Abstract: Two water-soluble polysaccharides (MEP1-1 and MEP2-3) were extracted and purified using chromatography on DEAE-52 and Sephadex G-200 column from Morchella esculenta. Their chemical composition and in vitro antioxidant and antitumor activities were investigated.The results suggested that the molecular weights of MEP 1-1 and MEP 2-3 were approximately 1.37×10⁵ Da and 1.15×10⁴ Da,respectively.Characteristic bands in FT-IR spectra indicated both MEP1-1 and MEP2-3 had a small amount of β-glycosidic bond.Antioxidant activities of MEP1-1 and MEP2-3 were both higher than crude MEP.MEP2-3 had higher antioxidant activities on hydroxyl radicals than MEP1-1 while MEP1-1 had higher antioxidant activities on superoxide radicals than MEP2-3.MEP 1-1 fraction appeared higher anticancer activity against HeLa cells than MEP2-3 fraction,with IC₅₀ values of 29 μg/mL.MEP2-3 fraction showed higher anticancer activity against A549 cells than MEP 1-1 fraction,with IC₅₀ values of 81 μg/mL at 72 h.It could be explored as a potential adjuvant against cancer used in the health food and pharmaceutical therapy.

Key words: Morchella esculenta, polysaccharides, antioxidant activity, antitumor activity