Structural Features and Immunomodulatory Effects of Water-Extractable Polysaccharides from (Scop.) Singer.

(MP) is an edible mushroom used in the treatment of diabetes, hypertension and inflammation. However, the structure and biological effects of its polysaccharides (PSs) are unclear. This study investigates the structural features of a PS complex from MP (MP-PSC), its immunomodulatory activities and effects on probiotic and pathogenic bacteria.

Phenotypic and molecular identification of lactobacilli isolated from vaginal secretions.

Background And Purpose: Twenty lactobacilli isolated from vaginal samples of healthy volunteers were characterized according to polyphasic taxonomy. A broad spectrum of activity and protective properties of these vaginal isolates has been reported.

Methods: Phenotypic and genotypic methods such as random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD), species-specific and BOX polymerase chain reaction (PCR), amplified ribosomal DNA restriction analysis (ARDRA), and 16S rRNA sequence analyses were applied for Lactobacillus spp.