Earticle

This study aimed to replace the imported Chinese complete medium for Lentinula edodes with a newly-developed complete medium that is suitable for export as well. Three media compositions that supported fast mycelium growth and higher density, compared to that in the control, were chosen. Culture in the T13 medium reduced the incubation period for ‘Nongjingo’ by 12 days and for ‘Cham-aram’ by 10 days, compared to that required for the control; in addition, the number of days required for browning was greatly reduced for both varieties. The quantity of each mixed medium was increased according to the composition from the 1st to the 5th cycle by 5.9% for ‘Nongjingo’ and 12.6% for ‘Cham-aram’ in T13, compared to that in the control. A mixed medium comprising oak sawdust + Douglas fir sawdust + corn flour (40:40:20, v/v) was selected as the most suitable complete medium.

After Ganoderma lucidum was cultured in mushroom complete medium (MCM) supplemented with ginseng extract (GE), crude polysaccharide (GL-GE-CP) was fractionated from mycelium. Among GL-GE-CP from mycelium in MCM supplemented with 5, 10, and 15% GE (v/v ratio of MCM to GE), GL-GE- 15-CP (15% GE) most significantly enhanced macrophage stimulation and intestinal immune system modulating activity compared with GL-CP in MCM without GE. When GL-GE-15-CP was further fractionated on DEAE-Sepharose CL-6B, GL-GE-15-CP-II displayed more potent activity than subfractions from GL-CP on macrophage stimulation, interleukin-12 production, and intestinal immune system modulation (1.75-, 5.68-, and 1.76-fold, respectively). Anti-metastasis effect against colon 26-M3.1 carcinoma cells was also enhanced by GL-GE-15-CP-II (72.8% inhibition). In addition, GL-GE- 15-CP-II contained neutral sugar (83.00%) and uronic acid (9.11%), and consisted of Ara, Man, Gal and Glc (molar ratio of 0.39:0.50:0.75:1.00). Furthermore, GE supplementation helped to enhance the immunomodulation in G. lucidum, and it is assumed that neutral polysaccharides play an important role.