Canadian Medical Guide > Chemicals and Drugs > Carbohydrates and Hypoglycemic Agents > Carbohydrates > Polysaccharides > Glucans Terms and Definitions

Glucans

Medical Definition:	Polysaccharides composed of repeating glucose units. They can consist of branched or unbranched chains in any linkages.
Also Called:	Glucan (BO),Polycose
Previously Indexed:	Glucose (1966-1978),Polysaccharides (1966-1978)

Glucans Categories.

	Cellulose - A polysaccharide with glucose units linked as in CELLOBIOSE. It is the chief constituent of plant fibers, cotton being the purest natural form of the substance. As a raw material, it forms the basis for many derivatives used in chromatography, ion exchange materials, explosives manufacturing, and pharmaceutical preparations.
	Dextrans - A group of glucose polymers made by certain bacteria. Dextrans are used therapeutically as plasma volume expanders and anticoagulants. They are also commonly used in biological experimentation and in industry for a wide variety of purposes.
	Glycogen
	Isomaltose - A disaccharide consisting of two glucose units in an alpha (1-6) glycosidic linkage.
	Maltose - A dextrodisaccharide from malt and starch. It is used as a sweetening agent and fermentable intermediate in brewing. (Grant & Hackh's Chemical Dictionary, 5th ed)
	Sizofiran - A beta-D-glucan obtained from the Aphyllophoral fungus Schizophyllum commune. It is used as an immunoadjuvant in the treatment of neoplasms, especially tumors found in the stomach.
	Starch - Any of a group of polysaccharides of the general formula (C6-H10-O5)n, composed of a long-chain polymer of glucose in the form of amylose and amylopectin. It is the chief storage form of energy reserve (carbohydrates) in plants.
	Trehalose

Glucans Medical Definitions and Terms

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