Various Physiological Functions of Milk Oligosaccharides

Arjita Mani

Abstract: It has been seen that in all of glyco-compounds i.e. glycosides; glycoconjugates etc. carbohydrate are present as mono, dimer or oligomers, which play a decisive role in the biological function of active constituents. Besides this in some of the cases the glycan is present as free oligomer of monosaccharide known as oligosaccharides. Oligosaccharides are amongst the most biologically diverse and important carbohydrate in biological system. Oligosaccharides are found as natural constituents in fruits, vegetables, milk, blood, bacteria and fungus etc. and have various physiological functions such as improvement of mineral absorption, non oranticariogenecity and improvement of both plasma cholesterol and blood glucose level.1, 2, 3 The enormous structural variability possible in oligosaccharide structures is the probable reason for nature using them for the purpose of molecular recognition, transformation of oligosaccharide into glycoconjugates may then yield a specific diagnostic material, a non-toxic and highly specific vaccine or therapeutic product.

Keywords: Oligosaccharide; antiinflammatory; hypoglycemic