Modified pectic polysaccharide from turmeric ( Curcuma longa ): A potent dietary component against gastric ulcer

Pectin: Health-promoting properties as a natural galectin-3 inhibitor

Galectin-3 has a variety of important pathophysiological significance in the human body. Much evidence shows that the abnormal expression of galectin-3 is related to the formation and development of many diseases. Pectin is mostly obtained from processed citrus fruits and apples and is a known natural inhibitor of galactin-3. A large number of peels produced each year are discarded, and it is necessary to recycle some of the economically valuable active compounds in these by-products to reduce resource waste and environmental pollution. By binding with galectin-3, pectin can directly reduce the expression level of galectin-3 on the one hand, and regulate the expression level of cytokines by regulating certain signaling pathways on the other hand, to achieve the effect of treating diseases. This paper begins by presenting an overview of the basic structure of pectin, subsequently followed by a description of the structure of galectin-3 and its detrimental impact on human health when expressed abnormally. The health effects of pectin as a galectin-3 inhibitor were then summarized from the perspectives of anticancer, anti-inflammatory, ameliorating fibrotic diseases, and anti-diabetes. Finally, the challenges and prospects of future research on pectin are presented, which provide important references for expanding the application of pectin in the pharmaceutical industry or developing functional dietary supplements.

The Golden Spice for Life: Turmeric with the Pharmacological Benefits of Curcuminoids Components, Including Curcumin, Bisdemethoxycurcumin, and Demethoxycurcumins

BACKGROUND

Turmeric (Curcuma longa L.), belonging to the Zingiberaceae family, is a perennial rhizomatous plant of tropical and subtropical regions. The three major chemical components responsible for the biological activities of turmeric are curcumin, demethoxycurcumin, and bisdemethoxycurcumin.

METHODS

The literature search included review articles, analytical studies, randomized control experiments, and observations, which have been gathered from various sources, such as Scopus, Google Scholar, PubMed, and ScienceDirect. A review of the literature was carried out using the keywords: turmeric, traditional Chinese medicine, traditional Iranian medicine, traditional Indian medicine, curcumin, curcuminoids, pharmaceutical benefits, turmerone, demethoxycurcumin, and bisdemethoxycurcumin. The main components of the rhizome of the leaf are α-turmerone, β-turmerone, and arturmerone.

RESULTS

The notable health benefits of turmeric are antioxidant activity, gastrointestinal effects, anticancer effects, cardiovascular and antidiabetic effects, antimicrobial activity, photoprotector activity, hepatoprotective and renoprotective effects, and appropriate for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease and inflammatory and edematic disorders.

DISCUSSION

Curcuminoids are phenolic compounds usually used as pigment spices with many health benefits, such as antiviral, antitumour, anti-HIV, anti-inflammatory, antiparasitic, anticancer, and antifungal effects. Curcumin, bisdemethoxycurcumin, and demethoxycurcumin are the major active and stable bioactive constituents of curcuminoids. Curcumin, which is a hydroponic polyphenol, and the main coloring agent in the rhizomes of turmeric, has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-cancer, and anticarcinogenic activities, as well as beneficial effects for infectious diseases and Alzheimer's disease. Bisdemethoxycurcumin possesses antioxidant, anti-cancer, and anti-metastasis activities. Demethoxycurcumin, which is another major component, has anti-inflammatory, antiproliferative, and anti-cancer activities and is the appropriate candidate for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

CONCLUSION

The goal of this review is to highlight the health benefits of turmeric in both traditional and modern pharmaceutical sciences by considering the important roles of curcuminoids and other major chemical constituents of turmeric.

