Degradation enhances the anticoagulant and antiplatelet activities of polysaccharides from Lycium barbarum L. leaves

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.

Preparation, antibacterial activity, and structure-activity relationship of low molecular weight κ-carrageenan

κ-Carrageenan (KC) is a polysaccharide widely used in food industry. It has been widely studied for its excellent physicochemical and beneficial properties. However, the high molecular weight and high viscosity of KC make it difficult to be absorbed and to exert its' biological activities, thus limit its extensive industrial application. In order to solve this problem, five low molecular weight κ-carrageenans (DCPs) were prepared by the degradation of KC using hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and ascorbic acid (AH2). The chemical compositions and structure characteristics of the DCPs were then determined. The results showed that H2O2 and AH2 could effectively degrade KC to DCPs, and DCPs remained the basic skeletal structure of KC. DCPs showed good antibacterial activities against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Bacillus subtilis. The Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) of DCPs with the highest antibacterial effects were 5.25, 4.5, 5.25, and 4.5 mg/mL, respectively. This is due to the underlying mechanism of DCPs that bind to the bacterial membrane proteins and change the membrane permeability, thus exerting antibacterial activity. In addition, Spearman's rank correlation and Ridge regression analysis revealed that the molecular weight and the contents of 3,6-anhydro-D-galactose, aldehyde group, carboxyl, and sulfate were the main structural characteristics affecting the antibacterial activity. Our findings reveal that the H2O2-AH2 degradation treatment could significantly improve the antibacterial activity of KC and provide insights into the quantitative structure-activity relationships of the antibacterial activity of DCPs.

Effects of Cold Plasma Pretreatment on the Synthesis of Polysaccharide from Pleurotus ostreatus

Fungal polysaccharides have attracted wide attention because of their medical pharmaceutical and health care value. So far, many efforts have been made in strain improvement to produce polysaccharides on a large scale at low cost. Here, a novel cold plasma-induced strain improvement technology was employed to pretreat Pleurotus ostreatus CGMCC 5.374 by radio-frequency (RF) low-vacuum cold plasma (LVCP) for the purpose of obtaining a high-yield polysaccharide strain. The optimum pretreatment conditions including discharge power, treatment time, and working pressure were determined by single factor and orthogonal experiment in succession. Furthermore, transcriptome analysis was conducted to study the effects of RF-LVCP on cell metabolism and proliferation. Results showed that under the optimal condition of discharge power of 130 W, treatment time of 25 s and working pressure of 140 Pa, polysaccharide content in mycelium was increased by 3.16% after 6 days in comparison to the original strain. Transcriptome analysis showed that RF-LVCP is helpful for specific gene transcription profiles, Gene Ontology (GO) and KEGG pathways, of which the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were mainly involve with the up-regulation of polysaccharide transport, physiology, synthesis and metabolism, as well as the down-regulation of polysaccharide hydrolysis and macromolecular degradation.

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.

Polysaccharides from waste Zingiber mioga leaves: Ultrasonic-microwave-assisted extraction, characterization, antioxidant and anticoagulant potentials

Zingiber mioga is a highly economic crop that is used to produce vegetables, spices and herbal pharmaceuticals. Its edible flower bud contributes most to the economic value, but the big leaves were discarded as agricultural waste, which urgently needs to be exploited. In this work, polysaccharides from waste Z. mioga leaves (PWZMLs) were extracted using ultrasonic-microwave-assisted extraction (UMAE). After purification and characterization, the antioxidation and anticoagulation of PWZMLs were evaluated to appraise the potential in cardiovascular protection. Under the liquid-solid ratio of 26: 1 mL/g, after ultrasonication at 495 W for 10 min, followed by microwaving at 490 W for 5 min, the yield of PWZMLs achieved to 6.22 ± 0.14 %, notably higher (P < 0.01) than other methods, and ultrasound contributed more to the yield than microwave. Various analyses confirmed that PWZMLs were negatively charged polysaccharides with galacturonic acid the dominant uronic acid. PWZMLs exerted excellent antioxidant capacity, especially for scavenging 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical. PWZMLs also elicited promising anticoagulant property, particularly for prolonging activated partial thromboplastin time and lowering fibrinogen, which were almost equivalent to heparin at the same concentration. PWZMLs contained two polysaccharide fractions (199.53 and 275.42 kDa) that could synergistically contribute to the pronounced antioxidant and anticoagulant activities. The PWZMLs extracted with optimized UMAE have great potential in cardiovascular protection.

