A mini-review of chemical and biological properties of polysaccharides from Momordica charantia

Role of medicinal plants in the management of diabetes mellitus: a review

Medicinal plants have a vast potential in the treatment of various ailments due to the presence of therapeutically important phytochemicals. Diabetes is a serious metabolic disorder and several marketed medications are available to alleviate the symptoms of diabetes. However, these over the counter drugs are expensive and associated with several complications. Herbal medicines are gaining importance as they are cost-effective and also display improved therapeutic effects with lesser side effects. The present review includes the reports available on medicinal plants used for treating diabetes complications. The aim of the review is to categorize and summarize the available information on medicinal plants with anti-diabetic properties and suggesting outlooks for future research. A systematic search was performed on medicinal plants with anti-diabetic properties using several search engines such as Google Scholar, PubMed, Science Direct and other online journals and books. All the plants listed in this review are native to Asian countries and are routinely used by the traditional practitioners for the treatment of various ailments. Based on the literature data available, a total of 81 medicinal plants with anti-diabetic, anti-hyperglycemic, hypoglycemic, anti-lipidemic and insulin mimetic properties have been compiled in this review. This review provides useful information about the different medicinal plants for treating diabetes-associated complications. Further research can be carried out to study the active constituents and mechanism of these plants.

Effectiveness of bitter melon extract in the treatment of ischemic wounds in rats

There is no consensus on the properties of an ideal dressing for treating wounds. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of dressings using topically administered bitter melon extract with olive oil, pure olive oil, nitrofurazone, and saline in the healing of ischemic wounds. A sample group of 48 rats was used in the trial. Their wounds were treated with bitter melon extract, pure olive oil, nitrofurazone, and saline. Data were collected between October 2014 and April 2015. The highest percentage (94.7%) of wound healing was observed in the bitter melon extract group and the lowest percentage (86.3%) in the nitrofurazone group. At the end of the 21st day, macroscopic reepithelialization was observed in 9 wounds in the bitter melon extract group (75%), in 6 wounds in the pure olive oil group (50%), and in only 3 wounds in the nitrofurazone and saline groups (25%). It can be concluded that dressing with a bitter melon extract is more efficient in the treatment of wounds than using nitrofurazone or saline, and that dressing with olive oil accelerates wound healing, although not as much as dressing with bitter melon extract.

Isolation, Structures, and Bioactivities of the Polysaccharides from Gynostemma pentaphyllum (Thunb.) Makino: A Review

Polysaccharides obtained from Gynostemma pentaphyllum (Thunb.) Makino have promising prospects in functional food and nutraceuticals due to its broad range of biological activities including antioxidant, immunomodulatory, antitumor, hepatoprotective, neuroprotective, and antifatigue activities. These beneficial biological activities are related to chemical composition and structure of the G. pentaphyllum polysaccharides. The molecular weight, monosaccharide composition, and chemical structures could be influenced by both different extraction/purification techniques employed to obtain polysaccharide enriched products. The purpose of this article is to review previous and current literature regarding the extraction, purification, structural characterization, and biological activity of G. pentaphyllum polysaccharides. This review provides a useful bibliography for the further investigation, production, and application of G. pentaphyllum polysaccharides as functional foods and nutraceuticals.

Effect of different drying methods on the product quality and bioactive polysaccharides of bitter gourd (Momordica charantia L.) slices

In this study, three drying methods, namely, hot-air drying, freeze drying (FD), and infrared radiation drying (ID), were applied to dry bitter gourd (Momordica charantia L.) slices. Results showed that the drying methods had significant influences on appearance, color, rehydration ratio, and microstructure of dried bitter gourd. FD provided high-quality dried bitter gourd products due to the uniform honeycomb network and less collapsed structure. Three water-soluble bitter gourd polysaccharides (BPS-H, BPS-F, and BPS-I) were obtained from the bitter gourd dried using the three drying methods. The three polysaccharides exhibited similar preliminary structural characteristics with different monosaccharide compositions and molecular weights. BPS-I obtained from ID-dried bitter gourd had higher sugar and uronic acid contents than BPS-H and BPS-F. BPS-I exhibited stronger antioxidant activities and bile acid-binding capacity in vitro than BPS-H and BPS-F. Moreover, BPS-F and BPS-I showed significant α-amylase inhibitory activities in vitro.

