Guo_2018_Int.J.Biol.Macromol_120_2517

In order to explore Qingke beta-glucans as functional food ingredients for prevention of obesity, the physicochemical structures, in vitro binding properties, and inhibitory activities on pancreatic lipase of beta-glucans from three different Qingke cultivars, including Ganyucang (black), Dingqing (blue), and Zangqing 320 (white), were investigated and compared. Results showed that molecular weights, particle sizes, and intrinsic viscosities of beta-glucans from colored (black and blue) Qingke cultivars were much higher than those of white Qingke beta-glucans, respectively. In addition, the constituent monosaccharides of beta-glucans from colored Qingke cultivars were determined as arabinose, xylose, glucose, and galactose, and glucose was the dominant monosaccharide. Furthermore, colored Qingke beta-glucans exerted strong fat binding, cholesterol binding, and bile-acid binding capacities, as well as inhibitory activities on pancreatic lipase, which were much higher than those of white Qingke beta-glucans. Indeed, the fat binding, cholesterol binding, and bile-acid binding capacities, as well as the inhibitory activities on pancreatic lipase of Qingke beta-glucans were positively associated with their molecular weights and intrinsic viscosities. Results are beneficial for better understanding of the structure-function relationship of Qingke beta-glucans, and beta-glucans from colored Qingke cultivars (Ganyucang and Dingqing) could be further explored as functional food ingredients for prevention of obesity.