Impact of Cell Disintegration Techniques on Curcumin Recovery

In recent years, the improvement of curcumin recovery from turmeric by cell and tissue disintegration techniques has been gaining more attention; these emerging techniques were used for a reproducible and robust curcumin extraction process. Additionally, understanding the material characteristics is also needed to choose the optimized technique and appropriate processing parameters. In this review, an outlook about the distribution of different fractions in turmeric rhizomes is reviewed to explain matrix challenges on curcumin extraction. Moreover, the most important part, this review provides a comprehensive summary of the latest studies on ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE), microwave-assisted extraction (MAE), enzyme-assisted extraction (EAE), high-pressure-assisted extraction (HPAE), pulsed electric field-assisted extraction (PEFAE), and ohmic heating-assisted extraction (OHAE). Lastly, a detailed discussion about the advantages and disadvantages of emerging techniques will provide an all-inclusive understanding of the food industry’s potential of different available processes.

Gastroprotective activity of polysaccharide from the fruiting body of Hericium erinaceus against acetic acid-induced gastric ulcer in rats and structure of one bioactive fraction

This study aimed at investigating gastroprotective activity of Hericium erinaceus polysaccharide (HEP) and characterizing one of its bioactive fractions. Acetic acid-induced gastric ulcer (GU) rat model was used to evaluate the gastroprotective activity of HEP, while H₂O₂-induced injury GES-1 cell model was conducted to screen the bioactive fractions from HEP. Moreover, one of the bioactive fractions was characterized using methylation and 1D/2D NMR analysis. Results indicated HEP treatment could ameliorate acetic acid-induced GU in rats. HEP supplement decreased levels of interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-α and malondialdehyde and myeloperoxidase activity, and increased releases of nitric oxide, prostaglandin E2, epidermal growth factor, vascular endothelial growth factor and basic fibroblast growth factor and superoxide dismutase activity in gastric tissues of ulcerated rats. Five purified polysaccharides from HEP were screened to be bioactive fractions with cytoprotection on H₂O₂-induced injury in GES-1 cells. Among them, RP-S was characterized to be a (1 → 6)-β-D-glucan, whose backbone was composed of →6)-β-D-Glcp-(1 → residue and branched with T-β-D-Glcp-(1 → residue at O-3 position. In conclusion, HEP possessed gastroprotection against acetic acid-induced GU in rats and one of its bioactive fractions was a β-D-glucan. This study supports the utilization of HEP in anti-GU and provides evidences for the structure of gastroprotective HEP.

Structural characterization and anti-inflammatory activity of a pectin polysaccharide HBHP-3 from Houttuynia cordata

In this study, a hot buffer soluble Houttuynia cordata polysaccharide (HBHP-3) with a molecular weight of 397.4 kDa was isolated from H. cordata. HBHP-3 was composed of rhamnose, arabinose, glucose, galactose and galacturonic acid with molar ratio of 16.0:12.6:4.6:18.1:15.6. Structural analysis showed that the main chain of HBHP-3 was composed of →2)-α-L-Rhap-(1→, →4)-α-D-GalpA-(1→ and →4)-β-D-Galp-(1→. There were branched chains of α-L-Araf-(1→, →5)-α-L-Araf-(1→, →4)-α-D-Glcp-(1→, →6)-β-D-Galp-(1→, β-D-Galp-(1→ connected to the O-4 positions of →2)-α-L-Rhap-(1→. HBHP-3 effectively inhibited the secretion of NO and the mRNA expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines in a dose-dependent manner in macrophages. HBHP-3 inhibited the phosphorylation of p65 and IκBα proteins as well, illustrating that HBHP-3 exerted its anti-inflammatory activity by inhibiting the activation of NF-κB pathway.

