Abstract

Cordyceps jiangxiensis, also called ‘CaoMuWang’, is a medicinal entomopathogenic macrofungus native to eastern China. Polysaccharide fractions from cultured C. jiangxiensis exhibited potent antitumor activity via the induction of cell cycle arrest and apoptotic pathway. Antioxidant pathway is also one action of mechanism of antitumor; thus, the antioxidant abilities of these polysaccharide fractions were overall evaluated by five in vitro assays such as the scavenging abilities on DPPH·, hydroxyl and superoxide anion radicals, the reducing power and the chelating ability on ferrous ions. Among these assays, the polysaccharide fractions presented more excellent scavenging abilities on superoxide anion radicals than that of the positive control. When compared with the positive control, the polysaccharide fractions from C. jiangxiensis only had moderate scavenging activities on both DPPH and hydroxyl free radicals, moderate reducing power and ferrous ion chelating activity. The antioxidant abilities of the different polysaccharide fractions had certain differences at all the tested doses and all had a dose-dependent manner. The results suggested that, polysaccharides are important antioxidant component in the medicinal Cordyceps fungi and have direct and potent antioxidant ability, and that C. jiangxiensis also is a promising potential source for the development of natural antioxidant.

Key words: Cordyceps jiangxiensis, polysaccharide, antioxidant activity.