Purification, structural elucidation, and anti-inflammatory effect of a water-soluble 1,6-branched 1,3-α-d-galactan from cultured mycelia of Poria cocos

Structural characterization of extracellular polysaccharides from Phellinus igniarius SH-1 and their therapeutic effects on DSS induced colitis in mice

Phellinus igniarius is a valuable medicinal and edible mushroom, and its polysaccharides exhibit excellent anti-inflammatory activity. During liquid fermentation to produce P. igniarius mycelia, the fermentation liquid is often discarded, but it contains extracellular polysaccharides. To better utilize these resources, P. igniarius SH-1 was fermented in a 100 L fermenter, and PIPS-2 was isolated and purified from the fermentation broth. The structural characteristics and anti-inflammatory activity of PIPS-2 were determined. PIPS-2 had a molecular weight of 22.855 kDa and was composed of galactose and mannose in a molar ratio of 0.38:0.62. Structural analysis revealed that the main chain of PIPS-2 involved →2)-α-D-Manp-(1 → 3)-β-D-Galf-(1→, and the side chains involved α-D-Manp-(1 → 6)-α-D-Manp-(1→, α-D-Manp-(1 → 3)-α-D-Manp-(1→, and α-D-Manp-(1. PIPS-2 alleviated the symptoms of dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis in mice, improved the imbalance of inflammatory factors and antioxidant enzymes, and increased short-chain fatty acid contents. Combining the intestinal flora and metabolite results, PIPS-2 was found to regulate the abundance of Firmicutes, Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group, Proteobacteria, Bacteroides, and many serum metabolites including hexadecenal, copalic acid, 8-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid, artepillin C, and uric acid, thereby ameliorating metabolite related disorders in mice with colitis. In summary, PIPS-2 may improve colitis in mice by regulating the gut microbiota and metabolites.

Structural Characterization and Screening for Anti-inflammatory Activity of Polysaccharides with Different Molecular Weights from Astragali Radix

Astragali Radix polysaccharides (APSs) exhibit a broad spectrum of biological activity, which is mainly related to immune regulation. At present, most available studies focus on total APSs or a certain component of APSs. However, systematic structural study and screening for the anti-inflammatory activity of polysaccharides with different molecular weights (MW) have yet to be conducted. In this study, lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW264.7 macrophages were used as a model to investigate the anti-inflammatory activity of APSs and its fractions. The results revealed that fraction APS-I had better anti-inflammatory effects than APS-II. After APS-I was hydrolyzed by trifluoroacetic acid (TFA), the resulting degradation products oligosaccharides were fully methylated. These derivatized oligosaccharides were further analyzed by MALDI-TOF-MS and UPLC-Q-Exactive-MS/MS. The results showed that APS-I was a hetero-polysaccharide with a molecular weight of about 2.0×106 Da, mainly consisting of glucose (46.8 %) and galactose (34.4 %). The degree of polymerization of Astragali Radix oligosaccharides (APOS) was 2-16. APOS were identified as 1,4-glucooligosaccharides and 1,4-galactooligosaccharides. The findings of this study lay the foundation for further elucidation of structure-function relationships of APSs and provide guidance for the development of anti-inflammatory drugs.

Structural characterization and adjuvant activity of a water soluble polysaccharide from Poria cocos

Adjuvants, as the essential component of vaccines, are crucial in enhancing the magnitude, breadth and durability of immune responses. Unfortunately, commonly used Alum adjuvants predominantly provoke humoral immune response, but fail to evoke cellular immune response, which is crucial for the prevention of various chronic infectious diseases and cancers. Thus, it is necessary to develop effective adjuvants to simultaneously induce humoral and cellular immune response. In this work, we obtained a water soluble polysaccharide isolated and purified from Poria cocos, named as PCP, and explored the possibility of PCP as a vaccine adjuvant. The PCP, with Mw of 20.112 kDa, primarily consisted of →6)-α-D-Galp-(1→, with a small amount of →3)-β-D-Glcp-(1 → and →4)-β-D-Glcp-(1→. Our results demonstrated that the PCP promoted the activation of dendritic cells (DCs) and macrophages in vitro. As the adjuvant to ovalbumin, the PCP facilitated the activation of DCs in lymph nodes, and evoked strong antibody response with a combination of Th1 and Th2 immune responses. Moreover, compared to Alum adjuvant, the PCP markedly induced a potent cellular response, especially the cytotoxic T lymphocytes response. Therefore, we confirmed that the PCP has great potential to be an available adjuvant for simultaneously inducing humoral and cellular immune responses.

Poria cocos Attenuated DSS-Induced Ulcerative Colitis via NF-κB Signaling Pathway and Regulating Gut Microbiota

Ulcerative colitis (UC), as a chronic inflammatory disease, presents a global public health threat. However, the mechanism of Poria cocos (PC) in treating UC remains unclear. Here, LC-MS/MS was carried out to identify the components of PC. The protective effect of PC against UC was evaluated by disease activity index (DAI), colon length and histological analysis in dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced UC mice. ELISA, qPCR, and Western blot tests were conducted to assess the inflammatory state. Western blotting and immunohistochemistry techniques were employed to evaluate the expression of tight junction proteins. The sequencing of 16S rRNA was utilized for the analysis of gut microbiota regulation. The results showed that a total of fifty-two nutrients and active components were identified in PC. After treatment, PC significantly alleviated UC-associated symptoms including body weight loss, shortened colon, an increase in DAI score, histopathologic lesions. PC also reduced the levels of inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β, as evidenced by the suppressed NF-κB pathway, restored the tight junction proteins ZO-1 and Claudin-1 in the colon, and promoted the diversity and abundance of beneficial gut microbiota. Collectively, these findings suggest that PC ameliorates colitis symptoms through the reduction in NF-κB signaling activation to mitigate inflammatory damage, thus repairing the intestinal barrier, and regulating the gut microbiota.

Study on fermentation preparation, physicochemical properties and biological activity of carboxymethylpachymaran with different degrees of substitution

BACKGROUND

Carboxymethylpachymaran (CMP) is created by carboxymethylating pachyman (PM), which increases its water solubility and enhances a number of biological activities. Traditional polysaccharides modified by carboxymethylation employ strong chemical techniques. Carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) has been used previously for liquid fermentation to carboxymethyl modify bacterial polysaccharides. This theory can be applied to fungal polysaccharides because Poria cocos has the ability to naturally utilize cellulose.

RESULTS

CMC with different degrees of substitution (DS) (0.7, 0.9 and 1.2) were added to P. cocos fermentation medium, and CMPs with different DS (0.38, 0.56 and 0.78, respectively) were prepared by liquid fermentation. The physical and chemical properties and biological activities of the CMPs were determined. Their structures were confirmed by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and monosaccharide composition. With the increase of DS, the viscosity and viscosity-average molecular weight of CMPs decreased, whereas polysaccharide content and water solubility increased, although the triple helix structure was not affected. The results of bioactivity assay showed that the higher the DS of CMPs, the higher the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging ability, and the stronger the bacterial inhibition ability.

