BACKGROUND/AIM: The aim of this study was to directly compare the anti-infectious and anti-cancer effects of five commercially available glucans. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We used five different glucans isolated from algae, yeast, bacteria, oat, and mushroom. We compared their effects on the stimulation of phagocytosis of blood cells, on the secretion of IL-2, and on the inhibition of melanoma and breast and lung cancers. In addition, we evaluated the effects of glucan supplementation on two experimental models of infection. RESULTS: Most of the tested glucans stimulated phagocytosis and IL-2 secretion, reduced cancer growth, and ameliorated some effects of experimental infections. CONCLUSION: Glucans can produce significant pleiotropic effects, but the activity varies among individual samples.
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Větvička et al. (2020) studied this question.
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