Comparison and characterization of polysaccharides from natural and cultured Cordyceps using saccharide mapping

Decoding the difference of four species of Cordyceps based on polysaccharides and immunomodulation activity

Nucleosides and polysaccharides are the main bioactive ingredients of Cordyceps genus. Nucleosides shows significant differences in different Cordyceps species. However, the differences of polysaccharides have not been decoded. Here, the structure characters of polysaccharides including molecular weight (Mw) distribution, compositional monosaccharides and glycosidic linkage types were compared in C. sinensis (CS), C. militaris (CM), silkworm-hosted C. militaris (SCM) and Cordyceps fermented products (CSF). Compositional monosaccharides including mannose, glucose and galactose, and 1,4-Glcp glycosidic linkage were found abundant in Cordyceps species. Chemometric analysis showed that Cordyceps exhibit significant differences in structural information especially glycosidic linkage types. Besides, polysaccharides in CS and CSF-4 had obviously strong capacity of stimulating phagocytic, NO production and cytokines secretion. Gray relational analysis and Pearson correlation analysis were performed to further investigate the relationship between key polysaccharide structure and immunomodulatory activities. The results indicated that polysaccharides with relatively large number of 1, 4-Glcp and Mw in range of 7.16 × 106 Da-7.99 × 107 Da and 1.43 × 104 D-6.94 × 105 Da probably contributed to its immunomodulatory activities. The chemical and biological evaluation of natural and various cultured cordyceps in this study is useful for understanding and regulating the quality of cultured Cordyceps.

Marine Algae Polysaccharides: An Overview of Characterization Techniques for Structural and Molecular Elucidation

Polysaccharides make up a large portion of the organic material from and in marine organisms. However, their structural characterization is often overlooked due to their complexity. With many high-value applications and unique bioactivities resulting from the polysaccharides' complex and heterogeneous structures, dedicated analytical efforts become important to achieve structural elucidation. Because algae represent the largest marine resource of polysaccharides, the majority of the discussion is focused on well-known algae-based hydrocolloid polymers. The native environment of marine polysaccharides presents challenges to many conventional analytical techniques necessitating novel methodologies. We aim to deliver a review of the current state of the art in polysaccharide characterization, focused on capabilities as well as limitations in the context of marine environments. This review covers the extraction and isolation of marine polysaccharides, in addition to characterizations from monosaccharides to secondary and tertiary structures, highlighting a suite of analytical techniques.

Research progress in methods of acquisition, structure elucidation, and quality control of Chinese herbal polysaccharides

The therapeutic efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine has been widely acknowledged due to its extensive history of clinical effectiveness. However, the precise active components underlying each prescription remain incompletely understood. Polysaccharides, as a major constituent of water decoctions-the most common preparation method for Chinese medicinals-may provide a crucial avenue for deepening our understanding of the efficacy principles of Chinese medicine and establishing a framework for its modern development. The structural complexity and diversity of Chinese herbal polysaccharides present significant challenges in their separation and analysis compared to small molecules. This paper aims to explore the potential of Chinese herbal polysaccharides efficiently by briefly summarizing recent advancements in polysaccharide chemical research, focusing on methods of acquisition, structure elucidation, and quality control.

Research Progress and Production Status of Edible Insects as Food in China

Based on the background of the exacerbating food shortage in the world, it is particularly important to diversify food resources in every possible direction. Among the choices available, edible insects have become an important alternative source of animal food with their high nutritional and functional (pharmacological) values, partially replacing normally consumed animal and livestock protein food sources. The utilization of edible insects has been an ancient custom since the dawn of civilization, attributed to their rich nutrition, alternate protein source, medicinal values, and presence of diverse secondary metabolites and alkaloids. This review provides an introduction to three key aspects of edible insects as food: freshness, long-term preservation, and medicinal value. It also provides details on the food source and products of edible insect species, their detailed nutritional composition and medicinal values, and their potential in producing alternative protein sources. Additionally, the review also encompasses rearing and producing technologies, resource utilization, and industrial development in China. Simultaneously, the problems and challenges faced in the artificial rearing and production development of edible insects, the production advantages over traditional livestock, and the farming evaluation and prospects of edible insects, as well as the lack of specific legislation on edible insects in China, are discussed. This review will be helpful in scientific knowledge propagation regarding edible insects for the public, guiding consumers to establish a diverse perception of sustainable agriculture and food sources in the world that has, as yet, been thwarted by food insecurity. Moreover, though edible insects could potentially serve as part of a commercial and industrial agri-enterprise that could generate a huge income, artificial rearing technology and edible insect product manufacturing and processing have not received sufficient attention from the government on a policy level, thereby leaving an open space for extensive research on edible insects as an alternate food source as well as an examination of the industrial prospects of edible insect products.

Characteristics of exopolysaccharides from Paecilomyces hepiali and their simulated digestion and fermentation in vitro by human intestinal microbiota

The metabolic process of polysaccharides in gastrointestinal digestions and the effects of the resulting carbohydrates on the composition of gut microbes are important to explore their prebiotic properties. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the simulated digestion and fecal fermentation in vitro of three fractions (PHEPSs-1, PHEPSs-2 and PHEPSs-3) purified from the crude exopolysaccharides of Paecilomyces hepiali HN1 (PHEPSs) and to explore the potential prebiotic mechanisms. The three purified fractions were characterized by HPLC, UV, FT-IR, SEM and AFM, and they were all of galactoglucomannan family with molecular weight of 178, 232 and 119 kDa, respectively. They could resist the simulated gastrointestinal digestions, but they were metabolized in fecal fermentation in vitro. Furthermore, the mannose in PHEPSs showed a higher utilization rate than that of glucose or galactose. The proliferation effects of PHEPSs on Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus were weaker significantly than those of fructooligosaccharides before 12 h of fecal fermentation, but stronger after 24 h of fecal fermentation. Meanwhile, higher levels of short-chain fatty acids were found in PHEPSs groups when the fecal fermentation extended to 36 h. Therefore, PHEPSs are expected to have a potent gut healthy activity and can be explored as functional food ingredients.