CONCLUSION

The present study has developed a method for producing CMPs by P. cocos liquid fermentation. The results of the study confirm that enhancing the DS of CMP could effectively enhance its potential biological activity. The findings provide safe and reliable raw materials for creating CMP-related foods and encourage CMP application in the functional food industry. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Chemical structures, extraction and analysis technologies, and bioactivities of edible fungal polysaccharides from Poria cocos: An updated review

Poria cocos is a popular medicinal food. Polysaccharides are the key component of Poria cocos, forming 70-90 % of the dry sclerotia mass. Recent studies indicate that Poria cocos polysaccharides (PCP-Cs) have multiple beneficial functions and applications. A literature search was conducted using the Web of Science Core Collection and PubMed databases. For this review, we provided an updated research progress in chemical structures, various extraction and analysis technologies, bioactivities of PCP-Cs, and insights into the directions for future research. The main polysaccharides identified in Poria cocos are water-soluble polysaccharides and acidic polysaccharides. Hot water, alkali, supercritical fluid, ultrasonic, enzyme, and deep eutectic solvent-based methods are the most common methods for PCP-Cs extraction. Technologies such as near-infrared spectroscopy, high-performance liquid chromatography, and ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry, are commonly used to evaluate the qualities of PCP-Cs. In addition, PCP-Cs have antioxidant, immunomodulatory, neuroregulatory, anticancer, hepatoprotective, and gut microbiota regulatory properties. Future research is needed to focus on scaling up extraction, enhancing quality control, elucidating mechanisms of bioactivities, and the utilisation of PCP-Cs in food industries. Overall, Poria cocos is a good source of edible fungi polysaccharides, which can be developed into functional foods with potential health benefits.

Lipopolysaccharides from a Shiraia fruiting body-associated bacterium elicit host fungal hypocrellin A biosynthesis through nitric oxide generation

Hypocrellin A (HA) is an excellent perylenequinone photosensitizer from Shiraia fruiting bodies. A dominant bacterium Pseudomonas fulva SB1 in the fruiting body was found to promote HA biosynthesis. The bacterial LPS were purified and the O-specific polysaccharide (OPS) consisted of rhamnose (Rha), galactose (Gal) and N-acetyl-galactosamine (GalNAc) with an average molecular weight of 282.8 kDa. Although the OPS composing of Rhap and Galp backbone showed elicitation capability on fungal HA accumulation, the highest HA production (303.76 mg/L) was achieved by LPS treatment at 20 μg/mL on day 3 of the mycelium culture. The generation of nitric oxide (NO) in Shiraia mycelia was triggered by LPS, which was partially blocked by inhibitors of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) and nitrate reductase (NR), leading to the depressed HA production. Transcriptome analysis revealed that NO mediated LPS-induced HA production via upregulating the expressions of critical genes associated with central carbon metabolism and downstream HA biosynthesis genes. This is the first report of LPS-induced NO to regulate fungal secondary metabolite production, which provides new insights on the role of bacterial LPS in bacterium-fungus interactions and an effective strategy to enhance hypocrellin production.

A polysaccharide from Epiphyllum oxypetalum (DC.) Haw. and its immunomodulatory activity

A polysaccharide (EOP) from Epiphyllum oxypetalum (DC.) Haw. was isolated and identified, and its immunomodulatory activity was evaluated both in vitro and in vivo. By using multispectral analysis, EOP was determined to be composed of rhamnose, arabinose, galactose, and galacturonic acid at a molar ratio of 26.65:11.48:53.79:6.04, and its molecular weight was 5.77 × 106 Da. In addition, backbone structure of EOP was determined to consist of (1 → 4)-linked β-Galp, (1 → 2)-linked β-Rhap, (1 → 3,4)-linked β-Galp, (1 → 2,4)-linked β-Rhap and (1 → 4) -linked α-GalpA, terminating with t-β-Arap and t-β-Galp. The in vitro immunomodulatory activity assay on RAW 264.7 cell showed that EOP increased the proliferation of macrophages, enhanced its phagocytic capability, and promoted the production of cytokines including nitric oxide (NO), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and interleukin-6 (IL-6). Furthermore, the in vivo evaluation on zebrafish showed that EOP could reduce the residual content of fluorescent microspheres in zebrafish, which indicated that EOP had the capability to enhance the macrophage phagocytosis. All results suggested that EOP showed a complex structure and exhibited significant immunomodulatory activity both in vitro and in vivo that had the potential to be utilized valuably in food and medicine industries.

Advanced culture strategy shows varying bioactivities of sulfated polysaccharides of Poria cocos

This study compares the bioactivity of six sulfated polysaccharides derived from glucose- and sucrose-feeding extracted from P. cocos. Anti-inflammatory potentials of these polysaccharides were evaluated by pretreating lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation in RAW264.7 cells. Of the tested polysaccharides, the sulfated polysaccharide derived from sucrose-feeding at the concentration of 40 g/l (referred to as "suc 40") exhibited the highest anti-inflammatory activity, of 83 %, and 33 % inhibition of IL-6 and TNF-α secretion, respetively. It achieved this by inhibiting the p-38 and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) MAPK signaling pathways. On the other hand, the sulfated polysaccharide derived from glucose-feeding at a concentration of 20 g/l (referred to as "glc 20") demonstrated the greatest anti-lung cancer activity. This was achieved by inducing apoptotic-related molecules, such as poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) and CHOP. Furthermore, glc 20 had the highest contents of sulfate, fucose, and mannose compared to the other tested polysaccharides. This suggests that the composition of monosaccharide residues are critical factors influencing the anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer activities of these sulfated polysaccharides. Overall, this study highlights the potential of sulfated polysaccharides derived from P. cocos to function as bioactive compounds with anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties.

Cyclic hexadepsipeptides from the fermentation of Fusarium sp. DCJ-A and their cytotoxic activities

Beauvercin H (1), a new cyclic hexadepsipeptide, and two known ones (2 and 3) were isolated from the EtOH extract of the solid culture of Fusarium sp. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic analysis, including extensive 1D and 2D NMR techniques, as well as comparison with literature values. Additionally, compounds 1-3 were tested for their cytotoxic activities. The results showed that all isolated compounds exhibited cytotoxic activities against five human cancer cell lines with IC₅₀ values ranging from 1.379 to 13.12 μM.

Structural characterization and anti-inflammatory activity of polysaccharides from Astragalus membranaceus

In this study, two homogeneous polysaccharides (APS-A1 and APS-B1) were isolated from Astragalus membranaceus by DEAE-52 cellulose and Sephadex G-100 column chromatography. Their chemical structures were characterized by molecular weight distribution, monosaccharide composition, infrared spectrum, methylation analysis, and NMR. The results revealed that APS-A1 (2.62 × 10⁶ Da) was a 1,4-α-D-Glcp backbone with a 1,4,6-α-D-Glcp branch every ten residues. APS-B1 (4.95 × 10⁶ Da) was a heteropolysaccharide composed of glucose, galactose, and arabinose (75.24:17.27:19.35). Its backbone consisted of 1,4-α-D-Glcp, 1,4,6-α-D-Glcp, 1,5-α-L-Araf and the sidechains composed of 1,6-α-D-Galp and T-α/β-Glcp. Bioactivity assays showed that APS-A1 and APS-B1 had potential anti-inflammatory activity. They could inhibit the production of inflammatory factors (TNF-α, IL-6, and MCP-1) in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages via NF-κB and MAPK (ERK, JNK) pathways. These results suggested that the two polysaccharides could be potential anti-inflammatory supplements.

