Progress on the extraction of polysaccharides from Lentinus edodes and their anti-tumor mechanisms

Lentinus edodes, as a precious Lentinus edodes species with medicinal and food origins, not only has a delicious taste, but also contains a variety of pharmacological active ingredients. Among them, polysaccharide (Lentinan) is a typical β-(1-3)-D-glucan, which has multiple pharmacological effects, such as hypoglycemic, antiviral, immunomodulatory and antitumor effects. Despite the long history of clinical application of polysaccharides, the molecular mechanism of their antitumor effects remains controversial. The traditional view is that polysaccharides exert indirect antitumor effects mainly by activating the immune system and relying on T lymphocytes, rather than directly killing tumor cells. In view of this, this thesis reviews the extraction technology of polysaccharides, their antitumor effects and their intrinsic molecular mechanisms, with the aim of providing a solid theoretical and experimental foundation for the broadening of the scope of the clinical application of polysaccharides, the enhancement of their medicinal value, and the development of novel therapeutic agents for oncology.