Physicochemical characteristics and anti-hyperlipidemic effect of polysaccharide from BaChu mushroom (Helvella leucopus)

To investigate the effects of Helvella leucopus (H. leucopus) on hyperlipidemic mice, polysaccharide (HLP) was prepared from H. leucopus by hot water extraction and alcohol precipitation. HLP was primarily contained glucose, rhamnose, galactose and mannose, with an average molecular weight of 7.34 × 104 Da. It was a complex and irregular network with a few pores by scanning electron microscopy. Meanwhile, oral administration of HLP at 60 mg/kg decreased levels of total cholesterol, triglycerides, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in serum while increased that of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol in high fat diet (HFD) mice. Furthermore, HLP significantly reversed the serum aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase, and free fatty acid levels in HFD mice. Moreover, HLP treatment markedly regulated the mRNA levels of PPAR-α, ACS, and CPT-1α compared to the model group. Thus, these findings support that the supplement of Helvella leucopus polysaccharide is a novel complementary alternative strategy for management of hyperlipidemia.