Purification of bioactive polysaccharides from Lentinula edodes using fixed-bed column with activated carbon

The polysaccharides derived from Lentinula edodes exhibit highly desirable bioactivities with significant commercial potential. However, obtaining them has presented challenges due to the complex matrix of natural products. This study aims to address this issue by purifying polysaccharides from expired shiitake mushrooms using a fixed-bed column with activated carbon. Temperature and mobile phase were investigated. Results showed that 40% of the total sugars present in the initial sample can be recovered. Moreover, all assays showed antioxidant activity. In total, five polysaccharides were identified. The monosaccharide composition of all exopolysaccharides (EPS) was composed only of glucose and their respective molecular weights were 4.2 x 10(4) kDa; 2.5 x 10(4) kDa; 9.3 x 10(3) kDa; 2.6 x 10(3) kDa; and 1.1 x 10(3) kDa determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis. These results demonstrated the potential of shiitake for further exploration and optimization, indicating the possibility of even greater advancements in the extraction process and the commercial feasibility of these valuable compounds.