Int J Health Nutr 1 (1): 31-37 A©ademy Journals 2010 International Journal of Health & Nutrition www.academyjournals.net Original Article Effects of Some Macrofungi Exopolysaccharides on Mesenchymal Mast Cells of Rats in Chronic Alcohol Consumption Mustafa UYANOGLU*, Mediha CANBEK, Fatma Ozgul OZALP, Mustafa YAMAC, Hakan SENTURK University of Eskisehir Osmangazi, Faculty of Science and Art, Departmant of Biology, 26480, Eskisehir, Turkey Received: 23.9.2010 Accepted: 13.11.2010 Published: 03.12.2010 Abstract Mast cells, which stem from bone marrow, take part in allergic and immunologic reactions as well as inflammation incidents. Activation and degranulation of mast cells may result from various internal and external stimuli including immune response, psychological and/or physical stress, alcohol use and estradiol support. Today, alternative medicine is used in order to prevent damages associated with chronic alcoholism or to treat the damage. To this end, our study focuses on possible medicinal effects of raw exopolysaccharides (EPS) obtained from some macrofungi on mesencyhmal mast cells of Wistar albino rats, which are subjected to alcohol diet. In our study, as for evaluations in relation to mast cell count, EPSs obtained from the fungi in Coprinus comatus, Polyporus squamosus and Cerrena unicolor have presented the most similar results with the control group. Keywords: Chronic alcohol, exopolysaccharide, mast cell, mushroom *Corresponding Author: E-mail: muyan@ogu.edu.tr, Phone: +90 222 239 37 57 / 2433 INTRODUCTION When mast cells are stimulated by an immunological and non-immunological factor, they synthesize histamine as well as heparin, serotonin proteases, lipid derivatives and numerous cytokines and biologically active molecules such as chemokines (Galli et al. 1999). Alcohol is toxic for people and animals and makes significant adverse effects on liver, brain, heart, skeletal muscle, pancreas, haematological, immunological, gastrointestinal and endocrine systems Chronic alcohol addiction results in multiorgan disorders and mortality. While about 90% of alcohol is metabolized in liver, gastrointestinal system, lung and kidneys play a minor role (Jarvelainen 2000; Bujanda et al. 2006). Scientific studies have revealed that alcohol results in degranulation of mast cells (Ruiz and Gomes 2000, Ferrier et al. 2006). Acetaldehyde, which occurs as a result of ethanol oxidation, is a chemically toxic, reactive and immunogenic substance (Ruiz and Gomes 2000). An elevated acetaldehyde level, which occurs as a resuls of chronic alcoholism, results in degranulation of mast cells (Fickert and Zatloukal 2000; Koivisto et al. 1999) and release of chemical mediators from mast cells. Mast cells synthesize and release histamin as well as serotonin, arachidonic acid derivatives, proteinases such as cathepsin G, growth factors and various biologically active substances such as cytokines (Matsunaga and Terada 2000; Koivisto et al. 1999). Histamin is a very active biological compound, which is characterized as neurotransmitter and takes part in intra-cellular communication system. Histamine stocks in the periphery are mast cells (Matsunaga and Terada 2000; Koivisto et al. 1999). Mast cells also play pathogenic roles in asthma and allergenic diseases. The increased evidences show that mast cells are associated with pathogenesis of chronic inflammations such as rheumatoid arthritis (Nurmi et al. 2009).