Exploring the partial degradation of polysaccharides: Structure, mechanism, bioactivities, and perspectives

Polysaccharides are promising biomolecules with lowtoxicity and diverse bioactivities in food processing and clinical drug development. However, an essential prerequisite for their applications is the fine structure characterization. Due to the complexity of polysaccharide structure, partial degradation is a powerful tool for fine structure analysis, which can effectively provide valid information on the structure of backbone and branching glycosidic fragments of complex polysaccharides. This review aims to conclude current methods of partial degradation employed for polysaccharide structural characterization, discuss the molecular mechanisms, and describe the molecular structure and solution properties of degraded polysaccharides. In addition, the effects of polysaccharide degradation on the conformational relationships between the molecular structure and bioactivities, such as antioxidant, antitumor, and immunomodulatory activities, are also discussed. Finally, we summarize the prospects and current challenges for the partial degradation of polysaccharides. This review will be of great value for the scientific elucidation of polysaccharide fine structures and potential applications.

Regulation strategy, bioactivity, and physical property of plant and microbial polysaccharides based on molecular weight

Structural features affect the bioactivity, physical property, and application of plant and microbial polysaccharides. However, an indistinct structure-function relationship limits the production, preparation, and utilization of plant and microbial polysaccharides. Molecular weight is an easily regulated structural feature that affects the bioactivity and physical property of plant and microbial polysaccharides, and plant and microbial polysaccharides with a specific molecular weight are important for exerting their bioactivity and physical property. Therefore, this review summarized the regulation strategies of molecular weight via metabolic regulation; physical, chemical, and enzymic degradations; and the influence of molecular weight on the bioactivity and physical property of plant and microbial polysaccharides. Moreover, further problems and suggestions must be paid attention to during regulation, and the molecular weight of plant and microbial polysaccharides must be analyzed. The present work will promote the production, preparation, utilization, and investigation of the structure-function relationship of plant and microbial polysaccharides based on their molecular weight.

Effects of traditional and advanced drying techniques on the physicochemical properties of Lycium barbarum L. polysaccharides and the formation of Maillard reaction products in its dried berries

This study explored the effect of three different industrial drying methods on the physicochemical, nutritional, and safety profile of goji berries. The hot-air (HD) and microwave drying (MD) methods yielded berries with relatively high polysaccharide content, while vacuum freeze-drying (FD) yielded dried berries with better sensory qualities but relatively less polysaccharide content. The polysaccharides obtained from the HD and MD berries had lower molecular weight, high antioxidant activity and high degrees of Maillard reaction. Further investigations revealed that all three methods, in particular HD and MD, generated high levels of intermediate Maillard reaction products (55.8-86.3 mg/kg) and advanced glycation end-products (fluorescent intensity of 26784-51712), based on significant reduction of reducing sugar and amino acids in the HD and MD berries (p < 0.05). These findings highlight the need to scrutinize the effectiveness of traditional and emerging drying technologies used to produce safe fruits.

Effect of ultrasonic degradation on the structural feature, physicochemical property and bioactivity of plant and microbial polysaccharides: A review

With the bioactivities of antioxidant, anti-bacteria, anti-inflammation, immune regulation, antitumor and anti-coagulation, plant and microbial polysaccharides have been widely used in foods, medicine and cosmetics. However, how structure features affect the physicochemical property and bioactivity of plant and microbial polysaccharides is still unclear. Ultrasonic degradation usually degrades or modifies plant and microbial polysaccharides with different physicochemical properties and bioactivities by affecting their chemical or spatial structures via mechanical bond breaking and cavitation effects. Therefore, ultrasonic degradation might be an effective strategy for producing bioactive plant and microbial polysaccharides and analyzing their structure-function relationship. Present review summarized the influence of ultrasonic degradation on structural feature, physicochemical property and bioactivity of plant and microbial polysaccharides. Moreover, further problems need to be paid attention to during the application of ultrasonication for plant and microbial polysaccharides degradation are also recommended. Overall, present review will provide an efficient method for producing enhanced bioactive plant and microbial polysaccharides and analyzing their structure-activity relationship based on ultrasonic degradation.