Polysaccharide from Spirulina platensis Evokes Antitumor Activity in Gastric Cancer Cells via Modulation of Galectin-3 and Exhibited Cyto/DNA Protection: Structure-Function Study

Polysaccharides play significant role in the management of different cancer types including gastric cancer. Here, we report the effect of spirulina polysaccharide (Sp) on galectin-3 modulatory activity in gastric cancer cells (AGS). The isolated Sp possessed an average molecular weight of 1457 kDa and galactose (42%) as a major sugar consisting of (β1-4d) units with a galactoarabinorhamnoglycan backbone. The Sp inhibited the proliferation of AGS cells by 48% without affecting normal NIH/3T3 cells as compared to doxorubicin, a known anticancer drug. Also, Sp exhibited significant (p < 0.05) galectin-3 mediated hemeagglutination inhibition with MIC of 9.37 μg/mL compared to galactose (6.25 μg/mL), a sugar specific to galectin-3. Galactose showed the highest molecular interaction with galectin-3 in the in silico study. In addition, Sp exhibited the cytoprotection in RBCs, buccal cells, and DNA exposed to oxidants. These findings suggest that Sp offers a promising therapeutic tool in the management of gastric cancer.

Application of Emerging Cell Disintegration Techniques for the Accelerated Recovery of Curcuminoids from Curcuma longa

Curcuminoids, the bioactive compounds with many beneficial effects on human health, exist in Curcuma longa (turmeric). In the present study, the impact of different cell disintegration techniques to enhance total curcuminoid recovery (TC) from fresh and dried turmeric was investigated. The impact of thermal pretreatment (TP), ultrasound pretreatment (UP), enzyme pretreatment (EP), and pulsed electric field pretreatment (PEF) on the recovery of curcumin (CUR), demethoxycurcumin (DMC), and bis-demethoxycurcumin (BDMC) from fresh and dried turmeric were studied. The cell disintegration index (Zp) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis of curcuminoids were performed to evaluate the efficiency of the applied techniques. With fresh turmeric, the highest curcuminoid recovery was 83.6 mg/g dry basis with EP. The highest structural tissue damage was obtained with UP achieving a cell disintegration level of 92.5%. The technology with the highest time-saving and low specific energy input was PEF with a total curcuminoid recovery of 80.9 mg/g dry basis. Working with dried turmeric, the drying required high specific energy input for 72 h at 50 °C; however, the untreated dried sample reached 125.3 mg/g dry basis of TC without further pretreatment after drying.

Protective effects of natural compounds against oxidative stress in ischemic diseases and cancers via activating the Nrf2 signaling pathway: A mini review

Oxidative stress, an imbalance between reactive oxygen species and antioxidants, has been seen in the pathological states of many disorders such as ischemic diseases and cancers. Many natural compounds (NCs) have long been recognized to ameliorate oxidative stress due to their inherent antioxidant activities. The modulation of oxidative stress by NCs via activating the Nrf2 signaling pathway is summarized in the review. Three NCs, ursolic acid, betulinic acid, and curcumin, and the mechanisms of their cytoprotective effects are investigated in myocardial ischemia, cerebral ischemia, skin cancer, and prostate cancer. To promote the therapeutic performance of NCs with poor water solubility, the formulation approach, such as the nano drug delivery system, is elaborated as well in this review.

Polysaccharides catabolism by the human gut bacterium -Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron: advances and perspectives

In recent years, the degradation processes of polysaccharides by human gut microbiota are receiving considerable attention due to the discoveries of the powerful function of gut microbiota. Gut microbiota has developed a sensitive, accurate, and complex system for sensing, capturing, and degrading different polysaccharides. Among the gut microbiota, Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron, a representative species of Bacteroides, is considered as the best degrader of polysaccharides and a potential probiotic in pharmaceutical and food industries. Here, we summarize the degradation system of B. thetaiotaomicron and the degradation pathways of different polysaccharides by B. thetaiotaomicron. We also describe a technical route for investigating a specific polysaccharide degradation pathway by human gut bacteria. In addition, we also provide the future perspectives in the development of novel polysaccharides or oligosaccharides drugs, precision microbiology medicine, and personalized nutrition.