Purification and Characterization of the Enzyme Fucoidanase from Cobetia amphilecti Utilizing Fucoidan from Undaria pinnatifida

Fucoidanase is an unstable enzyme with high specificity that requires a large about of time to screen it from microorganisms. In this study, enzymatic hydrolysis was used to produce low-molecular-weight fucoidan from microorganisms via the degradation of high-molecular-weight fucoidan without damage to the sulfate esterification structure of oligosaccharide. The microbial strain HN-25 was isolated from sea mud and was made to undergo mutagenicity under ultraviolet light. Fucoidanase was extracted via ultrasonication and its enzymatic activity was improved via optimization of the ultrasonic conditions. The enzymatic properties and degradation efficiency of fucoidanase were characterized. The microbial strain HN-25 is a Gram-negative aerobic and rod-shaped-cell bacterium, and therefore was identified as Cobetia amphilecti via 16s rDNA. The results proved that fucoidanase is a hydrolytic enzyme with a molecular weight of 35 kDa and with high activity and stability at 30 °C and pH 8.0. The activity of fucoidanase was significantly enhanced by sodium and calcium ions and inhibited by a copper ion and ethylenediaminetetraacetate (EDTA). There was a significant decrease in the molecular weight of fucoidan after enzymatic hydrolysis. The low-molecular-weight fuicodan was divided into four fractions, mainly concentrated at F3 (20~10 kDa) and F4 (≤6 kDa). These consequences suggest that fucoidanase obtained from Cobetia amphilecti is stable and efficient and could be a good tool in the production of bioactive compounds.

Bioactive Compounds and Signaling Pathways of Wolfiporia extensa in Suppressing Inflammatory Response by Network Pharmacology

Wolfiporia extensa (WE) is a medicinal mushroom and an excellent source of naturally occurring anti-inflammatory substances. However, the particular bioactive compound(s) and mechanism(s) of action against inflammation have yet to be determined. Here, we studied anti-inflammatory bioactive compounds and their molecular mechanisms through network pharmacology. Methanol (ME) extract of WE (MEWE) was used for GC-MS analysis to identify the bioactives, which were screened by following Lipinski’s rules. Public databases were used to extract selected bioactives and inflammation-related targets, and Venn diagrams exposed the common targets. Then, STRING and Cytoscape tools were used to construct protein-protein (PPI) network and mushroom-bioactives-target (M-C-T) networks. Gene Ontology and KEGG pathway analysis were performed by accessing the DAVID database and molecular docking was conducted to validate the findings. The chemical reactivity of key compounds and standard drugs was explored by the computational quantum mechanical modelling method (DFT study). Results from GC-MS revealed 27 bioactives, and all obeyed Lipinski’s rules. The public databases uncovered 284 compound-related targets and 7283 inflammation targets. A Venn diagram pointed to 42 common targets which were manifested in the PPI and M-C-T networks. KEGG analysis pointed to the HIF-1 signaling pathway and, hence, the suggested strategy for preventing the onset of inflammatory response was inhibition of downstream NFKB, MAPK, mTOR, and PI3K-Akt signaling cascades. Molecular docking revealed the strongest binding affinity for “N-(3-chlorophenyl) naphthyl carboxamide” on five target proteins associated with the HIF-1 signaling pathway. Compared to the standard drug utilized in the DFT (Density Functional Theory) analysis, the proposed bioactive showed a good electron donor component and a reduced chemical hardness energy. Our research pinpoints the therapeutic efficiency of MEWE and this work suggests a key bioactive compound and its action mechanism against inflammation.

The differences between the water- and alkaline-soluble Poria cocos polysaccharide: A review

Poria cocos (PC) refers to a fungal species which is also known as "Fuling" in China. For >2000 years, PC has demonstrated its therapeutic values as a kind of traditional medicine. It is believed that the various biological benefits created by PCs highly rely on the Poria cocos polysaccharide (PCP). This review recapitulates the recent progress made in PCP in four aspects: i) the methods of extraction, separation, and purification, ii) structural characterization and identification, iii) the related bioactivities and mechanism of action, and iv) structure-activity relationships. Through discussion about the objective as mentioned above, it can be found out that PCP is categorized into water-soluble polysaccharide (WPCP) and alkaline-soluble polysaccharide (APCP), which are totally different in structure and bioactivity. The structures of WPCP are multiplicity whose backbone can be (1,6)-α-galactan and (1,3)-β-mannoglucan etc. to perform various bioactivities including anti-tumor effect, anti-depressant effect, anti-Alzheimer effect, anti-atherosclerosis effect, hepatoprotection etc. The structures of APCP are much more single with backbone of (1,3)-β-D-glucan and the studies of activity concentrate on anti-tumor effect, anti-inflammatory effect and immunomodulation. Besides, the future opportunities of WPCP are primary structure identification. For APCP, scholars can focus on the conformation of polysaccharide and its relationship with activity.

Total Syntheses, Absolute Configurations, and Cytotoxicity Evaluation of Ugonstilbenes A, B, and C from the Rhizomes of Helminthostachys zeylanica

This study describes the first and efficient syntheses of the naturally occurring ugonstilbenes A, B, and C. The stilbene skeleton was prepared using the Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons reaction. On the basis of their specific rotations, the absolute configurations of ugonstilbenes A and C were both determined to be R, while the absolute configuration of ugonstilbene B was determined as 4aS,9aR. The synthesized compounds showed cytotoxic activities against selected human cancer cell lines.

The Effect of Poria cocos Polysaccharide PCP-1C on M1 Macrophage Polarization via the Notch Signaling Pathway

The homogeneous galactoglucan PCP-1C extracted from Poria cocos sclerotium has multiple biological activities. The present study demonstrated the effect of PCP-1C on the polarization of RAW 264.7 macrophages and the underlying molecular mechanism. Scanning electron microscopy showed that PCP-1C is a detrital-shaped polysaccharide with fish-scale patterns on the surface, with a high sugar content. The ELISA assay, qRT-PCR assay, and flow cytometry assay showed that the presence of PCP-1C could induce higher expression of M1 markers, including tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and interleukin-12 (IL-12), when compared with the control and the LPS group, and it caused a decrease in the level of interleukin-10 (IL-10), which is the marker for M2 macrophages. At the same time, PCP-1C induces an increase in the CD86 (an M1 marker)/CD206 (an M2 marker) ratio. The results of the Western blot assay showed that PCP-1C induced activation of the Notch signaling pathway in macrophages. Notch1, ligand Jagged1, and Hes1 were all up-regulated with the incubation of PCP-1C. These results indicate that the homogeneous Poria cocos polysaccharide PCP-1C improves M1 macrophage polarization through the Notch signaling pathway.

