Mechanism regulating the inhibition of lung cancer A549 cell proliferation and structural analysis of the polysaccharide Lycium barbarum

Effects of different chemical modifications on physicochemical and antioxidation properties of Lycium barbarum seed dreg polysaccharides

Recent studies have witnessed that chemical modification can improve the physicochemical and functional properties of plants' polysaccharides. Herein, we modified the natural Lycium barbarum seed dreg polysaccharides (LBSDPs) by sulfation (S-LBSDPs), phosphorylation (P-LBSDPs), and carboxymethylation (C-LBSDPs), and evaluated the chemical composition and antioxidant activity of their derivatives. Natural polysaccharides and their derivatives exhibited typical polysaccharide absorption peaks and characteristic group absorption peaks in FT-IR spectra along with maximum UV absorption. After modification, the total sugar and protein contents of the derivatives were decreased, whereas the uronic acid content was increased. Among the three derivatives, sulfated polysaccharides displayed excellent thermal stability. S-LBSDP and P-LBSDP showed the highest ABTS radical scavenging and reducing power while S-LBSDPs and C-LBSDPs showed better DPPH radical scavenging effect, and P-LBSDPs showed considerable Fe2+ chelating ability. Our data indicate that chemical modifications can impart a positive effect on the antioxidant potential of plant-derived polysaccharides.

Functional properties, structural characteristics, and anti-complementary activities of two degraded polysaccharides from strawberry fruits

Two low-molecular-weight polysaccharides (DPSP50 and DPSP70) were obtained using hydrogen peroxide-vitamin C (H2O2-Vc) treatment at 50 °C and 70 °C, respectively. Both DPSP50 and DPSP70 comprised the same six monosaccharides in different ratios, and their molecular weights (Mws) were 640 kDa and 346 kDa, respectively. Functional properties analyses demonstrated that DPSP50 and DPSP70 each had an excellent water holding capacity, oil absorption capacity, and emulsion properties, as well as shear-thinning characteristics and viscoelastic properties. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopic assays confirmed the existence of α-, β-pyranose rings and the same six sugar residues in DPSP50 and DPSP70. The results of Congo red test, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) demonstrated that DPSP50 and DPSP70 did not contain triple-helix conformations, but were amorphous aggregates with flake-like shape and rough surface. Additionally, both DPSP50 and DPSP70 showed strong anti-complementary activities through the classical pathway and the alternative pathway. The results support the potential utility of these degraded polysaccharides from strawberry fruits in functional foods and medicines.

Sulfation on polysaccharides from Zizania latifolia extracted using ultrasound: Characterization, antioxidant and anti-non-small cell lung cancer activities

Zizania latifolia is a highly nutritious vegetable being praised as "Ginseng in Water". Polysaccharides are the main bioactive ingredients in Z. latifolia, but there have been no reports on the yield- and activity-guided ultrasonic-assisted extraction (UAE), sulfation and anti-non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) activity. In this study, Z. latifolia polysaccharides (ZLP) were extracted using UAE under an optimized power, followed by sulfation to give three derivatives (SZLP-1 ∼ 3). After characterization, the antioxidant and anti-NSCLC activities were evaluated. The optimal ultrasonic power for ZLP extraction was screened out to be 300 W, under which the yield was 16.9 ± 2.10 %, and the scavenging rate against 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical was 63.3 ± 5.71 %, significantly higher than those of other powers and hot-water extraction. A series of characterizations fully confirmed the sulfated modification of ZLP. Sulfation improved the antioxidation of ZLP and was positively proportional to the degree of substitution (DS), of which SZLP-2 with a DS of 15.1 ± 2.50 elicited strong hydroxyl and DPPH radicals-scavenging capacities. Meanwhile, SZLP-2 also exerted promising anti-NSCLC potency via inhibiting A549 cell proliferation, with a median inhibition concentration (IC50) of 0.57 ± 0.01 mg/mL at 72 h, markedly smaller than that of unmodified ZLP (0.78 ± 0.04 mg/mL). In summary, the yield- and activity-guided UAE led to the ZLP with high yield and strong antioxidation. Further sulfation enhanced the bioactivities and produced the promising SZLP-2, which showed great potential in the development of novel antioxidant and anti-NSCLC drug.