The biomedical potential of cellulose acetate/polyurethane nanofibrous mats containing reduced graphene oxide/silver nanocomposites and curcumin: Antimicrobial performance and cutaneous wound healing

In this study, nanofibrous scaffolds were prepared from polyurethane and cellulose acetate using electrospinning. Reduced graphene oxide/silver nanocomposites, rGO/Ag, were also used into the mats due to the strong antibacterial activity of rGO/Ag nanocomposites. In order to prevent the agglomeration of silver nanoparticles, AgNPs, the nanoparticles were decorated onto the reduced graphene oxide (rGO) sheets. Initially, Graphene oxide, briefly GO, was synthesized by the improved Hummer method. Then, nanocomposites of reduced graphene oxide were decorated with Ag and were fabricated via a green and facile hydrothermal method. Thereafter, the scaffold containing rGO/Ag nanocomposites, curcumin or both of them were prepared using the electrospinning method. The obtained scaffolds were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), contact angle, tensile analysis, porosity, and water vapor transmission rate (WVTR). 3-[4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide assay, MTT, confirmed the biocompatibility of the composite nanofibers. The scaffolds were able to hinder both of the Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria through direct contact with them. In vivo histopathological studies indicated that the scaffold incorporated rGO/Ag nanocomposites and curcumin has the most effect on wound healing and can promote the healing rate of artificial wounds, which indicates the good biomedical potential of nanomaterial in wound healing.

Rethinking the impact of RG-I mainly from fruits and vegetables on dietary health

Rhamnogalacturonan I (RG-I) pectin is composed of backbone of repeating disaccharide units →2)-α-L-Rhap-(1→4)-α-D-GalpA-(1→ and neutral sugar side-chains mainly consisting of arabinose and galactose having variable types of linkages. However, since traditional pectin extraction methods damages the RG-I structure, the characteristics and health effects of RG-I remains unclear. Recently, many studies have focused on RG-I, which is often more active than the homogalacturonan (HG) portion of pectic polysaccharides. In food products, RG-I is common to fruits and vegetables and possesses many health benefits. This timely and comprehensive review describes the many different facets of RG-I, including its dietary sources, history, metabolism and potential functionalities, all of which have been compiled to establish a platform for taking full advantage of the functional value of RG-I pectin.

Gastroprotective activity of polysaccharide from Hericium erinaceus against ethanol-induced gastric mucosal lesion and pylorus ligation-induced gastric ulcer, and its antioxidant activities

The gastroprotective activity of Hericium erinaceus polysaccharide was investigated in rats. The antioxidant activities were also evaluated. Pre-treatment of polysaccharide could reduce ethanol-induced gastric mucosal lesion and pylorus ligation-induced gastric ulcer. The polysaccharide exhibited scavenging activities of 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrozyl and hydroxyl radicals, and ferrous ion-chelating ability. In the pylorus ligation-induced model, gastric secretions (volume of gastric juice, gastric acid, pepsin and mucus) of ulcer rats administrated with polysaccharide were regulated. Levels of tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukins-1β in serum, and myeloperoxidase activity of gastric tissue were reduced, while antioxidant status of gastric tissue was improved. Defensive factors (nitric oxide, prostaglandin E2, epidermal growth factor) in gastric tissue were increased. These results indicate that Hericium erinaceus polysaccharide possess gastroprotective activity, and the possible mechanisms are related to its regulations of gastric secretions, improvements of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant status, as well as increments of defensive factors releases.

Structure characterization and biological activities of a pectic polysaccharide from cupule of Castanea henryi

A pectic polysaccharide (CHIP3) was fractionated from the natural cupule of Castanea henryi. It contained mannose (10.70%), rhamnose (8.70%), galacturonic acid (38.21%), galactose (13.75%) and arabinose (28.63%) with a molecular weight of 2.44 × 10⁴ g/mol by multi-laser light scattering. The structure was elucidated by using FT-IR spectroscopy, methylation analysis and NMR analysis. Results showed that the backbone of CHIP3 consisted of 1, 4-α-linked d-GalpA residues containing the non-methyl-esterified carboxyl groups, interspersed with a few 1,2-α-l-Rhap units. Its side chains were attached by two branches to O-4 of Rhap with 1,4-β-linked d-Galp units and 1,5-α-l-linked Araf units bearing 3,5-substituted α-l-linked Araf residues as branching points. AFM data revealed it existed as a flexible chain in 0.1 M NaNO₃ aqueous solution. Furthermore, CHIP3 was demonstrated to have notable antioxidant activity of FRAP, ABTS⁺ radical scavenging and reducing power. Cytotoxicity assay showed it displayed inhibitory activity against HepG2 cells with IC₅₀ values of 242.6 μg/mL.