Antiaging of Cucurbitane Glycosides from Fruits of Momordica charantia L

Methanol extracts of Momordica charantia L. fruits are extensively studied for their antiaging activities. A new cucurbitane-type triterpenoid (1) and nine other known compounds (2–10) were isolated, and their structures were determined according to their spectroscopic characteristics and chemical derivatization. Biological evaluation was performed on a K6001 yeast bioassay system. The results indicated that all the compounds extended the replicative lifespan of K6001 yeast significantly. Compound 9 was used to investigate the mechanism involved in the increasing of the lifespan. The results indicated that this compound significantly increases the survival rate of yeast under oxidative stress and decreases ROS level. Further study on gene expression analysis showed that compound 9 could reduce the levels of UTH1 and SKN7 and increase SOD1 and SOD2 gene expression. In addition, it could not extend the lifespan of the yeast mutants of Uth1, Skn7, Sod1, and Sod2. These results demonstrate that compound 9 exerts antiaging effects via antioxidative stress and regulation of UTH1, SKN7, SOD1, and SOD2 yeast gene expression.

Biological activities and pharmaceutical applications of polysaccharide from natural resources: A review

Pharmacotherapy using natural substances can be currently regarded as a very promising future alternative to conventional therapy. As biological macromolecules, polysaccharide together with protein and polynucleotide, are extremely important biomacromoleules which play important roles in the growth and development of living organism. Polysaccharide is important component of higher plants, membrane of the animal cell and the cell wall of microbes. It is also closely related to the physiological functions. Recently, increasing attention has been paid on polysaccharides as an important class of bioactive natural products. Numerous researches have demonstrated the bioactivities of natural polysaccharides, which lead to the application of polysaccharides in the treatment of disease. In this paper, the various aspects of the investigation results of the bioactivities of polysaccharides were summarized, including its diversity pharmacological applications, such as immunoregulatory, anti-tumor, anti-virus, antioxidation, and hypoglycemic activity, and their application of polysaccharides in the treatment of disease are also discussed. We hope this review can offer some theoretical basis and inspiration for the mechanism study of the bioactivity of polysaccharides.

Recent Advances in Momordica charantia: Functional Components and Biological Activities

Momordica charantia L. (M. charantia), a member of the Cucurbitaceae family, is widely distributed in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. It has been used in folk medicine for the treatment of diabetes mellitus, and its fruit has been used as a vegetable for thousands of years. Phytochemicals including proteins, polysaccharides, flavonoids, triterpenes, saponins, ascorbic acid and steroids have been found in this plant. Various biological activities of M. charantia have been reported, such as antihyperglycemic, antibacterial, antiviral, antitumor, immunomodulation, antioxidant, antidiabetic, anthelmintic, antimutagenic, antiulcer, antilipolytic, antifertility, hepatoprotective, anticancer and anti-inflammatory activities. However, both in vitro and in vivo studies have also demonstrated that M. charantia may also exert toxic or adverse effects under different conditions. This review addresses the chemical constituents of M. charantia and discusses their pharmacological activities as well as their adverse effects, aimed at providing a comprehensive overview of the phytochemistry and biological activities of M. charantia.

Purification, Characterization, and Antioxidant Activity of Polysaccharides Isolated from Cortex Periplocae

In this study, crude Cortex Periplocae polysaccharides (CCPPs) were extracted with water. CCPPs were decolored with AB-8 resin and deproteinated using papain-Sevage methods. Then, they were further purified and separated through DEAE-52 anion exchange chromatography and Sephadex G-100 gel filtration chromatography, respectively. Three main fractions—CPP1, CPP2, and CPP3, (CPPs)—were obtained. The average molecular weights, monosaccharide analysis, surface morphology, and chemical compositions of the CPPs were investigated by high-performance gel permeation chromatography (HPGPC), gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS), UV-vis spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectrum, and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). In addition, the antioxidant activities of these three polysaccharides were investigated. The results indicated that all of the CPPs were composed of rhamnose, arabinose, mannose, glucose, and galactose. These three polysaccharides exhibited antioxidant activities in four assays including 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical, 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethyl-benzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radical, reducing power, and total antioxidant activity in vitro. The data indicated that these three polysaccharides could be utilized as potential natural sources of alternative additives in the functional food, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical industries.

