Tremella fuciformis (Snow Fungus)
Medicinal Mushrooms
Overview
- Tremella fuciformis, commonly called “snow fungus” or “white jelly mushroom,” is a gelatinous, edible basidiomycete native to East Asia.
- It is cultivated primarily for its high‑molecular‑weight polysaccharides, which are marketed as a dietary‑supplement ingredient to support skin hydration, immune function, and overall vitality.
Chemistry
- The key bioactive is a high‑molecular‑weight polysaccharide (TPF) with the approximate empirical formula (C₆H₁₀O₅)ₙ, where n ≈ 1,000–3,000 (molecular weight 1–3 MDa).
- The repeating unit is a β‑D‑glucose (β‑1→3) backbone with β‑1→6 side‑chains bearing occasional acetyl or sulfated groups, conferring water‑solubility and gel‑forming properties.
- A simplified structural descriptor:
- IUPAC (simplified): (1→3)-β-D-Glucopyranose, 6‑O‑acetyl‑2‑O‑sulfate (repeating).
- Minor constituents include triterpenoids (e.g., tremulone, C₃₀H₄₈O₃), phenolic acids (gallic, protocatechuic), and a small amount of protein (≈5 % of dry weight).
- The high degree of branching (≈30 % β‑1→6) accounts for the strong water‑binding capacity and immunomodulatory activity.
Sources & Quality
- T. fuciformis is cultivated primarily in China’s Yunnan, Zhejiang, and Fujian provinces, where it grows on dead hardwood logs (oak, maple) under controlled humidity (85‑95 % RH) and temperature (22–28 °C).
- Commercially, fruiting bodies are harvested, cleaned, and dried at ≤45 °C to preserve polysaccharides.
- Extraction typically employs hot‑water extraction (90 °C, 2 h) followed by ethanol precipitation (80 % v/v) to isolate the polysaccharide fraction; further purification uses membrane filtration (ultrafiltration 10 kDa cutoff) to achieve ≥70 % polysaccharide purity.
- Quality considerations:
- Species verification: DNA barcoding (ITS region) ensures authenticity.
- Polysaccharide content: ≥70 % (HPLC‑evaporative light scattering).
- Heavy‑metal limits: Pb < 0.5 ppm, As < 0.5 ppm per USP.
- Reputable suppliers provide GMP‑certified extracts with batch‑to‑batch consistency, validated by HPLC‑UV and FT‑IR profiling.
Where to Buy Tremella fuciformis (Snow Fungus)
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