Anthriscus sylvestris: An overview on Bioactive Compounds and Anticancer Mechanisms from a Traditional Medicinal Plant to Modern Investigation

Anthriscus sylvestris (L.) Hoffm. Gen. is a biennial or perennial herb commonly found in China. It has a long history of use in traditional Chinese medicine to treat various ailments such as cough, gastric disorders, spleen deficiency, and limb weakness. Recently, its potential as an anticancer agent has gained considerable attention and has been the subject of extensive research focusing on extract efficacy, identification of active compounds, and proposed molecular mechanisms. Nevertheless, further high-quality research is still required to fully evaluate its potential as an anticancer drug. This review aims to comprehensively summarize the anticancer properties exhibited by the active components found in Anthriscus sylvestris. We conducted a comprehensive search, collation, and analysis of published articles on anticancer activity and active compounds of A. sylvestris using various databases that include, but are not limited to, PubMed, Web of Science, Science Direct and Google Scholar. The primary chemical composition of A. sylvestris consists of phenylpropanoids, flavonoids, steroids, fatty acids, and organic acids, showcasing an array of pharmacological activities like anticancer, antioxidant, anti-aging, and immunoregulatory properties. Thus, this review highlights the active compounds isolated from A. sylvestris extracts, which provide potential leads for the development of novel anticancer drugs and a better understanding of the plant's pharmacological effects, particularly its anticancer mechanism of action.

Structural characteristics and structure-activity relationship of four polysaccharides from Lycii fructus

At present, the structure-activity relationship of polysaccharides is a common and important focus in the fields of glycobiology and carbohydrate chemistry. To better understand the effect of specific polysaccharide structures on bioactive orientation, four homogeneous polysaccharides from Lycii fructus, one neutral along with three acidic polysaccharides, were purified, structurally characterized and comparatively evaluated on the antioxidative and anti-aging activities. The GC-MS-based monosaccharide composition analysis and methylation results showed that the LFPs had similar glycosyl types but varied proportions. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy showed that LFPs consisted of arabinogalactan, rhamnogalacturonan and homogalacturonan structural domains. The results of the structure-activity relationship indicated that the antioxidative activity was positively correlated with the galacturonic acid (GalA) content, while the neutral multi-branched chains might be responsible for the anti-aging activity. This study is the first time to compare the principal structures and multiple biological activities of LFPs, which provided a reference for the industrial development and deep excavation of the health value of LFPs.

A comprehensive review of goji berry processing and utilization

Goji berry (wolfberry, Lycium), is a genus of Solanaceae, in which the roots, stems, leaves, and fruits are for both food and medicinal uses. In recent years, the demand for health food and research purposes has led to increasing attention being paid to the application of goji berry nutrients and resources. There are three general strategies to process and utilize the goji berry plant. First, the primary processing of goji berry products, such as dried goji berry pulp, and fruit wine with its by-products. Second, deep processing of sugar-peptides, carotenoids, and the extraction of other efficacy components with their by-products. Third, the utilization of plant-based by-products (roots, stems, leaves, flowers, and fruit residuals). However, the comprehensive use of goji berry is hampered by the non-standardized production technology of resource utilization and the absence of a multi-level co-production and processing technology systems. On the basis of this, we review some novel techniques that are made to more effectively use the resources found in goji berry or its by-products in order to serve as a guide for the thorough use of these resources and the high-quality growth of the goji berry processing industry.

