Therapeutic and Functional Properties of Beta-Glucan, and Its Effects on Health

Year 2022, Volume: 6 Issue: 1, 29 - 41, 30.06.2022

Memnune Şengül , Seda Ufuk

Abstract

Among the dietary fibers, β-glucan is naturally occurring non-starch polysaccharide formed by β-glycoside bonds of D-glucose monomers. Beta-glucan can be present in abundance in cereals, fruits, fungi, algae, yeast and bacteria. Beta-glucan has recently attracted attention with its positive effects on human health. It has effects on many systems in the body containing the immune system and cardiovascular system. Due to the positive effects of beta-glucan, it has been the subject of many studies and its effects in different fields have been demonstrated by these studies. The aim of this review is to evaluate not only the general properties of beta-glucan, but also its effects on the immune system, blood sugar, cholesterol and insulin, anticarcinogenic effect, obesity, antihyperactive effect, prebiotic and antioxidant properties, antimicrobial and antiviral effects. On the other hand, another aim is to demonstrate the purposes of the use of beta-glucan in the food industry. The application of beta-glucan is agreeable for a wide range of food materials, because of the combination of both, health-beneficial properties and technological features.

Keywords

Beta-Glucan, Dietary fiber, Disease, Functional Foods, Health

References

• Ahmad A., Anjum F.M., Zahoor T., Nawaz H. & Dilshad S.M.R. 2012. Beta glucan: a valuable functional ingredient in foods. Critical reviews in food science and nutrition, 52(3), 201-212.
• Anttila H., Sontag-Strohm T. & Salovaara H. 2004. Viscosity of beta-glucan in oat products.
• Aoe S., Ichinose Y., Kohyama N., Komae K., Takahashi A., Abe D. & Yanagisawa T. 2017. Effects of high β-glucan barley on visceral fat obesity in Japanese individuals: a randomized, double-blind study. Nutrition, 42, 1-6.
• Bayrak O., Turgut F., Karatas O.F., Cimentepe E., Bayrak R., Catal F. & Unal D. 2008. Oral β-glucan protects kidney against ischemia/reperfusion injury in rats. American Journal of Nephrology, 28(2), 190-196.
• Beck E.J., Tosh S.M., Batterham M.J., Tapsell L.C. & Huang X.F. 2009. Oat β‐glucan increases postprandial cholecystokinin levels, decreases insulin response and extends subjective satiety in overweight subjects. Molecular nutrition & food research, 53(10), 1343-1351.
• Betteridge D.J. 2000. What is oxidative stress?. Metabolism, 49(2), 3-8.
• Bulam S., Pekşen A. & Üstün N.Ş. 2019. Use Potential of Edible and Medicinal Mushrooms in Food Products. Journal of Fungus, 10(3), 137-151.
• Chaikliang C., Wichienchot S., Youravoug W. & Graidist P. 2015. Evaluation on prebiotic properties of β-glucan and oligo-β-glucan from mushrooms by human fecal microbiota in fecal batch culture. Functional Foods in Health and Disease, 5(11), 395-405.
• Chakrabarty K. & Chakrabarty A.S. 2019. Textbook of Nutrition in Health and Disease. Springer Nature.
• Chan G.C.F., Chan W.K. & Sze D.M.Y. 2009. The effects of β-glucan on human immune and cancer cells. Journal of hematology & oncology, 2(1), 1-11.
• Ciecierska A., Drywie E., Hamulka J., Sadkowski T. 2019. Nutraceutical functions of beta-glucans. Rocz. Panstw. Zakl. Hig, 70, 315-324.
• Dhewantara F.X. 2016. Cholesterol-lowering effect of beta glucan extracted from Saccharomyces cerevisiae in rats. Scientia pharmaceutica, 84(1), 153-165.
• Driscoll M., Hansen R., Ding C., Cramer D.E. & Yan J. 2009. Therapeutic potential of various β-glucan sources in conjunction with anti-tumor monoclonal antibody in cancer therapy. Cancer biology & therapy, 8(3), 218-225.
• Du B., Meenu M., Liu H. & Xu B. 2019. A concise review on the molecular structure and function relationship of β-glucan. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 20(16), 4032. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms20164032.
• Dülger D. & Gahan Y. 2011. Properties of dietary fiber and its effects on health. Journal of Uludag University Faculty of Agriculture, 25(2), 147-158.
• Ege R. & Köseoğlu S.Z. 2021. Beta Glukanın Kardiyovasküler Sağlık Üzerine Etkisi. İstanbul Sabahattin Zaim Üniversitesi Fen Bilimleri Enstitüsü Dergisi. https://doi.org/10.47769/izufbed.915997
• El Khoury D., Cuda C., Luhovyy B.L. & Anderson G.H. 2012. Beta glucan: health benefits in obesity and metabolic syndrome. Journal of nutrition and metabolism, 2012.
