Abstract: This investigation was undertaken to evaluate the effect of polysaccharides from the liquid culture of Cordyceps sinensis CAMT 63341 on body weight, emotion, cognition and immune function in mice. Totally 60 healthy male mice were randomly divided into blank control, positive control and experimental groups. Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides were taken as positive control, and the animals in the experimental groups were given Cordyceps sinensis CAMT 63341 polysaccharides at high, middle, and low doses, respectively. After continuous feeding for 30 days, elevated plus maze test, shuttle box test, and delayed type hypersensitivity test were conducted and the body weight and thymus and spleen organ weight to body weight ratios were recorded. Compared with the blank control group, the mice fed with Cordyceps sinensis CAMT 63341 polysaccharides exhibited dose-dependently accelerated body weight gain, increased number of open arm entries and extended time spent on the open arm of the maze, improved active avoidance response and shortened latent period of passive avoidance in shuttle box test, and increased thymus and spleen organ weight to body weight ratios, with statistically significant differences being observed in the high-dose group (P < 0.05 or 0.01), which was similarly effective to Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides. Therefore, polysaccharides from the liquid culture of Cordyceps sinensis CAMT 63341 can promote body weight gain, improve emotion, and enhance cognition and immune function in mice.

Key words: Cordyceps sinensis CAMT 63341, liquid-state fermentation, polysaccharides, emotion, recognition, immunity