Therapeutic potential of non-starch polysaccharides on type 2 diabetes: from hypoglycemic mechanism to clinical trials

Non-starch polysaccharides (NSPs) have been reported to exert therapeutic potential on managing type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Various mechanisms have been proposed; however, several studies have not considered the correlations between the anti-T2DM activity of NSPs and their molecular structure. Moreover, the current understanding of the role of NSPs in T2DM treatment is mainly based on in vitro and in vivo data, and more human clinical trials are required to verify the actual efficacy in treating T2DM. The related anti-T2DM mechanisms of NSPs, including regulating insulin action, promoting glucose metabolism and regulating postprandial blood glucose level, anti-inflammatory and regulating gut microbiota (GM), are reviewed. The structure-function relationships are summarized, and the relationships between NSPs structure and anti-T2DM activity from clinical trials are highlighted. The development of anti-T2DM medication or dietary supplements of NSPs could be promoted with an in-depth understanding of the multiple regulatory effects in the treatment/intervention of T2DM.

Lycium Genus Polysaccharide: An Overview of its Extraction, Structures, Pharmacological Activities and Biological Applications

Polysaccharide is considered to be the main active ingredient of the genus Lycium L., which is taken from the dried fruit of the famous Chinese herbal medicine and precious tonic known as wolfberry. Traditional uses include nourishing the liver and kidney and improving eyesight, with widespread use in the clinical practice of traditional Chinese medicine. Many studies have focused on the isolation and identification of the genus Lycium L. polysaccharide and its biological activities. However, the variety of raw materials and the mechanisms of polysaccharides differ. After extraction, the structure and biological activity of the obtained polysaccharides also differ. To date, approximately 58 kinds of polysaccharides have been isolated and purified from the Lycium genus, including water-soluble polysaccharides; homogeneous polysaccharides; pectin polysaccharides; acidic heteropolysaccharides; and arabinogalactans, which are composed of arabinose, glucosamine, galactose, glucose, xylose, mannose, fructose, ribose, galacturonic acid, and glucuronic acid. Pharmacological studies have shown that LBPs exhibit a variety of important biological activities, such as protection of nerves; promotion of reproduction; and anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, hypoglycemic, and eyesight-improving activities. The aim this paper is to summarize previous and current references to the isolation process, structural characteristics, and biological activities of the genus Lycium L. polysaccharide. This review will provide a useful reference for further research and application of the genus Lycium L. polysaccharide in the field of functional food and medicine.

A Novel Polysaccharide from AuriculariaAuricula Alleviates Thrombosis Induced by Carrageenan in Mice

The increasing incidence of cardiovascular diseases has created an urgent need for safe and effective antithrombotic agents. In this study, we aimed to elucidate the structural characteristics and antithrombotic activity of a novel polysaccharide isolated from Auriculariaauricula fruiting bodies. The purified polysaccharide AAP-b2 (12.02 kDa) was composed of mannose, glucuronic acid, glucose and xylose, with a molar ratio of 89.25:30.50:4.25:1.00. Methylation and NMR analyses showed that AAP-b2 primarily consisted of →2,3)-Manp-(1→, →3)-Manp-(1→, →4)-GlcAp-(1→ and Manp-(1→. A thrombus mouse model induced by carrageenan was used in this research to evaluate its antithrombotic effect. AAP-b2 significantly inhibited platelet aggregation, reduced the black tail length and prolonged the coagulation time, including activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), prothrombin time (PT) and thrombin time (TT), exerting a good inhibitory effect on thrombosis in mice. The antithrombotic activity of AAP-b2 was found to be related to the inhibition of platelet activation by regulation of endothelial nitric oxide synthases (eNOs), endothelin-1 (ET-1), prostacyclin (PGI2) and thromboxane B2 (TXB2), along with the enhancement of anticoagulant activity by affecting antithrombin III (AT-III) and protein C (PC) pathways.