A comprehensive review on the ethnobotany, phytochemistry, pharmacology and quality control of the genus Lycium in China

The Lycium genus, perennial herbs of the Solanaceae family, has been an important source of medicines and nutrient supplements for thousands of years in China, where seven species and three varieties are cultivated. Among these, Lycium barbarum L. and Lycium chinense Mill., two "superfoods", together with Lycium ruthenicum Murr, have been extensively commercialized and studied for their health-related properties. The dried ripe fruits of the genus Lycium are well recognized as functional foods for the management of various ailments including waist and knee pain, tinnitus, impotence, spermatorrhea, blood deficiency and weak eyes since ancient times. Phytochemical studies have reported numerous chemical components in the Lycium genus, categorized as polysaccharides, carotenoids, polyphenols, phenolic acids, flavonoids, alkaloids and fatty acids, and its therapeutic roles in antioxidation, immunomodulation, antitumor treatment, hepatoprotection and neuroprotection have been further confirmed by modern pharmacological studies. As a multi-functional food, the quality control of Lycium fruits has also attracted attention internationally. Despite its popularity in research, limited systematic and comprehensive information has been provided on the Lycium genus. Therefore, herein, we provide an up-to-date review of the distribution, botanical features, phytochemistry, pharmacology and quality control of the Lycium genus in China, which will provide evidence for further in-depth exploration and comprehensive utilization of Lycium, especially its fruits and active ingredients in the healthcare field.

Structural elucidation of a novel arabinogalactan LFP-80-W1 from Lycii fructus with potential immunostimulatory activity

Polysaccharides are the most important effective components of Lycii fructus, which has a variety of biological activities and broad application prospects in the fields of medicine and food. In this study, we reported a novel arabinogalactan LFP-80-W1 with potential immunostimulatory activity. LFP-80-W1 was a continuous symmetrical single-peak with an average molecular weight of 4.58 × 10⁴ Da and was mainly composed of arabinose and galactose. Oligosaccharide sequencing analyses and NMR data showed that the LFP-80-W1 domain consists of a repeated 1,6-linked β-Galp main chain with branches arabinoglycan and arabinogalactan at position C-3. Importantly, we found that LFP-80-W1 could activate the MAPK pathway and promote the release of NO, IL-6, and TNF-α cytokines in vitro. Therefore, our findings suggest that the homogeneous arabinogalactan from Lycii fructus, can be used as a natural immunomodulator.

Recent progress of Lycium barbarum polysaccharides on intestinal microbiota, microbial metabolites and health: a review

Intestinal microbiota is symbiotically associated with host health, learning about the characteristics of microbiota and the factors that modulate it could assist in developing strategies to promote human health and prevent diseases. Polysaccharides from Lycium barbarum (LBPs) are found beneficial for enhancing the activity of gut microbiota, as a potential prebiotic, which not only participates in improving body immunity, obesity, hyperlipidemia and systemic inflammation induced by oxidative stress, but also plays a magnificent role in regulating intestinal microenvironment and improving host health and target intestinal effects via its biological activities, as well as gut microbiota and metabolites. To highlight the internal relationship between intestinal microbiota and LBPs, this review focuses on the latest advances in LBPs on the intestinal microbiota, metabolites, immune regulation, intestinal barrier protection, microbiota-gut-brain axis and host health. Moreover, the preparation, structure, bioactivity and modification of LBPs were also discussed. This review may offer new perspective on LBPs improving health of gut and host via intestinal microbiota, and provide useful guidelines for the application of LBPs in the food industry.

Herb Polysaccharide-Based Drug Delivery System: Fabrication, Properties, and Applications for Immunotherapy

Herb polysaccharides (HPS) have been studied extensively for their healthcare applications. Though the toxicity was not fully clarified, HPS were widely accepted for their biodegradability and biocompatibility. In addition, as carbohydrate polymers with a unique chemical composition, molecular weight, and functional group profile, HPS can be conjugated, cross-linked, and functionally modified. Thus, they are great candidates for the fabrication of drug delivery systems (DDS). HPS-based DDS (HPS-DDS) can bypass phagocytosis by the reticuloendothelial system, prevent the degradation of biomolecules, and increase the bioavailability of small molecules, thus exerting therapeutic effects. In this review, we focus on the application of HPS as components of immunoregulatory DDS. We summarize the principles governing the fabrication of HPS-DDS, including nanoparticles, micelles, liposomes, microemulsions, hydrogels, and microneedles. In addition, we discuss the role of HPS in DDS for immunotherapy. This comprehensive review provides valuable insights that could guide the design of effective HPS-DDS.