Abstract

Sophora flavescens water extract of 11 g/l promoted Ganoderma lucidum biomass and extracellular polysaccharides production to increase at 14.5 and 2.4 g/l from 10.5 and 1.2 g/l respectively. However, 40 g/l of this extract stopped the fungus growing. The extract increased the pH buffer capacity and decreased the viscosity of the culture broth. Different extracts of S. flavescens obtained using solvents n-hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, n-butanol and water, successively were evaluated on their effects on G. lucidum biomass and polysaccharides production. The ethyl acetate extract was found to decrease both the biomass and the extracellular polysaccharides production by about 50%. However, the n-butanol extract promoted G. lucidum to increase the extracellular polysaccharides production from 1.15 to 2.05 g/l.

Key words: Ganoderma lucidum, Sophora flavescens, polysaccharide, submerged culture.