Antitumor Potential and Structure Characterization of Polysaccharides From Lagotis brevituba Maxim in the Tibetan Plateau

This study purified two polysaccharides (LBMPs) from Lagotis brevituba Maxim in several steps. The chemical structure of LBMP-2 was determined by HPGPC, FT-IR, IC, ¹H and ¹³C NMR, AFM, SEM, and TEM. The results show that LBMP-2 was mainly composed of GalA, and the Mw of LBMP-2 is 23.799 kDa. In addition, the antioxidant activity, and the antitumor activity in vitro and in vivo were studied. LBMP-2 has excellent antioxidant and antitumor capacity. The inhibition of tumor cell proliferation in vitro may result in the inhibition of aerobic respiration and glycolysis. Tumor growth inhibition in vivo may inhibit the expression of AMPK in tumors and enhance spleen function. Compared with conventional chemotherapy drug cyclophosphamide, LBMP-2 is less harmful to the body and safer. Therefore, LBMP-2 provides a potential source of antitumor drugs.

Structural Characterization of Degraded Lycium barbarum L. Leaves’ Polysaccharide Using Ascorbic Acid and Hydrogen Peroxide

Plant-derived polysaccharide’s conformation and chain structure play a key role in their various biological activities. Lycium barbarum L. leaves’ polysaccharide is well renowned for its health functions. However, its functional bioactivities are greatly hindered by its compact globular structure and high molecular weight. To overcome such issue and to improve the functional bioactivities of the polysaccharides, degradation is usually used to modify the polysaccharides conformation. In this study, the ethanol extract containing crude Lycium barbarum L. leaves’ polysaccharide was first extracted, further characterized, and subsequently chemically modified with vitamin C (Ascorbic acid) and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) to produce degraded Lycium barbarum L. leaves’ polysaccharide. To explore the degradation effect, both polysaccharides were further characterized using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), high performance gel permeation chromatography (HPGPC), and scanning electron microscope (SEM). Results shown that both polysaccharides were rich in sugar and degradation had no significant major functional group transformation effect on the degraded product composition. However, the molecular weight (Mw) had decreased significantly from 223.5 kDa to 64.3 kDa after degradation, indicating significant changes in the polysaccharides molecular structure caused by degradation.

Cardiovascular Protective Effects of Plant Polysaccharides: A Review

Cardiovascular disease is a kind of heart, brain, and blood vessel injury disease by the interaction of various pathological factors. The pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease is complex with various risk factors, including abnormally elevated blood pressure, glucose, and lipid metabolism disorders, atherosclerosis, thrombosis, etc. Plant polysaccharides are a special class of natural products derived from plant resources, which have the characteristics of wide sources, diverse biological activities, and low toxicity or side effects. Many studies have shown that plant polysaccharides improve cardiovascular diseases through various mechanisms such as anti-oxidative stress, restoring the metabolism of biological macromolecules, regulating the apoptosis cascade to reduce cell apoptosis, and inhibiting inflammatory signal pathways to alleviate inflammation. This article reviews the pharmacological effects and protective mechanisms of some plant polysaccharides in modulating the cardiovascular system, which is beneficial for developing more effective drugs with low side effects for management of cardiovascular diseases.

Cognition of polysaccharides from confusion to clarity: when the next "omic" will come?

With the accelerated pace of modern life, people are facing more and more health pressure. The study of polysaccharides seemed a good choice as a potential treasure trove. Polysaccharides, one of the four basic substances (proteins, nucleic acids, lipids and carbohydrates) that constitute life activities, are obviously an underrated macromolecular substance with great potential. Compared with protein and nucleic acid, the research of polysaccharides is still in the primary stage. The relationship between structure and function of polysaccharides is not clear. In this review, we highlighted the main methods of extraction, purification and structure identification of polysaccharides; summarized their biological activities including immunoregulation, hypoglycemic, anti-tumor, anti-virus, anti-coagulation, and so on. Particularly, the relationship between their structures and activities was described. In addition, the applications of polysaccharides in health food, medicine and cosmetics were also reviewed. This review can help polysaccharide researchers quickly understand the whole process of polysaccharides research, and also provide a reference for the comprehensive utilization of polysaccharides. We need to standardize the research of polysaccharides to make the experimental data more universal, and take it as important references in the review process. Glycomic may appear as the next "omic" after genomic and proteomic in the future. This review provides support for the advancement of glycomics.

