Fungal exopolysaccharides (EPSs) represent an important group of bioactive compounds secreted by fungi. These biopolymers can be utilized individually or in combination with different bioactive substances for a broad range of pharmaceutical field applications, due to their various biological activities, such as antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, anti-diabetic, and anticoagulant effects. The paper presents an up-to-date review of the main fungal polysaccharides (pullulan, schizophyllan, scleroglucan, botryosphaeran, lentinan, grifolan, and lasiodiplodan), highlighting their structures, producing strains, and useful properties in a double position, as controlled release (rate and selectively targeting) drug carriers, but mostly as active immunomodulating and antitumor compounds in cancer therapy.
exopolysaccharides, Applications, filamentous fungi, bioprocesses, pharmaceutical properties
Publication DOI: 10.3390/pr11020335Journal NLM ID: 101653204Publisher: Basel, Switzerland: MDPI
Correspondence: E.S. Lakatos
Institutions: National Institute for Chemical-Pharmaceutical Research and Development-ICCF Bucharest, Vitan, Avenue, 112, District 3, 031299 Bucharest, Romania, Institute for Research in Circular Economy and Environment 'Ernest Lupan', 400609 Cluj-Napoca, Romania, Faculty of Industrial Engineering, Robotics and Product Management, Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, 400641 Cluj-Napoca, Romania, Industrial Engineering and Management Department, Faculty of Engineering, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, 550024 Sibiu, Romania
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