• Falch B.H., Espevik T., Ryan L. & Stokke B.T. 2000. The cytokine stimulating activity of (1→ 3)-β-D-glucans is dependent on the triple helix conformation. Carbohydrate Research, 329(3), 587-596.
• Geller A. & Yan J. 2020. Could the induction of trained immunity by β-glucan serve as a defense against COVID-19?. Frontiers in Immunology, 11, 1782.
• Giese J.H. 1992. Hitting the spot: Beverages and beverage technology. Food technology (USA).
• Han B., Baruah K., Cox E., Vanrompay D. & Bossier P. 2020. Structure-functional activity relationship of β-glucans from the perspective of immunomodulation: a mini-review. Frontiers in immunology, 11, 658.
• Ikewaki N., Iwasaki M., Kurosawa G., Rao K.S., Lakey-Beitia J., Preethy S. & Abraham S.J. 2021. β-glucans: wide-spectrum immune-balancing food-supplement-based enteric (β-WIFE) vaccine adjuvant approach to COVID-19. Human vaccines & immunotherapeutics, 1-6.
• Kabir M., Oppert J.M., Vidal H., Bruzzo F., Fiquet C., Wursch P. & Rizkalla S.W. 2002. Four-week low-glycemic index breakfast with a modest amount of soluble fibers in type 2 diabetic men. Metabolism-Clinical and Experimental, 51(7), 819-826.
• Kanagasabapathy G., Malek S.N.A., Mahmood A.A., Chua K.H., Vikineswary S. & Kuppusamy U.R. 2013. Beta-glucan-rich extract from Pleurotus sajor-caju (Fr.) singer prevents obesity and oxidative stress in C57BL/6J mice fed on a high-fat diet. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine.
• Karaçil M.Ş. & Akbulut G. 2013. Tip 2 Diabetes Mellitus ve Βeta Glukan. Beslenme ve Diyet Dergisi, 41(3), 242-246. Kaur R., Sharma M., Ji D., Xu M. & Agyei D. 2020. Structural features, modification, and functionalities of beta-glucan. Fibers, 8(1), 1.
• Kearney N., Stack H.M., Tobin J.T., Chaurin V., Fenelon M.A., Fitzgerald G.F. & Stanton C. 2011. Lactobacillus paracasei NFBC 338 producing recombinant beta-glucan positively influences the functional properties of yoghurt. International Dairy Journal, 21(8), 561-567.
• Keser O. & Bilal T. 2008. Effect of beta-glucan on immune system and performance in animal nutrition. Journal of Erciyes University Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, 5(2), 107-119.
• Khorshidian N., Yousefi M., Shadnoush M. & Mortazavian A.M. 2018. An overview of β-Glucan functionality in dairy products. Current Nutrition & Food Science, 14(4), 280-292.
• Kim S.Y., Song H.J., Lee Y.Y., Cho K.H. & Roh Y.K. 2006. Biomedical issues of dietary fiber β-glucan. Journal of Korean Medical Science, 21(5), 781-789.
• Kim H., Stote K.S., Behall K.M., Spears K., Vinyard B. & Conway J.M. 2009. Glucose and insulin responses to whole grain breakfasts varying in soluble fiber, β-glucan. European Journal of Nutrition, 48(3), 170.
• Kofuji K., Aoki A., Tsubaki K., Konishi M., Isobe T. & Murata Y. 2012. Antioxidant activity of β-glucan. International Scholarly Research Notices.
• Lam K.L. & Cheung P.C.K. 2013. Non-digestible long chain beta-glucans as novel prebiotics. Bioactive carbohydrates and dietary fibre, 2(1), 45-64.
• Lattimer J.M. & Haub M.D. 2010. Effects of Dietary Fiber and Its Components on Metabolic Health. Nutrients, 2(12), 1266–1289. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu2121266
• Lazaridou A., Biliaderis C.G. & Izydorczyk M.S. 2003. Molecular size effects on rheological properties of oat β-glucans in solution and gels. Food Hydrocolloids, 17(5), 693-712.
• Lei N., Wang M., Zhang L., Xiao S., Fei C., Wang X. & Xue F. 2015. Effects of low molecular weight yeast β-glucan on antioxidant and immunological activities in mice. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 16(9), 21575-21590.
• Liu Y., Liu X., Yang L., Qiu Y., Pang J., Hu X. & Jin X. 2021. Adjuvanticity of β-Glucan for Vaccine against Trichinella spiralis. Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology, 1803.
• Louie B., Rajamahanty S., Won J., Choudhury M. & Konno S. 2010. Synergistic potentiation of interferon activity with maitake mushroom d‐fraction on bladder cancer cells. BJU international, 105(7), 1011-1015.
• Maheshwari G., Sowrirajan S. & Joseph B. 2019. β-Glucan, a dietary fiber in effective prevention of lifestyle diseases–An insight. Bioactive Carbohydrates and Dietary Fiber, 19, 100187.
• Mishra N. 2020. Cereal β Glucan as a Functional Ingredient. In Innovations in Food Technology (pp. 109-122). Springer, Singapore.