Structural studies of a mannoglucan from Cremastra appendiculata (Orchidaceae) by chemical and enzymatic methods

Pseudobulb of Cremastra appendiculata (Orchidaceae) is a traditionally used medicine in China for treatment of certain cancers. The polysaccharides from this medicinal plant are poorly understood. Therefore, we focused on the isolation and fine structure characterization of C. appendiculata polysaccharides. After isolation by DE-52 and Superdex 200 gel chromatography, the purified polysaccharide (named as CAP) with Mw 557.5 kDa was obtained with a narrow and symmetric peak presented in the HPGPC. The monosaccharide composition results showed in HPAEC that CAP was a heteropolysaccharide composed of glucose and mannose at a molar ratio roughly 0.34:0.66. The methylation results indicated that CAP was a 1,4-β-mannose and 1,4-β-glucose linear linkage. The further NMR studies suggested a 0.208 acetylation substitution of CAP and a hexasaccharide repeating unit composed of 1,4-β-mannose and1, 4-β-glucose in the CAP structure. The chemical structure of CAP was confirmed further by the specific glucanase and mannanase hydrolysis results.

Free radical-mediated degradation of polysaccharides: Mechanism of free radical formation and degradation, influence factors and product properties

Increasing studies focus on the degradation of polysaccharides by free radicals. The review mainly provides an overview of degradation of polysaccharides by free radicals generated from hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂). Evidence suggests that free radicals generated from H₂O₂ can be generated by various mechanisms. It broke glycosidic bonds mainly through hydrogen abstraction, causing the degradation of polysaccharides. Its degradation efficiency is affected by many factors, such as the concentration of polysaccharides and H₂O₂, temperature and pH. In addition, free radical degradation could change the physicochemical and structural properties of polysaccharides, such as water solubility, thermal stability, molecular weight, monosaccharide composition, apparent morphology, and chain conformation, but it had little effects on the primary structure of polysaccharides. Besides, free radical degradation could also improve the bioactivities of polysaccharides, including antioxidant, antitumor and anticoagulant activities.

Strategies to Increase the Biological and Biotechnological Value of Polysaccharides from Agricultural Waste for Application in Healthy Nutrition

Nowadays, there is a growing interest in the extraction and identification of new high added-value compounds from the agro-food industry that will valorize the great amount of by-products generated. Many of these bioactive compounds have shown beneficial effects for humans in terms of disease prevention, but they are also of great interest in the food industry due to their effect of extending the shelf life of foods by their well-known antioxidant and antimicrobial activity. For this reason, an additional research objective is to establish the best conditions for obtaining these compounds from complex by-product structures without altering their activity or even increasing it. This review highlights recent work on the identification and characterization of bioactive compounds from vegetable by-products, their functional activity, new methodologies for the extraction of bioactive compounds from vegetables, possibly increasing their biological activity, and the future of the global functional food and nutraceuticals market.

Is the Household Microwave Recommended to Obtain Antioxidant-Rich Extracts from Lycium barbarum Leaves?

Nowadays, much interest is devoted to the extraction of plant materials, considering also their waste and by-products, to obtain antioxidant-rich products. The effect of household microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) on the phenolic content and antioxidant activity of Lycium barbarum leaf extracts was investigated. An experimental design approach was adopted considering solid/liquid ratio (1, 3, and 5 g of leaves in 150 mL water), irradiation time (1, 3, and 5 min), and microwave power (300, 400, and 500 W) as independent variables. These three factors and their interactions were studied to evaluate the effect of MAE conditions on the responses of total phenolic content, antioxidant activity, and chlorogenic acid content. The results showed that the analytical parameters were positively influenced by the solid/liquid ratio and time. On the contrary, microwave power was inversely correlated with the investigated responses. This research revealed that microwave extraction conditions should be carefully monitored to obtain bioactive-rich aqueous extracts with high antioxidant activity. A comparison with household traditional methods showed an unexpected lower phenolic content and antioxidant activity for MAE extract in respect to the decoction and infusion. In fact, it was found that L. barbarum leaf infusion had the best functional properties, regarding the investigated characteristics. The outcome of this study has implications for raising awareness that household preparation conditions strongly affect the health properties of herbal extracts.