SPS, a sulfated galactoglucan of Laetiporus sulphureus, exhibited anti-inflammatory activities

Laetiporus sulphureus is an edible and medicinal mushroom. A sulfated galactoglucan (SPS) was isolated by the papain method. Polysaccharides (PS) were isolated by hot water and ethanol precipitation. The medium molecular weight SPS of 100 to 1000 kDa accounted for over half of the SPS mixture. Fucose, galactose, glucose, and mannose were the major monosaccharides in SPS and PS. The amount of sulfate in SPS was 1.09 mmol/g. SPS showed inhibition of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) release and reversed IκB degradation in LPS-induced RAW264.7 macrophages. The suppression of TNF-α secretion by SPS was through inhibiting the phosphorylation of AKT/extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK), p38, and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK). A purified SPS, named SPS-3, was proven to inhibit the LPS-induced phosphorylation of AKT, ERK, and p-38 in RAW264.7 cells. The suppression of interleukin 6 (IL-6) and transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ) secretion by PS was through inhibiting LPS-induced phosphorylation of p-38 and TGF-β receptor II (TGFRII) signaling pathways. This study demonstrates that the isolated SPS and PS from L. sulphureus possessed good anti-inflammatory activity for dietary supplements and functional food.

Poria cocos Polysaccharide Ameliorated Antibiotic-Associated Diarrhea in Mice via Regulating the Homeostasis of the Gut Microbiota and Intestinal Mucosal Barrier

Poria cocos polysaccharides (PCP) have been validated for several biological activities, including antitumor, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, immunomodulatory, hepatoprotective and modulation on gut microbiota. In this research, we aim to demonstrate the potential prebiotic effects and the therapeutic efficacies of PCP in the treatment of antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD), and confirm the beneficial effects of PCP on gut dysbiosis. Antibiotic-associated diarrhea mice models were established by treating them with broad-spectrum antibiotics in drinking water for seven days. Mice in two groups treated with probiotics and polysaccharide were given Bifico capsules (4.2 g/kg/d) and PCP (250 mg/kg/d) for seven days using intragastric gavage, respectively. To observe the regulatory effects of PCP on gut microbiota and intestinal mucosal barrier, we conducted the following experiments: intestinal flora analysis (16S rDNA sequencing), histology (H&E staining) and tight junction proteins (immunofluorescence staining). The levels of mRNA expression of receptors associated with inflammation and gut metabolism were assessed by real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The study revealed that PCP can comprehensively improve the clinical symptoms of AAD mice, including fecal traits, mental state, hair quality, etc., similar to the effect of probiotics. Based on histology observation, PCP significantly improved the substantial structure of the intestine of AAD mice by increasing the expression levels of colonic tight junction protein zonula-occludens 1 (ZO-1) and its mRNA. Moreover, PCP not only increased the abundance of gut microbiota, but also increased the diversity of gut microbiota in AAD mice, including alpha diversity and beta diversity. Further analysis found that PCP can modulate seven characteristic species of intestinal flora in AAD mice, including Parabacteroides_distasonis, Akkermansia_muciniphila, Clostridium_saccharolyticum, Ruminoc-occus_gnavus, Lactobacillus_salivarius, Salmonella_enterica and Mucispirillum_schaedleri. Finally, enrichment analysis predicted that PCP may affect intestinal mucosal barrier function, host immune response and metabolic function by regulating the microbiota. RT-PCR experiments showed that PCP can participate in immunomodulatory and modulation on metabolic by regulating the mRNA expression of forkhead-box protein 3 (FOXP3) and G protein-coupled receptor 41 (GPR41). These results indicated that Poria cocos polysaccharide may ameliorate antibiotic-associated diarrhea in mice by regulating the homeostasis of the gut microbiota and intestinal mucosal barrier. In addition, polysaccharide-derived changes in intestinal microbiota were involved in the immunomodulatory activities and modulation of the metabolism.

Effect of steam explosion pretreatment on polysaccharide isolated from Poria cocos: Structure and immunostimulatory activity

This study aimed to examine the effects of steam explosion (SE) pretreatment on the structural characteristics and immunostimulatory activity of polysaccharide from Poria cocos. Results showed that the average molecular weights of native polysaccharide (PCP) and SE-pretreated polysaccharide (SEPCP) were 18.67 and 6.52 kDa, respectively. PCP and SEPCP shared the same profiles of monosaccharides (mannose, glucose, galactose, and fucose) in different composition ratios, that is, PCP in a molar percentage of 13.5:33:40.3:13.2 and SEPCP in a molar percentage of 2.1:90.3:5.8:1.8. The surface structure of PCP showed smooth and densely spherical particles, whereas SEPCP had a rough surface and porous honeycomb structure. The main linkage types of PCP comprised 1,6-α-d-Galp, 1,2,6-α-d-Glcp, and T-α-d-Manp, whereas SEPCP primarily contained 1,3-β-d-Glcp backbone and T-β-d-Glcp branches. Compared with PCP, we further revealed that SEPCP had a better immune enhancement on the phagocytic ability, NO production, and the secretion levels of TNF-α and IL-6 in RAW 264.7 cells. Collectively, our observations supported that SE pretreatment could help to change the structure and improve the immunostimulatory activity of polysaccharide from P. cocos. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: SE technology is extensively used to extract bioactive components with improved yields owing to this technology's benefits of low energy consumption and high efficiency. SE pretreatment was found to contribute to the destruction of cell-wall structure, which could help to enhance the extraction yields of P. cocos polysaccharide (PCP). Meanwhile, SE pretreatment also could change the structural features and improve the immunostimulatory activity of PCP. This study revealed that more bioactive PCP with strengthened immunoregulatory effect was obtained pretreated by SE. This study was able to provide the effective information on the application of steam explosion technology to promote the further development and utilization of PCP in the pharmaceutical and functional food fields.

A review on the advances in the extraction methods and structure elucidation of Poria cocos polysaccharide and its pharmacological activities and drug carrier applications

Poria cocos polysaccharide (PCP) is one of the main active components of Poria cocos that is extensively used in the world. PCP can be divided into intro-polysaccharides and exopolysaccharides. PCP is mainly composed of glucose, galactose and mannose. There are many methods to exact PCP, and methods can affect its yield. PCP and its derivatives exhibit diverse biological functions such as antitumour, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immune-regulatory, hepatoprotective, etc. There is the potential application of PCP as drug carriers. The review provides a comprehensive summary of the latest extraction and purification methods of PCP, its chemistry, synthesis of PCP derivates, their pharmacological activities and their applications as drug carriers. This review provides comprehensive information on PCP, which can be used as the basis for further research on PCP and its derivates.

Interaction between nanometer calcium oxalate and renal epithelial cells repaired with carboxymethylated polysaccharides

OBJECTIVE

Injury of renal tubular epithelial cells (HK-2) is an important cause of kidney stone formation. In this article, the repairing effect of polysaccharide (PCP0) extracted from the traditional Chinese medicine Poria cocos and its carboxymethylated derivatives on damaged HK-2 cells was studied, and the differences in adhesion and endocytosis of the cells to nanometer calcium oxalate monohydrate (COM) before and after repair were explored.