Gastroprotective effects and structural characterization of a pectic fraction isolated from Artemisia campestris subsp maritima

The aim of this study was to investigate the chemical structure and biological activity of a pectic fraction isolated from the aerial parts of A. campestris L. subsp. maritima Arcangeli. The chemical and spectroscopic analyses of the pectic fraction (ACP-E10) demonstrated that ACP-E10 was composed of homogalacturonan (HG) (60%) and rhamnogalacturonan-I (RG-I) (29%) regions. Side chains of the RG-I included mainly branched arabinans and type II arabinogalactans (AG-II). The molar mass of ACP-E10 determined by HPSEC-MALLS was 16,600g/mol. ACP-E10 was evaluated for its gastroprotective effect against ethanol-induced gastric lesions in rats. Oral pretreatment of animals with ACP-E10 (0.3, 3 and 30mg/kg) significantly reduced gastric lesions by 77±7.9%, 55±11.1% and 65±11.8%. ACP-E10 also maintained mucus and glutathione (GSH) contents in the gastric mucosa. In addition, ACP-E10 demonstrated antioxidant activity in vitro by the DPPH assay. These results demonstrated that the pectin from A. campestris had significant gastroprotective effects in vivo, which were likely attributable to their capacity to increase the protective defenses of gastric mucosa.

Bioactive Turmerosaccharides from Curcuma longa Extract (NR-INF-02): Potential Ameliorating Effect on Osteoarthritis Pain

Background:

Curcuma longa has long history of medicinal use in Ayurveda. A unique product NR-INF-02 was prepared from C. longa that was standardized to contain turmerosaccharides.

Objective:

The present study investigated the effect of turmerosaccharides rich fraction of NR-INF-02 on monosodium iodoacetate (MIA)-induced OA pain animal model that mimics human OA. Further, the analgesic effect of turmerosaccharides rich fraction was compared to turmerosaccharides less fraction of NR-INF-02.

Materials and Methods:

OA pain was chemically induced by intra-articular administration of single dose of 25 μl of 0.9% saline containing 0.3 mg MIA into the right knee of male albino Wistar rat. Turmerosaccharides rich fraction and turmerosaccharides less fraction (at 22.5, 45 and 90 mg/kg rat body weight dose levels) were administered as a single dose orally on day 5 of post-MIA injection. OA pain was measured using hind limb weight-bearing ability at 1, 3, 6, and 24 h post-test substance administration on day 5.

Results:

Oral administration of turmerosaccharides rich fraction and turmerosaccharides less fraction (at 45 and 90 mg/kg) although significantly decreased the OA pain at all the intervals, the effect of turmerosaccharides rich fraction (57%) on OA pain was superior to turmerosaccharides less fraction (35%).

Conclusion:

Bioactive turmerosaccharides from C. longa extract contribute to the observed anti-arthritic effect in rats.

SUMMARY

Osteoarthritic pain was induced by intra-articular injection of MIA into the right knee

Single administration of TRF/TLF on day 5 resulted in dose-dependent significant reduction of OA pain

TRF showed better analgesic activity than TLF

TRF at 45 and 90 mg/kg has similar effects on OA pain as that of tramadol

Turmerosaccharides identified as bioactive constituents of C. longa extract.

Abbreviations used: MIA: Monosodium iodoacetate; i.ar: Intra-articular; OA: Osteoarthritis; TRF: Turmerosaccharides rich fraction; TLF: Turmerosaccharides less fraction; PGE2: Prostaglandin E2; ROS: Reactive oxygen species.