Characterization of Fruiting Body Exopolysaccharide from a Milky Mushroom Calocybe Sp. TP and Its Antioxidant and Antitumor Activity

Calocybe is commonly known as milky mushroom and cultivated in India. Mushrooms have a good nutritional value and referred as healthy food. They are a good source of carbohydrate, proteins, vitamins and minerals while low in fat content. Mushrooms are well known as rich source of nutraceutical molecules too. They produce exopolysaccharides, having high antioxidant activity. Hence, the present study aims to characterize a mushroom exopolysaccharide for its antioxidant and antitumor activity. In present study, mushroom sample was collected from the Navsari Agricultural University, Navsari campus (20.9302° N, 72.9127° E). The sample was identified by morphological as well as 18S rRNA sequencing as Calocybe sp. TP (Accession No. MF737080). EPS was extracted from sample and characterized for its total carbohydrate 157.5±4.2 µg/ml. Chemical characterization of EPS by FTIR, TLC, HPLC and NMR analysis revealed that EPS contain glucose monomer in structure. Antioxidant activity measured by ABTS and DPPH showed 76.98% and 80.83% respectively. Antitumor activity was examined using MDA-MB-231 cell line and expressed 67.73% cell inhibition. Thus, EPS produced by Calocybe sp. TP can be used as antioxidant and antitumor molecule.