METHODS

Sodium oxalate (2.8 mmol/L) was used to damage HK-2 cells to establish a damage model, and then Poria cocos polysaccharides (PCPs) with different carboxyl (COOH) contents were used to repair the damaged cells. The changes in the biochemical indicators of the cells before and after the repair and the changes in the ability to adhere to and internalize nano-COM were detected.

RESULTS

The natural PCPs (PCP0, COOH content = 2.56%) were carboxymethylated, and three carboxylated modified Poria cocos with 7.48% (PCP1), 12.07% (PCP2), and 17.18% (PCP3) COOH contents were obtained. PCPs could repair the damaged HK-2 cells, and the cell viability was enhanced after repair. The cell morphology was gradually repaired, the proliferation and healing rate were increased. The ROS production was reduced, and the polarity of the mitochondrial membrane potential was restored. The level of intracellular Ca²⁺ ions decreased, and the autophagy response was weakened.

CONCLUSION

The cells repaired by PCPs inhibited the adhesion to nano-COM and simultaneously promoted the endocytosis of nano-COM. The endocytic crystals mainly accumulated in the lysosome. Inhibiting adhesion and increasing endocytosis could reduce the nucleation, growth, and aggregation of cell surface crystals, thereby inhibiting the formation of kidney stones. With the increase of COOH content in PCPs, its ability to repair damaged cells, inhibit crystal adhesion, and promote crystal endocytosis all increased, that is, PCP3 with the highest COOH content showed the best ability to inhibit stone formation.

Traditional Chinese Medicine is effective for COVID-19: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has played crucial roles in treating COVID-19 in China. But its effectiveness has not yet been widely realized/recognized over the world. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate the clinical efficacy of TCM medicine in the treatment for COVID-19. We obtained the data of COVID-19 and traditional Chinese medicine from PubMed, MEDLINE, Web of Science and other databases, and searched from January 1, 2020 to January 26, 2022 to determine the randomized controlled trials (RCTs) without language restrictions. The review includes 26 randomized clinical trials including 2981 patients. The treatment of COVID-19 by TCM combined with conventional treatment is more effective than by pure conventional treatment in many aspects, including increasing of the effective rate [OR ​= ​2.47, 95%CI (1.85, 3.30), P ​< ​0.00001], fever disappearance rate [OR ​= ​3.68, 95%CI (1.95, 6.96), P ​< ​0.0001], fatigue disappearance rate [OR ​= ​3.15, 95%CI (1.60, 6.21), P ​= ​0.0009], cough disappearance rate [OR ​= ​2.89, 95%CI (1.84, 4.54), P ​< ​0.00001], expectoration disappearance rate [OR ​= ​5.94, 95%CI (1.98, 17.84), P ​= ​0.001], disappearance rate of shortness of breath [OR ​= ​2.57, 95%CI (1.13, 5.80), P ​= ​0.02], improvement rate of CT image [OR ​= ​2.43, 95%CI (1.86, 3.16), P ​< ​0.00001], and reduction of the hospitalization time [MD ​= ​−3.16, 95%CI (−3.75, −2.56), P ​< ​0.00001], and deterioration rate [OR ​= ​0.49, 95%CI (0.29, 0.83), P ​= ​0.007]. The findings of this meta-analysis suggest that TCM can effectively relieve symptoms, boosted patients' recovery, cut the rate of patients developing into severe conditions, and reduce the deterioration rate.

The Traditional Usages, Chemical Components and Pharmacological Activities of Wolfiporia cocos: A Review

As an endemic species,Wolfiporia cocos (F.A. Wolf) Ryvarden & Gilb. is widely distributed, such as in China, Korea, Japan, and North America, which have had a dual-purpose resource for medicines and food for over 2000 years. The applications of W. cocos were used to treat diseases including edema, insomnia, spleen deficiency, and vomiting. What's more, there have been wide uses of such edible fungi as a function food or dietary supplement recently. Up until now, 166 kinds of chemical components have been isolated and identified from W. cocos including triterpenes, polysaccharides, sterols, diterpenes, and others. Modern pharmacological studies showed that the components hold a wide range of pharmacological activities both in vitro and in vivo, such as antitumor, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, anti-oxidant, and antidepressant activities. In addition, present results showed that the mechanisms of pharmacological activities were closely related to chemical structures, molecular signaling paths and the expression of relate proteins for polysaccharides and triterpenes. For further in-depth studies on this fungus based on the recent research status, this review provided some perspectives and systematic summaries of W. cocos in traditional uses, chemical components, pharmacological activities, separation and analysis technologies, and structure-activity relationships.

Structural characterization and SARS-CoV-2 inhibitory activity of a sulfated polysaccharide from Caulerpa lentillifera

Caulerpa lentillifera (Bryopsidophyceae, Chlorophyta) is an edible seaweed attracting great attention for its expansion of farming scale and increasing consumption in these years. In the present study, a sulfated polysaccharide (CLSP-2) was isolated and separated from C. lentillifera, and its chemical structure was elucidated by a series of chemical and spectroscopic methods. Among these methods, mild acid hydrolysis and photocatalytic degradation were applied to release mono- and oligo-saccharide fragments which were further identified by HPLC-MSⁿ analysis, affording the information of the sugar sequences and the sulfate substitution in CLSP-2. Results indicated that the backbone of CLSP-2 was constructed of →6)-β-Manp-(1→ with sulfated branches at C2, which were comprised of prevalent →3)-β-Galp4S-(1→, →3)-β-Galp2,4S-(1→, and minor Xyl. In addition, the virus neutralization assay revealed that CLSP-2 could effectively protect HeLa cells against SARS-CoV-2 infection with an IC₅₀ of 48.48 μg/mL. Hence, the present study suggests CLSP-2 as a promising agent against SARS-CoV-2.

Two new sesquiterpene aryl esters from Armillaria gallica 012m

Two new sesquiterpene aryl esters, armimelleolides A and B (1 and 2), and four known ones, were isolated from the EtOAc extract of Armillaria gallica 012 m by column chromatography on silica gel, reversed-phase C₁₈ silica gel and semi-preparative HPLC. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic methods, including extensive 1 D NMR, 2 D NMR and MS. All these compounds showed potential antitumor activities against at least one of the human cancer cell lines (A549, HCT-116, M231 and W256), with IC₅₀ ranging from 2.57 to 19.94 μM.

Effect of carbohydrate-feeding strategy on the production, physiochemical changes, anti-inflammation activities of polysaccharides of Poria cocos

The aim of this research was to physiochemically characterize the structure and study the pharmaceutical benefits of the polysaccharide (PS) produced by Poria cocos using two selected carbohydrates (sucrose, and potato dextrose broth) in the in vitro culture system. A direct dosage effect was shown as sucrose- or PDB-based medium on the PS yield of Paragalago cocos. Very low-molecular-weight PS (<1 kDa) were largely synthesized by sucrose and PDB feeding. Sucrose-feeding mycelia of P. cocos results in a direct dosage effect in the fructose component in the PS. Sucrose and PDB feeding increased the glucose content but decreased the galactose content of PS. This study examined the anti-inflammatory activities of PS in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW264.7 macrophages. At 100 μg/mL and 50 μg/mL, PS from 10 g/L PDB- treatment, denoted as PDB 10, pretreatment showed maximal inhibition of TNF-α and IL-6 release, respectively. Mechanically, PDB10 attenuated IκB from degradation in LPS-induced macrophages, and down-regulated LPS-induced phosphorylation of ERK/AKT/p-38. PDB10 showed dose-dependent inhibition of the LPS induced TGFRII signaling pathways.