Degraded Porphyra yezoensis polysaccharide protects HK-2 cells and reduces nano-COM crystal toxicity, adhesion and endocytosis

We studied the protection of degraded Porphyra yezoensis polysaccharide (PYP) on human proximal tubular epithelial cells (HK-2) from cytotoxicity of nano-calcium oxalate monohydrate (COM) crystal, and the regulation of adhesion and endocytosis of the COM crystal. Four degraded fractions, namely, PYP1, PYP2, PYP3, and PYP4, were successfully obtained, with molecular weights (Mws) of 576.2, 49.5, 12.6, and 4.02 kDa, respectively. PYP protection reduced the crystal toxicity, prevented the destruction of cell morphology and cytoskeleton, inhibited the production of reactive oxygen species and the decline of lysosomal integrity, and reduced the expression of osteopontin and transmembrane protein (CD44). PYPi inhibited the adhesion and endocytosis of HK-2 cells by nano-COM. Endocytic COM crystals were accumulated in the lysosomes. With decreasing molecular weight, the ability of PYP to reduce cell damage and inhibit cell adhesion and endocytosis increased. PYP4, which has the smallest molecular weight, weaker intramolecular hydrogen bonds and more reducing groups, showed the best biological activity. PYPi can reduce the oxidative damage of the crystal to the cell, inhibit the adhesion and endocytosis of the crystal, and reduce the risk of kidney stone formation. Therefore, PYP, especially PYP4, has potential for use as a green drug to inhibit the formation and recurrence of calcium oxalate stones.

Anti-platelet Drug-loaded Targeted Technologies for the Effective Treatment of Atherothrombosis

Atherothrombosis results from direct interaction between atherosclerotic plaque and arterial thrombosis and is the most common type of cardiovascular disease. As a long term progressive disease, atherosclerosis frequently results in an acute atherothrombotic event through plaque rupture and platelet-rich thrombus formation. The pathophysiology of atherothrombosis involves cholesterol accumulation endothelial dysfunction, dyslipidemia, immuno-inflammatory, and apoptotic aspects. Platelet activation and aggregation is the major cause for stroke because of its roles, including thrombus, contributing to atherosclerotic plaque, and sealing off the bleeding vessel. Platelet aggregates are associated with arterial blood pressure and cardiovascular ischemic events. Under normal physiological conditions, when a blood vessel is damaged, the task of platelets within the circulation is to arrest the blood loss. Antiplatelet inhibits platelet function, thereby decreasing thrombus formation with complementary modes of action to prevent atherothrombosis. In the present scientific scenario, researchers throughout the world are focusing on the development of novel drug delivery systems to enhance patient's compliance. Immediate responding pharmaceutical formulations become an emerging trend in the pharmaceutical industries with better patient compliance. The proposed review provides details related to the molecular pathogenesis of atherothrombosis and recent novel formulation approaches to treat atherothrombosis with particular emphasis on commercial formulation and upcoming technologies.

Superfine pulverisation pretreatment to enhance crystallinity of cellulose from Lycium barbarum L. leaves

Superfine pulverisation (SFP) pretreatment of Lycium barbarum L. leaves was performed to obtain highly crystalline cellulose. Compared with other common pulverisation methods, SFP enhanced cellulosic crystallinity by 18.3 % and 8.4 %, with and without post-acid treatments, respectively. XRD and solid-state NMR analyses showed that SFP facilitated the exposure of amorphous substances (i.e., hemicellulose and lignin) to NaOH and H₂O₂. Large amounts of silicon (5.5 %) and aluminium (2.1 %) were found to incorporate into the crystalline regions of SFP-produced cellulose. Further FTIR and thermogravimetric analyses revealed that SFP-produced cellulose contained large amounts of hydroxyl groups, affecting the cellulosic crystallinity and thermal stability. These findings demonstrate the potential for SFP to serve as a green technology for production of highly crystalline and mineral-rich cellulose.

