DETERMINATION OF POLYSACCHARIDE CONTENT OF AGARICUS MACROSPORUS AND RUSSULA VESCA MUSHROOM EXTRACTS

Abstract

The aim of this research was to determine the polysaccharide content of aqueous and ethanolic extracts from Agaricus macrosporus and Russula vesca mushrooms. Generally, aqueous extracts were characterized with higher (p<0.05) glucan content compared to the ethanolic extracts. From the point of the same extract from different mushrooms, can be seen that the extract from R. vesca was characterized with higher values (p<0.05) for most of the analysed parameters, compared to the extract from A. macrosporus. In accordance, both α- and β-glucan had higher (p<0.05) values in the aqueous (3.79%; 15.19%, respectively) as well as in the ethanolic extract (1.61%; 13.23%, respectively) from R. vesca compared to aqueous and ethanolic extract from A. macsorporus. On the other hand, in the aqueous extract from R. vesca was determined higher (p<0.05) monosaccharide content (18.46%) compared to the aqueous extract from A. macsorporus (16.27%). Therefore, it can be concluded that water extraction of mushrooms, especially of Russula vesca, is a successful method by which the most important bioactive polysaccharides (total, α- and β-glucan) can be extracted, as well as a high percentage of monosaccharides. This opens up new possibilities for further use of the extracts in various industries.