Structural characterization and anti-inflammatory activity of a polysaccharide from the lignified okra

The polysaccharide (AP1-b) of molecular weight 6.59 × 10⁵ Da was isolated from lignified okra (Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench) by hot-water extraction, 40 % ethanol precipitation and purified by DEAE Cellulose chromatography, respectively. The structure and anti-inflammatory activity of AP1-b were investigated. AP1-b was composed of galactose, rhamnose, gluctose, arabinose and galacturonic acid in a molar ratio of 1.98:1.00:0.15:0.32:0.29. The structural features showed that the AP1-b consisted of →2)-α-d-Rhap-(1→, →4)-β-d-Galp-(1→, →4)-α-d-GalpA-(1→, →6)-β-d-Galp-(1→, β-d-Glcp-(1→ and α-l-Araf-(1→. AP1-b could observably improve the inflammatory injury of LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells by inhibiting the secretion of NO and decreasing the levels of pro-inflammatory factors (IL-1β, iNOS and TNF-α). AP1-b also inhibited the phosphorylation levels of IκB and p65 proteins, manifesting the anti-inflammatory activity of AP1-b may associated with inhibition of NF-κB signaling pathway. Therefore, AP1-b had potential value in treating inflammatory injury.

Inhibition of Calcium Oxalate Formation and Antioxidant Activity of Carboxymethylated Poria cocos Polysaccharides

Three carboxymethylated Poria cocos polysaccharides (PCP-C1, PCP-C2, and PCP-C3) with -COOH contents of 6.13%, 10.24%, and 16.22%, respectively, were obtained by carboxymethylation of the original polysaccharide (PCP-C0), which has a molecular weight of 4 kDa and a carboxyl (-COOH) content of 2.54%. The structure of the PCP-Cs was characterized by FT-IR, ¹H NMR, and ¹³C NMR spectra. The four PCP-Cs exhibited antioxidant activity, and their ability to scavenge radicals (hydroxyl and DPPH) and chelate ferrous ions was positively correlated with the degree of carboxymethylation. As the content of -COOH groups in the PCP-Cs increases, their ability to regulate the growth of calcium oxalate (CaOx) crystals was enhanced, thus inhibiting the growth of calcium oxalate monohydrate (COM) crystals and inducing the formation of more calcium oxalate dihydrate (COD) crystals. The formed CaOx crystal was more round and blunt, the absolute value of the Zeta potential on the crystal surface increased, and the aggregation between crystals was inhibited. Thermogravimetric analysis curves showed that the proportions of PCP-C0, PCP-C1, PCP-C2, and PCP-C3 incorporated into the crystal were 20.52%, 15.60%, 10.65%, and 9.78%, respectively, in the presence of 0.4 g/L PCP-Cs. PCP-C protection resisted oxidative damages of human kidney proximal tubular epithelial cells (HK-2) caused by oxalate, resulting in increased cell viability and superoxide dismutase activity and decreased reactive oxygen species levels, malondialdehyde content, and 8-hydroxy-deoxyguanosine expression. Hence, PCP-Cs, especially PCP-C3, can inhibit the formation of CaOx crystals and may have the potential to be an alternative antistone drug.

Geographical traceability and multielement analysis of edible and medicinal fungi: Taking Wolfiporia cocos (F.A. Wolf) Ryvarden and Gilb. as an example

Different geographical environment has a certain influence on the accumulation of fungi elements and chemical components. However, our knowledge is limited to elucidate the fungi elements in response to heterogeneous environmental and the quality differences among different habitats. Here, multielement analysis, FTIR spectrum, and feature-level fusion technique combined with chemometrics were used to study Wolfiporia cocos from different geographical areas, different sampling sites and different altitude sources. From the results, (1) there is significant difference in element content of samples from different sampling sites and no positive correlation with geographical ranges. (2) There is a correlation between elevation and elements, and relatively low elevation (<1,800 m) is conducive to the enrichment of elements. (3) From the perspective of elements, the W. cocos in Yuxi have relatively better quality. (4) FTIR and feature-level models can well realize origin identification. The SVM models are better than the PLS-DA models, and the feature-level model is better than the single FTIR models. In summary, this study demonstrated that the developed method was reliable and could realize the genuineness evaluation and origin identification of W. cocos. The results have implications for the establishment of the technology system of geographical traceability and the development of high-quality geographical indication products of W. cocos.

Structural Identification and Coagulation Effect of Flammulina velutipes Polysaccharides

Two polysaccharides were isolated successfully from Flammulina velutipes and identified as CHFVP-1 (24.44 kDa) and CHFVP-2 (1497 kDa). Based on the results of Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), gas chromatography (GC), gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS), and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy regarding the structure of CHFVP-1 and CHFVP-2, CHFVP-1 was constructed with the backbone of→6)-α-D-Galp-(1→ and the branch of Galp by an →3,6)-α-D-Manp-(1→attached with T-β-D-Glcp or t-α-L-Fucp side chains. Meanwhile, the CHFVP-2 was a glucan with the construction of →6)-β-D-Glcp-(1→ and T-β-D-Glcp. Moreover, the coagulant activity in vitro of CHFVP-1 and CHFVP-2 was evaluated, and the results showed that CHFVP-1 exerts procoagulant activity by shortening the activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) and thrombin time (TT), while CHFVP-2 did not reveal a definite coagulant activity. The finding would benefit the further application of F. velutipes in the field of medicine.

Analysis of Nutritional Composition in 23 Kinds of Edible Fungi

To explore the differences in the main nutritional composition of 23 kinds of common edible fungi in the market, the moisture, ash, protein, fat, dietary fiber, carbohydrates, polysaccharides, and energy were analyzed using national standard methods. The results showed that the 23 kinds of edible fungi varied greatly in nutritional composition. Based on dry weight, the moisture content was 6.9∼15.5 g/100 g, the ash content ranged from 1.3 to 10.1 g/100 g, the protein content ranged from 8.5 to 36.9 g/100 g, the fat content was 0.5∼3.9 g/100 g, the dietary fiber content was between 14.4∼70.2 g/100 g, the carbohydrate content is 0.5∼37.3 g/100 g, the polysaccharide content was 2.1∼8.3 g/100 g, and the energy is about 751∼1322 100 g/kJ. All the 23 kinds of edible fungi can be regarded as high-protein low-fat foods, which have their own advantages in terms of nutritional value. This study provides reference for people to use edible fungi in a more scientific and reasonable way.

