Structure Characterization and Anti-Aging Activities of a Polysaccharide Derived from Hericium coralloides (Agaricomycetes) Using the Three-Phase Partitioning Method

This study investigates the structural characteristics and anti-aging potential of polysaccharides from Hericium coralloides (HCP) using Caenorhabditis elegans models. Through three-phase partitioning and chromatographic purification, HCP with 58.4% yield from crude extracts was obtained. Structural analysis revealed a heteropolysaccharide comprising mannose (6.6%), glucose (73.0%), and galactose (20.4%) in pyranose configurations. It features a β-(1⟶6)-glucan backbone with terminal α-mannose and α-galactose disaccharide as branches. SEC-MALLS analysis determined a weight-average molecular weight (Mw) of 1.57 × 105 Da with globular conformation (α = 0.31). In vivo studies demonstrated dose-dependent lifespan extension in C. elegans, with high-dose HCP (500 μg/mL) increasing mean lifespan by 16.36% (P H. coralloides is a promising resource for the development of nutritional health products for age-related diseases.