A standardized method for the quantification of polysaccharides: An example of polysaccharides from Tremella fuciformis

Abstract

The most widely used colorimetric method based on the phenol-sulfuric acid system generally has problems of poor reproducibilities and large measurement errors. In this study, bioactive Tremella fuciformis polysaccharides (TFPS) were used as the test materials, a systematic investigation was performed to solve these problems. Influences of temperature, TFPS hydrolysis, enzyme interferences, and other factors affecting the TFPS determination were intensively studied and optimized. The accurate quantification of TFPS in the presence of enzyme interference was also innovatively realized by the establishment of corrected calibration standard curves. In addition, long-term storage conditions of TFPS samples at different temperatures and storage time were also addressed and compared. This study, for the first time, completely solved the problems that existed in traditional phenol-sulfuric acid methods and thereby provided a certain theoretical basis not only for accurate detection and quantification of TFPS but for standardization and further utilization of other types of polysaccharides as well.