Assessment of the Effects of Structural Modification of Gastrodia elata Polysaccharide on Anti-Breast Cancer Activity Using Asymmetrical Flow Field-Flow Fractionation

Extraction, purification, characteristics, bioactivities, application, and toxicity of Gastrodia R. Br. polysaccharides: A review

Gastrodia elata BL. is a dried tuber of the orchid plant Gastrodia R. Br., mainly distributed in Jilin, Sichuan, Guizhou, Yunnan, and other places, with wind quenching antispasmodic, suppressing the liver and Yang and other efficacy, is one of China's traditional Chinese medicinal herbs. Polysaccharides are the main bioactive substances of Gastrodia R. Br., and they have attracted extensive attention of researchers both at home and abroad. In the past few decades, various methods (such as hot water extraction, ultrasonic extraction, enzymatic extraction, etc) have been applied to extract polysaccharides from Gastrodia R. Br. (GRPs) and the structural features of GRPs are closely related to the methods of extraction and purification. Many studies have confirmed that GRPs possess various remarkable bioactivities, including anti-oxidation, anti-tumor, immune regulation, anti-aging, improving cerebral ischemia, improving memory, lowering blood pressure and glucose, anti-bacterial activities, etc. GRP, as a natural polysaccharide, is widely used in the fields of medicine, food, and health products, and has important research and development value. However, the intrinsic relationship and mechanism of action between its advanced structure and pharmacological effects need further in-depth study. This paper systematically reviews the research on the extraction and purification, structural characteristics, biological activity, modification, and potential applications of GRPs in recent years, providing a theoretical basis for further studying the structure-activity relationship of GRPs and their applications as therapeutic agents and functional foods.

Extraction, Purification, Structural Characteristics, Biological Activities, and Applications of Polysaccharides from Gastrodia elata: A Review

Gastrodia elata Blume is a well-known medicinal and edible plant in China, celebrated for its extensive history in traditional medicine and functional food applications. Among its key bioactive components, polysaccharides have drawn significant attention from researchers in the fields of health food and medicine due to their potential health benefits. Recent studies have revealed various biological activities associated with G. elata polysaccharides, including antioxidant, anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, anti-aging, immune regulation, and neuroprotective properties. However, a comprehensive overview of these polysaccharides remains elusive. Specifically, relationship between the structure and activity of G. elata polysaccharides, along with the mechanisms through which various types exert their biological effects, has yet to be fully elucidated. This knowledge gap may impede the further development and utilization of G. elata polysaccharides in medicine, health products, food, and cosmetics. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of recent advancements in extraction, separation, purification, biological activities, and applications of G. elata polysaccharides. Additionally, it delves into structure-activity relationships and pharmacological mechanisms of these polysaccharides, giving support for future research to enhance their application in medicine, food, health products, and cosmetics.

A review on structure, bioactivity, mechanism, structure-activity relationship and application of anti-breast cancer polysaccharides

Breast cancer (BC) is one of the most common female malignant tumors. BC treatment depends on the use of chemotherapeutic drugs, causing various adverse effects. Increasing evidence has shown that natural polysaccharides (NPs) are potential adjuvants or substitutes for anti-BC drugs. However, the information regarding anti-BC NPs remains scattered. Thus, the recent progress in the structure, bioactivity, mechanism and application of anti-BC NPs is comprehensively summarized in this review. Moreover, the structure-activity relationship is discussed. Additionally, the prospects for future work are proposed. Recent studies have shown that anti-BC NPs have diverse structural features, which are affected by the extraction and purification methods. NPs show anti-BC activities in cell and animal experiments as well as in clinical researches, and enhance anti-BC effects of chemotherapeutic drugs in cell and animal experiments. The anti-BC mechanisms of NPs include anti-proliferation, inducing apoptosis, anti-metastasis and anti-invasion, immunoenhancement, gut microbiota regulation and others. The anti-BC activities of NPs are influenced by molecular weight, monosaccharide composition, functional groups, glycosidic bond types, backbone and side chains. NPs-based nanoparticles, nanocarriers, drug delivery systems, nanocomposites and other materials can also be used in anti-BC. This review provides theoretical bases for future research and functional application of NPs in anti-BC.

Preparation and characterization of aspirin-fucoidan complex and its admirable antitumor activity on human non-small cell lung cancer cells

The purpose of this work is to prepare a novel acetylated derivative of Undaria pinnatifida fucoidan (UPFUC) with admirable antitumor activity. Fucoidan was first acetylated by acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin, ASA) to form the ASA-UPFUC complex. The antitumor efficacy results stated that ASA-UPFUC inhibited the proliferation of human non-small cell lung cancer A549 cells in a dose-dependent manner, with an IC50 value of 49.09 μg/mL, 50.20 % lower than that of UPFUC. Importantly, the acetylation process had no adverse effects on the backbone structure of UPFUC. Simultaneously, ASA-UPFUC demonstrated a larger charge density than UPFUC, leading to enhanced solubility, improved surface charge effects, and a greater potential for exerting biological activity. Consequently, ASA-UPFUC increased the formation of alkyl and hydrogen bonds with tumor necrosis factor related apoptosis-inducing ligand receptors DR4 and DR5, thereby effectively stimulating the generation of cellular reactive oxygen species, diminishing mitochondrial membrane potential, suppressing nuclear factor κB (NFκB) p65 phosphorylation, enhancing the contents of Bax and cleaved caspase 3, and reducing the level of Bcl-2. The collective effects ultimately triggered the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway, leading to apoptosis in A549 cells. The findings support the potential utilization of ASA-UPFUC as a novel dietary additive for human lung cancer chemoprevention.

Interactions between intestinal microbial fermentation products of Pleurotus eryngii polysaccharide with gut mucus

Recently, Pleurotus eryngii (P. eryngii) polysaccharide (PEP) has received a lot of attention from many researchers as the primary active substance. The PEP influences the gut microbiota in several ways, including the interaction of fermentation products with the intestinal mucus layer (IML) and intestinal epithelial cells. Herein, we characterized interactions between the IML and PEP after degradation by the gut microbes. Our results showed that fermented P. eryngii polysaccharide (FPEP) can interact with intestinal mucus (IM), and this interaction can reduce the degree of molecular aggregation of polysaccharides. At the same time, the fermentation time of FPEP also affects the interaction between the two. SEM showed that the FPEP solution tended to aggregate into larger particles, while with the addition of IM, the FPEP molecules were dispersed. Particle size measurements unveil substantial differences in the fermented polysaccharides' particle size between the group with supplementary IM (0 hours of fermentation: 485.1 ± 11.3 nm) and the group without IM (0 hours of fermentation: 989.33 ± 21.3 nm). Remarkably, within the group with added IM, the particle size reached its maximum at 24 hours of fermentation (585.87 ± 42.83 nm). Additionally, turbidity assessments demonstrate that, during the 12-hour interaction period, the 24-hour fermented polysaccharides consistently exhibit the highest OD values, ranging between 0.57 and 0.61. This work investigates the interaction between FPEP and IM, predicting the adhesion of polysaccharides to IM. Meanwhile, this provides a theoretical basis for further studies on the absorption and transport pathways of PEP and provides a novel research viewpoint on intestinal digestion and absorption.