Isolation and characterization of a nephroprotective polysaccharide from Dendrobium chrysotoxum Lindl against LPS-induced acute kidney injury mice

Water-soluble polysaccharides from Torreya grandis nuts: Structural characterization and anti-inflammatory activity

Torreya grandis (T. grandis) nuts are widely consumed as a functional food in China. In this study, we investigated the structural characteristics of T. grandis nuts polysaccharides and evaluated their potential biological functions with anti-inflammatory activities. Polysaccharides (TGP) were extracted from T. grandis nuts using water extraction and alcohol precipitation methods. Through a series of purification steps, three heteropolysaccharides (TGP-0a, TGP-2a, and TGP-3a) with distinct molecular weights, monosaccharide compositions, and surface morphologies were isolated. Their anti-inflammatory activities were screened, and TGP-0a was shown to be the most effective component. By combining NMR and methylation studies, TGP-0a was predominantly composed of linear α-1,4-glucan region and linear β-1,4-(gluco)mannan region. In cellular anti-inflammatory assays, TGP-0a significantly diminished the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Furthermore, by lowering the levels of iNOS and COX-2, TGP-0a decreased the release of inflammatory mediators (NO and ROS), thereby reducing oxidative stress and inflammatory response. In conclusion, T. grandis nut polysaccharides, particularly TGP-0a, show strong potential as natural anti-inflammatory agents for functional foods and pharmaceutical applications.

A glucan from the stems of Acanthopanax senticosus: Structure and anticolorectal cancer activity

ASPN-1, a novel glucan with a molecular weight of 33.31 kDa, was purified from Acanthopanax senticosus stems, characterized in structure, and evaluated for antitumor potential. The analysis of the structure of ASPN-1 revealed that it consisted of a backbone constructed from →4)-α-D-Glcp-(1 → glucosyls, branched at the O-3 position by an α-D-Glcp-(1 → residue and at the O-6 positions with α-D-Glcp-(1 → 6)-α-D-Glcp-(1 → and/or α-D-Glcp-(1 → residues. Surface morphological analysis revealed that ASPN-1 is an archetypal amorphous powder with an irregular network architecture composed of lamellar thin layers, filaments, and spherical particles. In vivo anti-tumor experiments indicated that ASPN-1 exerted inhibitory effects on CT26.WT mouse tumors by preserving immune function, elevating the production of IL-2, IFN-γ and TNF-α, and reducing production of TGF-β and IL-10. These findings indicated that ASPN-1, derived from A. senticosus, could potentially be used to treat colorectal carcinomas, acting through its immunomodulatory actions.

Effect of Dendrobium nobile powder combined with conventional therapy on mild to moderate fatty liver

BACKGROUND

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) encompasses a variety of liver conditions impacting individuals who consume minimal or no alcohol. Recently, traditional Chinese medicine has been gradually used to treat mild to moderate fatty liver, among which Dendrobium nobile Lindl. powder has been affirmed by many doctors and patients to be effective. However, there is limited research on combining this treatment with standard therapies for mild to moderate NAFLD.

AIM

To survey the effect of combining Dendrobium nobile Lindl. powder with standard treatment on liver function and lipid metabolism disorder in patients with mild to moderate NAFLD.

METHODS

Eighty patients with mild to moderate NAFLD participated in this retrospective study, classified into two groups: The observation group (n = 40) and the control group (n = 40). In November 2020 and November 2022, the study was conducted at People's Hospital of Chongqing Liang Jiang New Area. The control group received standard treatment, while the observation group received Dendrobium nobile Lindl. powder based on the control group. The study compared differences in traditional Chinese medicine clinical syndrome scores, liver fibrosis treatment, liver function indicators, lipid levels, and serum inflammatory factor levels before and after treatment, and we calculated the incidence of adverse reactions for both groups.

RESULTS

The total effective rate was 97.50% in the observation group and 72.5% in the control group. After 8 weeks of treatment, the main and secondary symptom scores remarkably decreased, especially in the observation group (P < 0.05), and there was a significant reduction in the serum levels of hyaluronic acid (HA), laminin (LN), human rocollagen III (PC III), and collagen type IV (CIV). The levels of HA, LN, PC III, and CIV were significantly lower in the observation group (P < 0.05). After 8 weeks, both groups indicated remarkable improvements in liver function and blood lipid levels, with the observation group having even lower levels (P < 0.05). Serum levels of interleukin-1β, tumor necrosis factor-α, and interleukin-8 also dropped significantly. The observation group had a lower rate of adverse reactions (5.00%) compared to the control group (22.50%).

CONCLUSION

Adding Dendrobium nobile Lindl. powder to standard treatment has been found to remarkably improve symptoms and reduce inflammation in patients with mild to moderate fatty liver disease. It also enhances hepatic function and lipid profile, ameliorates liver fibrosis indices, and lowers the risk of side effects. Consequently, this therapeutic protocol shows promise for clinical implementation and dissemination.

Chitooligosaccharide-modified PLGA-loaded PPD nanoparticles ameliorated sepsis-associated acute kidney injury via the NF-κB signaling pathway

OBJECTIVES

Sepsis-associated acute kidney injury (SA-AKI) is a significant clinical challenge with high morbidity and mortality. Low bioavailability of protopanaxadiol (PPD) limits its clinical application. In this study, PPD was encapsulated with chitooligosaccharide (COS) modified polylactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) to develop novel nanomedicines for the treatment of SA-AKI.

METHODS

COS-PLGA-PPD nanoparticles were prepared by emulsified solvent evaporation method, and their properties were evaluated. In vitro, the anti-inflammatory and protective effects of COS-PLGA-PPD NPs were investigated in a cellular model of LPS-induced NRK-52E cells and their uptake in Caco-2 cells. Indicators of renal injury, inflammation, and NF-κB signaling pathway were evaluated by injecting LPS into SD rats and inducing SA-AKI model in vivo. The oral bioavailability of nanoparticles was evaluated by pharmacokinetics.

RESULTS

Compared with PPD and unmodified nanoparticles, COS-PLGA-PPD NPs were more stable, with a particle size of 139.69 nm, which enhanced the viability of NRK-52E cells, increased the uptake of Caco-2 cells, alleviated the symptoms of SA-AKI in rats, inhibited the NF-κB signaling pathway, reduced the expression of inflammatory factors, and had a bioavailability 1.7-fold that of PPD.

CONCLUSION

COS-PLGA-PPD NPs ameliorate LPS-induced SA-AKI in rats by inhibiting the NF-κB signaling pathway, providing a basis for the treatment of SA-AKI.

Characterisation of an anticomplement polysaccharide BP-S1 from seeds of Brucea javanica

Bioactivity-guided purification obtained polysaccharide BP-S1 from seeds of Brucea javanica. The results showed that BP-S1 was a homogenous polysaccharide with molecular weight of 45.7 kDa, mainly composed of arabinose and glucose in the ratio of 1.0:1.0 and the backbone of BP-S1 was deduced to be →3,4)-α-Glup-(1→ with branches of →2)-α-Arap-(1→and α-Arap-(1→, and the possible repetitive units were speculated according to result of methylation and 2D-NMR. Moreover, BP-S1 is a periodic rope-like structure. Functional analysis revealed that BP-S1 inhibited complement activation on the classic and alternative pathways with values of CH50 0.073 ± 0.012 mg/mL and AP50 0.097 ± 0.004 mg/mL, respectively. In mechanism study, using complement component depleted-sera methods indicated that BP-S1 selectively interacted with C3 and C4 components.