The Development of Hyaluronan/Fucoidan-Based Nanoparticles as Macrophages Targeting an Epigallocatechin-3-Gallate Delivery System

The aim of this study was to develop a macrophage-targeted nanoparticle composed of hyaluronan/fucoidan complexes with polyethylene glycol-gelatin to encapsulate and deliver epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), a compound that can regulate macrophage activation and pro-inflammatory mediator production. We show that our nanoparticles can successfully bond to macrophages and deliver more EGCG than an EGCG solution treatment, confirming the anti-inflammatory effects of these nanoparticles in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated macrophages. The prepared nanoparticles were established with a small mean particle size (217.00 ± 14.00 nm), an acceptable polydispersity index (0.28 ± 0.07), an acceptable zeta potential value (-33.60 ± 1.30 mV), and a high EGCG loading efficiency (52.08% ± 5.37%). The targeting abilities of CD44 binding were increased as the hyaluronan concentration increased and decreased by adding a competitor CD44 antibody. Moreover, we found that fucoidan treatment significantly reduced macrophage migration after lipopolysaccharide treatment in a dose-responsive manner. In summary, we successfully created macrophage-targeted nanoparticles for effective targeted delivery of EGCG, which should aid in the development of future anti-inflammatory drugs against macrophage-related diseases.

Poria cocos water extract ameliorates the behavioral deficits induced by unpredictable chronic mild stress in rats by down-regulating inflammation

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Poria cocos is a medicinal mushroom of the Polyporaceae family with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, which has been used for its sedative, diuretic and tonic effects in traditional medicine for several hundred years.

AIM OF STUDY

Considering that depression is an inflammatory related mental disease, this study investigated the antidepressant-like effects of water extract of P. cocos in a rodent animal model.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Rats that were exposed to a forced swimming test (FST) for 28 consecutive days, and unpredictable chronic mild stress (UCMS) for five weeks underwent treatment with P. cocos water extract (PCW) (doses: 100, 300 and 900 mg/kg body weight [bw]; administered by gavage). Dopamine (DA), serotonin (5-HT) and their metabolites in the frontal cortex of rats were measured.

RESULTS

Our results firstly showed that sucrose preference during the UCMS paradigm was increased and immobility time in the FST was reduced with administration of PCW. In addition, PCW significantly attenuated UCMS-induced turnover rate of DA and 5-HT in the frontal cortex. Moreover, PCW inhibited UCMS-induced activated inflammatory response, reflected by reduced expression in the frontal cortex of p38, NF-κB and TNF-α.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results strongly suggest that PCW exhibits a potent antidepressant-like effect via regulation of monoaminergic neurotransmission and inactivation of inflammation, and that P. cocos may be considered as a traditional herbal potential medicine for the treatment of depression.

The important role of polysaccharides from a traditional Chinese medicine-Lung Cleansing and Detoxifying Decoction against the COVID-19 pandemic

The new coronavirus pneumonia, named COVID-19 by the World Health Organization, has become a pandemic. It is highly pathogenic and reproduces quickly. There are currently no specific drugs to prevent the reproduction and spread of COVID-19. Some traditional Chinese medicines, especially the Lung Cleansing and Detoxifying Decoction (Qing Fei Pai Du Tang), have shown therapeutic effects on mild and ordinary COVID-19 patients. Polysaccharides are important ingredients in this decoction. This review summarizes the potential pharmacological activities of polysaccharides isolated by hot water extraction from Lung Cleansing and Detoxifying Decoction, which is consistent with its production method, to provide the theoretical basis for ongoing research on its application.

Pre-protective effect of polysaccharides purified from Hericium erinaceus against ethanol-induced gastric mucosal injury in rats

The β-glucan H6PC20 (Mw: 2390 kDa) and α-heteropolysaccharide HPB-3 (Mw: 15 kDa) were purified from the fruiting body of Hericium erinaceus according to the previous methods. Their gastroprotective activities and corresponding structure-activity relationship were studied in the ethanol-induced gastric ulcer model of rats. After intragastric administrated with H6PC20 and HPB-3 for 14 days, macroscopic and histological evaluation of gastric mucosa was improved significantly. The defense and repair factors (EGF, bFGF and PGE₂) were increased, meanwhile, the inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β and TNF-α) and MDA were reduced. These results indicated that H6PC20 and HPB-3 presented gastroprotective activities with the mechanism of activating repair and defense system, decreasing the inflammatory response and alleviating the oxidative injury. Furthermore, the structure-activity relationship showed that the macromolecular β-glucan was better for repair and defense system, while the low weight molecular α-heteropolysaccharide focused on the anti-inflammatory effect. The polysaccharides purified from H. erinaceus can be developed as a potential gastroprotective ingredient for applications in pharmaceutical field.

Comparative Studies on Polysaccharides, Triterpenoids, and Essential Oil from Fermented Mycelia and Cultivated Sclerotium of a Medicinal and Edible Mushroom, Poria Cocos

Poria cocos, an important medicinal and edible fungus, is well known in East Asia. The main active components are water-soluble polysaccharides (WPS) and triterpenoids. Due to the growing market demand, long cultivation period, and consumption of pine trunk during cultivation, alternative methods for producing P. cocos or its active components should be investigated. In this study, WPS, triterpenoids, monosaccharide composition, and essential oil in fermented mycelia and cultivated sclerotium were analyzed using UV spectrophotometry, HPLC, pre-column derivatization, and HS-GC/MS, respectively. Our results showed that the WPS and triterpenoids in mycelia are several times higher than those in sclerotium. Among the 62 compounds identified by HS-GC/MS analysis from the essential oil obtained from the fermentation media and a fresh external layer, the two main fragrances in common were linalool and methyl phenylacetate. Our results suggested that it is applicable to produce polysaccharides and triterpenoids by the fermentation of P. cocos, and a strategy to improve triterpenoid production in the fermentation process was proposed.

Insights into Triterpene Acids in Fermented Mycelia of Edible Fungus Poria cocos by a Comparative Study

As an edible sclerotia-forming fungus, Poria cocos is widely used as a food supplement and as a tonic in China. High-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole/time-of-flight mass spectrometry (HPLC-QTOF-MS/MS) was applied to identify triterpene acids in fermented mycelia of P. cocos, as well as the epidermis and inner part of natural sclerotia. A total of 19 triterpene acids were identified in fermented mycelia, whereas 31 were identified in the epidermis and 24 in the inner part. Nine triterpene acids were quantitatively determined, and the concentrations of two valuable triterpenes, dehydropachymic acid and pachymic acid, reached 1.07 mg/g and 0.61 mg/g in the fermented mycelia part, respectively, and were both significantly higher than the concentration in the two natural parts. The fermented mycelia could be a good choice for producing some target triterpene compounds and functional foods through fermentation thanks to the high concentration of some triterpene acids.

