, and completely soluble in hot water. Ganoderma polysaccharides are found in the inner wall of the cell wall of Ganoderma lucidum. In addition to glucose, most of the polysaccharides of Ganoderma lucidum also contain monosaccharides such as arabinose, xylose, galactose, fucose, mannose, rhamnose and other monosaccharides, but the content is small. Glycosidic linkages between monosaccharides are of 1,3, 1,4 and 1,6 types. Most of them are β-type structure, a few are α-type structure. α-type polysaccharides have no pharmacological activity (efficacy). Most polysaccharide chains are branched and some contain small molecule skin chains. Most polysaccharide chains are branched and some contain small molecule skin chains. Polysaccharide chains with high branching density or containing skin chains also have high pharmacological activity. In aqueous solution, the polysaccharide chain of Ganoderma lucidum generally consists of three strands, and the three strands of the polysaccharide chain are dissociated into a single strand in o.1 mol/liter of Na hydroxide solution.
The pharmacological activity of polysaccharides is related to the form of glycosidic bonding between monosaccharides. The β-1,3, 1,6 or β-1,4, 1,6-glycosidic linkage between monosaccharides is effective, i.e., pharmacologically active, while the pure β-1,4-glycosidic linkage is not pharmacologically active. In addition, the pharmacological activity of polysaccharides is also related to its stereo configuration, if the spiral stereo structure is destroyed, its activity is greatly reduced. Starch, cellulose, dextrin is also polysaccharides, but its conformation and Ganoderma polysaccharides (or other fungal polysaccharides) are different. Starch, cellulose and other polysaccharides do not have a helical three-dimensional structure, and the connections between monosaccharides are all β-1,4-connections. Cellulose is a β-type polysaccharide, while starch and dextrin are α-type polysaccharides. Because of their different conformations, starch, dextrin and cellulose have no pharmacological activity.
Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharide is one of the most effective components of Ganoderma lucidum, therefore, it is also particularly valued by pharmacological scientists, and the most researches on it have been reported. More than 200 kinds of polysaccharides have been isolated from Ganoderma lucidum, among which dozens of structures have been clarified and molecular weights have been determined.
Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides have various pharmacological activities: they can improve immunity, accelerate blood microcirculation, improve oxygen supply to blood, reduce ineffective oxygen consumption in the resting state of the body, eliminate free radicals in the body, improve the closure of cell membranes of the body, anti-radiation, improve the ability to synthesize DNA, RNA and proteins in liver, bone marrow and blood, and prolong life span, etc. Most of these activities of Ganoderma lucidum have been reported by scientists. Most of the pharmacological activities of Ganoderma lucidum are related to Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides.