selenium enriched exopolysaccharide from fomes fomentarius: production, characterization and biological activity study

Fomes fomentarius is one of the native medicinal fungi in iran# this fungus has been used to eliminate bleeding and treat various cancers# many of the beneficial properties of this fungus are related to its polysaccharides with antioxidant, anti-tumor and anti-inflammatory properties# selenium (se) is one of the essential elements for human health, it’s found at the active site of many proteins and plays an important role in metabolic processes# se-containing compounds can prevent cancer# selenium deficiency causes heart disease, reduces immune function and thyroid function# the effects of inorganic selenium (na2seo3) on mycelial growth, exopoysaccharide (eps) production and antioxidant activity of f# fomentarius were examined in shake flask# adding na2seo3 to the culture medium has no toxic effect on the fungus but it doesn’t have a significant effect on mycelial growth and eps production# adding 20 mg/l na2seo3 to culture medium increases eps antioxidant activity significantly (p<0#5) up to 17#04%, also the antibacterial activity of the eps on gram-positive bacteria rises significantly (p<0#5) in which the growth of bacteria inhibit about 80%