Comparative analysis of physicochemical properties and biological activities of crude polysaccharides isolated from selected Auricularia cornea strains

This study conducted a comparative analysis to characterize crude polysaccharides from seven selected strains of Auricularia cornea in China, including commercial, hybrid, and wild domesticated strains. The obtained crude polysaccharide samples were analyzed using electron microscope -energy dispersive X-ray (SEM-EDX), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and for their monosaccharide composition. The results revealed that crude polysaccharide samples were mainly composed of 85.9% mannose and 12.3% glucose. Among the strains tested, Ac1 and Ac33 exhibited significantly higher total polysaccharide content (215.9 +/- 2.4 mg/g and 200.3 +/- 1.5 mg/g, respectively) and phenolic content (40.2 +/- 4.0 mg GAE/g and 44.2 +/- 2.7 mg GAE/g, respectively). Additionally, Ac33 and Ac24 showed the highest levels of DPPH radical scavenging and ABTS scavenging ability among the strains tested. Overall, the results suggest that the crude polysaccharides from A. cornea have the potential as a natural source of antioxidant and antimicrobial agents and could be developed into functional nutritional foods.