• Mohebbi Z., Homayouni A., Azizi M.H. & Hosseini S.J. 2018. Effects of beta-glucan and resistant starch on wheat dough and prebiotic bread properties. Journal of food science and technology, 55(1), 101-110.
• Morshed M.T., Rahman S., Rahman S., Jahan S., Mukti M. & Taznin I. 2013. Antihyperglycemic and antinociceptive effects of a commercially produced beta-glucan from Saccharomyces cerevisiae in Swiss albino mice. Advances in Natural and Applied Sciences, 7(3), 260-263.
• Mudgil D. 2017. The interaction between insoluble and soluble fiber. In Dietary fiber for the prevention of cardiovascular disease (pp. 35-59). Academic Press.
• Murphy E.J., Rezoagli E., Major I., Rowan N. & Laffey J.G. 2021. β-Glucans. Encyclopedia, 1(3), 831-847.
• Nishantha M.D.L.C., Jeewani D.C., Xiaojun N. & Weining S. 2018. Beta-Glucan: An Overview of its Properties, Health Benefits, Genetic Background and Practical Applications. Scholars Journal of Agriculture and Veterinary Sciences (SJAVS) e-ISSN 2348–1854.
• Özcan T., Kurtuldu O. & Delikanlı B. 2013. Use of β-glucan in the development of cereal-containing dairy products. Journal of Uludag University Faculty of Agriculture, 27(1), 87-96.
• Ren Y., Xie H., Liu L., Jia D., Yao K. & Chi Y. 2018. Processing and prebiotics characteristics of β-glucan extract from highland barley. Applied Sciences, 8(9), 1481.
• Queenan K.M., Stewart M.L., Smith K.N., Thomas W., Fulcher R.G. & Slavin J.L. 2007. Concentrated oat β-glucan, a fermentable fiber, lowers serum cholesterol in hypercholesterolemic adults in a randomized controlled trial. Nutrition Journal, 6(1), 1-8.
• Sahan N., Yasar K. & Hayaloglu A.A. 2008. Physical, chemical and flavour quality of non-fat yogurt as affected by a β-glucan hydrocolloidal composite during storage. Food Hydrocolloids, 22(7), 1291-1297.
• Samur G. & Mercanlıgil S.M. 2008. Dietary fiber and nutrition. The Ministry of Health of Turkey, the General Directorate of Primary Health Care.
• Schmidt M. 2020. Cereal beta-glucans: an underutilized health endorsing food ingredient. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 1-20.
• Seo G., Hyun C., Choi S., Kim Y.M., Cho M. 2019. The wound healing effect of four types of beta-glucan. Applied Biological Chemistry, 62(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13765-019-0428-2
• Silva V.D.O., De Moura N.O., De Oliveira L.J.R, Peconick A.P. & Pereira L.J. 2017. Promising effects of beta-glucans on metabolism and on the immune responses. American Journal of Immunology, 13(1), 62-72.
• Sima P., Vannucci L. & Vetvicka V. 2018. β-glucans and cholesterol. International journal of molecular medicine, 41(4), 1799-1808.
• Şahin G. 2018. The effect of oat flakes added to the diet on body weight loss and some biochemical parameters in obese women.
• Şimşekli N. & Doğan S.İ. 2015. The Effect of Grain Based Beta-Glucan Addition on the Technological and Functional Properties of Foods. Turkish Journal of Agriculture-Food Science and Technology, 190-195.
• Şöhretoğlu D. & Uz A.K. 2015. β-Glucan and the Immune System. Hacettepe University Journal of the Faculty of Pharmacy, (2), 103-115.
• Talbott S. & Talbott J. 2009. Effect of Beta 1, 3/1, 6 Glucan on upper respiratory tract infection symptoms and mood state in marathon athletes. Journal of sports science & medicine, 8(4), 509.
• Turner N.D. & Lupton J.R. 2011. Dietary Fiber. Advances in Nutrition, 2(2), 151–152. https://doi.org/10.3945/an.110.000281 US Department of Health and Human Services. 1997. Food labeling: health claims; oats and coronary heart disease: final rule. Federal register, 62(15), 3583-3601.
• Vlassopoulou M., Yannakoulia M., Pletsa V., Zervakis G.I. & Kyriacou A. 2021. Effects of fungal beta-glucans on health–a systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Food & Function.
• Vetvicka V. & Fernandez-Botran R. 2018. β-Glucan and parasites. Helminthologia, 55(3), 177.
• Xin-Zhong H., Xia-lu S., Xiao-ping L., Liu L., Jian-mei Z. & Xing-yun C. 2015. Effect of dietary oat β-glucan on high-fat diet induced obesity in HFA mice. Bioactive Carbohydrates and Dietary Fibre, 5(1), 79-85.
• Yuca B., Topçu İ., Yağcılar-Aydemir H., Özer C.O., Kılıç B. & Başyiğit-Kılıç G. 2019. Effects of beta-glucan addition on the physicochemical and microbiological characteristics of fermented sausage. Journal of food science and technology, 56(7), 3439-3448.