The protective effects of Poria cocos-derived polysaccharide CMP33 against IBD in mice and its molecular mechanism

In this study, the protective effects of a carboxymethyl polysaccharide CMP33 from Poria cocos against inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) were investigated using TNBS-induced colitis in mice. The results showed that CMP33 markedly ameliorated the severity of colitis, including a 2-fold decrease in the mortality rate, a 50% decrease in disease activity index, and a 36%-44% decrease in macro- or microscopic histopathological score, compared with TNBS administration. Moreover, CMP33 decreased the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and increased the levels of anti-inflammatory cytokines in the colon tissue and serum of colitic mice. Using iTRAQ-coupled- nano-HPLC-MS/MS-based proteomics, the protein profiles after TNBS, high- or low-dose CMP33 and salazosulfapyridine (SASP) treatments were compared and many differentially expressed proteins were identified. Among them, 7 proteins (Hmgcs2, Fabp2, Hp, B4galnt2, B3gnt6, Sap and Ca1) were proposed to be the common targeting protein group (TPG) of CMP33 and drug SASP. Particularly, some targeting proteins were CMP33-dose-specific: high-dose-specific TPG (Mtco3, Gal-6, Mptx, S100 g and Hpx) and low-dose-specific TPG (Zg16, Hexb, Insl5, Cept1, Hspb6 and Ifi27l2b), suggesting the complex acting mechanism of CMP33. GC-TOF-MS-based metabolomics revealed that oleic acid and dihydrotestosterone could be the common targets of CMP33 and SASP. By integrative analysis of proteomics and metabolomics, key protein-metabolite pathways (PMP) were identified, PMP for high-dose: 2-hydroxybutyric acid - (GPT, GGH) - glutathione - ALB - testosterone - TTR - dihydrotestosterone; PMP for low-dose: (PYY, FABP2, HMGCS2) - oleic acid - TTR - dihydrotestosterone. In total, these results demonstrated the protective effects of CMP33 against IBD in mice through the potential TPG and PMP.

Purification, antitumor and anti-inflammation activities of an alkali-soluble and carboxymethyl polysaccharide CMP33 from Poria cocos

A carboxymethyl polysaccharide CMP33 (15.23 × 10⁴ Da) was isolated from edible and pharmaceutical mushroom Poria cocos using alkaline extraction followed by DEAE-52 and Saphadex-G200 + Saphadex-G150 column chromatographies. The structure analysis showed that CMP33 was composed of glucosyl residues containing a backbone chain of (1 → 3)-linked glucose residues and side chains of (1 → 6) and (1 → 2)-linked glucose residues, and possessed triple-helix structure. Bioassay results revealed that CMP33 displayed a dose-dependent inhibition on 5 cancer cells (HepG-2, MCF-7, SGC-7901, A549) in the range of 31.25-1000 μg/mL, but low cytotoxicity on normal liver cells L-O2. Moreover, CMP33 stimulated NO release and cytokine secretion (IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α), and also inhibited LPS-stimulated overproduction of NO, IL-6, TNF-α and IL-1β, in RAW264.7 cells. These results suggested that CMP33 possessed anticancer, anti-inflammation and immune-stimulation activities, and potential for developing as a bioactive ingredient in functional foods.

Structure characterization, physicochemical property and immunomodulatory activity on RAW264.7 cells of a novel triple-helix polysaccharide from Craterellus cornucopioides

In the study, a new triple-helix polysaccharide with favorable stability was purified from C. cornucopioides. Its structural characterization, stability and solution behavior were investigated by the GC-MS, periodate oxidation-smith degradation, FT-IR, 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy, methylation analysis, Scanning electron microscope, Congo-red, CD, TGA and DSC analysis. The results showed that Craterellus cornucopioide polysaccharide (CCP) possessed the molecular weight of 1.97 × 10³ kDa, is mainly composed of mannose (48.73%), galactose (17.37%), glucose (15.97%) and xylose (17.93%), respectively. It was a heteroglycan with (1 → 3)‑linked‑β‑d‑Manp‑(1 → 6)‑linked α‑d‑Galp backbone distributed by (1 → 4)‑linked‑α‑d‑Xylp‑t‑α‑d‑Manp and t‑β‑d‑Glup units at O-6. The result of TGA and DSC assay indicated that CCP has a favorable thermal stability. MTT and Scanning electro microscopy (SEM) assay showed that CCP could significantly improve the proliferation activity and induce cells activation of RAW264.7 in a certain range of concentrations and period.

Fucoidan Extracted from the New Zealand Undaria pinnatifida-Physicochemical Comparison against Five Other Fucoidans: Unique Low Molecular Weight Fraction Bioactivity in Breast Cancer Cell Lines

Fucoidan, the complex fucose-containing sulphated polysaccharide varies considerably in structure, composition, and bioactivity, depending on the source, species, seasonality, and extraction method. In this study, we examined five fucoidans extracted from the same seaweed species Undaria pinnatifida but from different geological locations, and compared them to the laboratory-grade fucoidan from Sigma (S). The five products differed in molecular composition. The amount of over 2 kDa low molecular weight fraction (LMWF) of the New Zealand crude fucoidan (S1) was larger than that of S, and this fraction was unique, compared to the other four fucoidans. The difference of molecular compositions between S and S1 explained our previous observation that S1 exhibited different anticancer profile in some cancer cell lines, compared with S. Since we observed this unique LMWF, we compared the cytotoxic effects of a LMWF and a high molecular weight fucoidan (HMWF) in two breast cancer cell lines-MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231. Results indicated that the molecular weight is a critical factor in determining the anti-cancer potential of fucoidan, from the New Zealand U. pinnatifida, as the LMWF exhibited a dose-dependent inhibition on the proliferation of breast cancer cells, significantly better than the HMWF, in both cell lines. A time-dependent inhibition was only observed in the MCF-7. Induction of caspase-dependent apoptosis was observed in the MDA-MB-231 cells, through the intrinsic apoptosis pathway alone, or with the extrinsic pathway. LMWF stimulated a dose-dependent NOS activation in the MDA-MB-231 cells. In conclusion, the fucoidan extracted from the New Zealand U. pinnatifida contains a unique LMWF, which could effectively inhibit the growth of breast cancer cell lines. Therefore, the LMWF from New Zealand U. pinnatifida could be used as a supplement cancer treatment.

A 3-O-methylated heterogalactan from Pleurotus eryngii activates macrophages

Mushroom-derived polysaccharides exhibit various biological activities owing to their diverse structural features. Here, we purified a 3-O-methylated heterogalactan (WPEP-N-b, Mw 21.4 kDa) from the fruiting bodies of Pleurotus eryngii. WPEP-N-b is composed primarily of galactose (43.8%), mannose (39.3%), methyl-galactose (11.7%) and glucose (9.2%) residues, with the main chain being composed of α-1,6-linked D-Galp and 3-O-Me-D-Galp, branched at O-2 with single t-β-D-Manp as major the side chain. β-1,6-D-Glcp residues are present as minor components either in side-chains or backbone. WPEP-N-b increases macrophage phagocytosis and secretion of NO, TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β. Mechanistic studies demonstrate that WPEP-N-b promotes the degradation of IκB-α, and enhances phosphorylation of MAPKs and the NF-κB p65 subunit. Our results also indicate that this polysaccharide activates RAW264.7 cells via MAPK and NF-κB signaling pathways and the Toll-like receptor 2(TLR2). These results increase our understanding as to how mushroom-derived polysaccharides modulate the immunologic process.