Increased antioxidant activity and improved structural characterization of sulfuric acid-treated stepwise degraded polysaccharides from Pholiota nameko PN-01

The aim of this study was to investigate sulfuric acid degradation of the Pholiota nameko polysaccharide (AIPS-1). Three stepwise degraded polysaccharides (AIPS-2, AIPS-3, and AIPS-4) were obtained by sequentially increasing the strength of sulfuric acid treatment. Structural characterization showed that sulfuric acid treatment significantly decreased molecular weight, increased the content of uronic acid and changed the molar ratio of monosaccharide composition, while the major functional groups and the triple helical conformation of polysaccharides did not change significantly. In vitro experiments proved that the antioxidation ability of the stepwise degraded polysaccharides gradually increased (AIPS-1 < AIPS-2 < AIPS-3 < AIPS-4). An oxidative stress zebrafish model was established, which demonstrated that the ability of AIPS-3 and AIPS-4 to scavenge free radicals in zebrafish was significantly improved compared to AIPS-1. In conclusion, sulfuric acid treatment is an effective method for improving the antioxidant activity of polysaccharides, and increased antioxidant activity was closely related to the changes in their structural characteristics.

Extraction Optimization, Structural Characterization, and Anticoagulant Activity of Acidic Polysaccharides from Auricularia auricula-judae

To explore Auricularia auricula-judae polysaccharides (AAP) as natural anticoagulants for application in the functional food industry, ultrasound assisted extraction (UAE) was optimized for the extraction of AAP by using a response surface methodology (RSM). The maximum extraction yield of crude AAP (14.74 mg/g) was obtained at the optimized extraction parameters as follows: Extraction temperature (74 °C), extraction time (27 min), the ratio of liquid to raw material (103 mL/g), and ultrasound power (198 W). Furthermore, the acidic AAP (aAAP) was precipitated with cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) from crude AAP (cAAP). aAAP was further purified using ion exchange chromatography with a DEAE Purose 6 Fast Flow column to obtain aAAP-1. Additionally, according to the HPLC analysis, the aAAP-1 was mainly composed of mannose, glucuronic acid, glucose, galactose, and xylose, with a molar ratio of 80.63:9.88:2.25:1:31.13. Moreover, the results of the activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), prothrombin time (PT), and thrombin time (TT) indicated aAAP-1 had anticoagulant activity, which was a synergic anticoagulant activity by the endogenous and exogenous pathway.

A novel hypoglycemic agent: polysaccharides from laver (Porphyra spp.)

The laver crude polysaccharides were extracted, purified, and subsequently degraded using H₂O₂. One low-molecular-weight polysaccharide PD-1 showing the highest inhibition activity against α-amylase might be used as a novel agent for T2DM management.

Phenol Profiling and Nutraceutical Potential of Lycium spp. Leaf Extracts Obtained with Ultrasound and Microwave Assisted Techniques

In recent years, agricultural and industrial residues have attracted a lot of interest in the recovery of phytochemicals used in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries. In this paper, a study on the recovery of phenol compounds from Lycium spp. leaves is presented. Ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) and microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) have been used with alcoholic and hydroalcoholic solvents. Methanolic UAE was the most successful technique for extracting phenols from Lycium leaves, and we used on leaves from L. barbarum and L. chinense cultivated in Italy. The extracts were then characterized as regards to the antioxidant properties by in vitro assays and the phenol profiling by a high performance liquid chromatography-diode array detector (HPLC-DAD). Chlorogenic acid and rutin were the main phenol compounds, but considerable differences have been observed between the samples of the two Lycium species. For example, cryptochlorogenic acid was found only in L. barbarum samples, while quercetin-3-O-rutinoside-7-O-glucoside and quercetin-3-O-sophoroside-7-O-rhamnoside only in L. chinense leaves. Finally, multivariate statistical analysis techniques applied to the phenol content allowed us to differentiate samples from different Lycium spp. The results of this study confirm that the extraction is a crucial step in the analytical procedure and show that Lycium leaves represent an interesting source of antioxidant compounds, with potential use in the nutraceutical field.