Momordica charantia: a popular health-promoting vegetable with multifunctionality

Products derived from edible medicinal plants have been used for centuries to prevent, treat, and even cure multiple diseases. Momordica charantia L., widely cultivated around the world, is a typical one bred for vegetables and medicinal usage. All parts of M. charantia possess important medicinal properties, including antidiabetic, anticancer, hypotensive, anti-obesity, antimicrobial, antihyperlipidemic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immuno-modulatory, anthelmintic, neuro-protective, as well as hepato-protective properties both in vitro and in vivo. This review summarizes the active components and medicinal properties of M. charantia, especially the activities and mechanisms of its anti-diabetic and anti-cancer properties. The anti-diabetic properties involve inhibiting intestinal α-glucosidase and glucose transport, protecting islet β-cells, enhancing insulin secretion, increasing hepatic glucose disposal, decreasing gluconeogenesis, and even ameliorating insulin resistance. Moreover, the expressions of PPARs could also be activated and up-regulated. Meanwhile, its anticancer properties are mostly due to apoptosis, cell cycle arrest, and expression of serum factors associated with immunity. In this review, we aim to provide an overview of M. charantia and its benefits for development as a functional food.

Simultaneous determination of 13 carbohydrates using high-performance anion-exchange chromatography coupled with pulsed amperometric detection and mass spectrometry

A simple, accurate, and highly sensitive method was developed for the determination of 13 carbohydrates in polysaccharide of Spirulina platensis based on high-performance anion-exchange chromatography coupled with pulsed amperometric detection and mass spectrometry. Samples were extracted with deionized water using ultrasonic-assisted extraction, and the ultrasound-assisted extraction conditions were optimized by Box-Behnken design. Then the extracted polysaccharide was hydrolyzed by adding 1 mol/L trifluoroacetic acid before determination by high-performance anion-exchange chromatography coupled with pulsed amperometric detection and confirmed by high-performance anion-exchange chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. The high-performance anion-exchange chromatography coupled with pulsed amperometric detection method was performed on a CarboPac PA20 column by gradient elution using deionized water, 0.1 mol/L sodium hydroxide solution, and 0.4 mol/L sodium acetate solution. Excellent linearity was observed in the range of 0.05-10 mg/L. The average recoveries ranged from 80.7 to 121.7%. The limits of detection and limits of quantification for 13 carbohydrates were 0.02-0.10 and 0.2-1.2  μg/kg, respectively. The developed method has been successfully applied to ambient samples, and the results indicated that high-performance anion-exchange chromatography coupled with pulsed amperometric detection and mass spectrometry could provide a rapid and accurate method for the simultaneous determination of carbohydrates.

Review on cell models to evaluate the potential antioxidant activity of polysaccharides

Owing to various health functions, natural polysaccharides are becoming a kind of popular dietary nutritional supplement.

Polysaccharides from Traditional Chinese Medicines: Extraction, Purification, Modification, and Biological Activity

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has been used to treat diseases in China for thousands of years. TCM compositions are complex, using as their various sources plants, animals, fungi, and minerals. Polysaccharides are one of the active and important ingredients of TCMs. Polysaccharides from TCMs exhibit a wide range of biological activities in terms of immunity- modifying, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative, and anti-tumor properties. With their widespread biological activities, polysaccharides consistently attract scientist's interests, and the studies often concentrate on the extraction, purification, and biological activity of TCM polysaccharides. Currently, numerous studies have shown that the modification of polysaccharides can heighten or change the biological activities, which is a new angle of polysaccharide research. This review highlights the current knowledge of TCM polysaccharides, including their extraction, purification, modification, and biological activity, which will hopefully provide profound insights facilitating further research and development.