Characterization and comparison of polysaccharides from Achyranthes bidentata, Cyathula officinalis and Achyranthes aspera by saccharides mapping

Although the roots of Achyranthes bidentata (AB), Cyathula officinalis (CO) and Achyranthes aspera (AA) are different drugs, they are always confused in clinical practice due to their similar chemical components and functions. As polysaccharides are abundant in these drugs, a systematic comparison of polysaccharides from AB, CO and AA is not only necessary to understand their similar but not identical functions, but also helpful for the quality control of them. In this study, polysaccharides from 22 batches of AB, CO and AA were compared with monosaccharide composition, molecular weight distribution and saccharide mapping. Polysaccharides of AB, CO and AA had similar monosaccharide compositions but their relative contents of fructose, glucuronic acid, galacturonic acid and glucose were significant different, and could be used as key markers to distinguish them. Results from molecular weight distribution and saccharide mapping showed polysaccharides from AB, CO and AA were mainly composed of fructans with β-2,1 and β-2, 6-D-fructosidic linkages, but their degree of polymerization were different. Meanwhile, pectins were also contained in these three drugs. AB is partial to immunomodulation while CO is partial to removing blood stasis. Fructans and pectins are the similar bioactive substance basis of AB, CO and AA whereas their structural difference might be contributed to the efficacy differentia of these three drugs. This study provides a better understanding on the profiles of polysaccharides from AB, CO and AA, further guiding their clinical usage and facilitating their quality control.

Characterization and Comparison of Bioactive Polysaccharides from Grifola frondosa by HPSEC-MALLS-RID and Saccharide Mapping Based on HPAEC-PAD

Grifola frondosa polysaccharides (GFPs) from different regions in China were characterized and compared using HPSEC-MALLS-RID and saccharide mapping based on HPAEC-PAD analysis for achieving and improving its quality control. The results showed that HPSEC chromatograms and molecular weight distributions of GFPs were similar. The average contents of each polysaccharide fraction (Peaks 1, 2, and 3) showed that Peak 3 was the main component and much higher than the other two polysaccharide fractions, which also contained protein. The result of saccharide mapping showed that α-1,4-glycosidic, β-1,4-glycosidic and few β-1,3-glycosidic linkages were existed in GFPs. The similarity result showed that HPAEC-PAD fingerprints of the oligosaccharide fragments after hydrolysis by endoglycosidase were certainly different, especially α-amylase with a mean similar index of only 0.781 ± 0.207. The result of hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) showed that different batches of GFPs from China can be divided into different clusters. Furthermore, immune-enhancing activity based on RAW 264.7 cells showed significant differences among different GFPs. Based on grey relational analysis (GRA), the fractions of Peak 3 were regarded as the major contributors to its immuno-enhancing activity in GFPs. Overall, the implications from these results were found to be stable, comprehensive, and valid for improving the quality control of GFPs.

Cordyceps polysaccharide marker CCP modulates immune responses via highly selective TLR4/MyD88/p38 axis

Cordyceps, one of the most expensive natural health supplements, is popularly used to modulate immune function. However, little is known regarding the underlying mechanism of its immunomodulatory activity. We newly reported a Cordyceps quality marker CCP (Mw 433.778 kDa) which was characterized as a 1,4-α glucan by chemical and spectral analysis and is able to induce significant immune responses of macrophages. Herein, we further investigated the molecular mechanism of CCP's immunomodulatory effects. The results indicate that CCP modulates the TLR4/MyD88/p38 signaling pathway of macrophages, where TLR4 plays a crucial role as verified on TLR4-deficient (TLR4^-/-) bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs) and TLR4^-/- mice. These findings provide a precise understanding of the molecular mechanism of Cordyceps' immunomodulatory benefits.

Identification and activity evaluation of Astragalus Radix from different germplasm resources based on specific oligosaccharide fragments

Objective

Based on trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) hydrolysis, polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) and high performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC) analysis, the carbohydrate responsible for immunomodulatory activity are used as quality indicators for Astragalus Radix (AR).

Methods

In this study, 24 batches of AR from different germplasm resources were selected as the research object, and AR polysaccharides were extracted. PAGE and HPTLC methods were used to analyze the partial acid hydrolyzate of AR polysaccharides and obtain a series of saccharide fingerprints. The data were analyzed by principal component analysis to obtain the difference between AR from different germplasm resources.

Results

The results showed that trisaccharide and tetrasaccharide could be used as differential fragments to distinguish AR of different cultivation methods; Disaccharides and trisaccharides can be used as differential fragments to distinguish different species of AR. The immunological activity analysis of the specific oligosaccharide fragment of AR showed that the specific oligosaccharide fragment of AR could promote the secretion of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and NO in THP-1 cells in a concentration-dependent manner.

Conclusion

Both PAGE and HPTLC methods can be used to evaluate AR from different germplasm resources. This study laid the foundation for the quality evaluation of AR medicinal herbs.

Cultivation of Medicinal Mushroom Biomass by Solid-State Bioprocessing in Bioreactors

Basidiomycetes of various species and their wide range of pharmaceutically interesting products in the last decades represent one of the most attractive groups of natural products in Asia and North America. Production of fungal fruit bodies using farming technology is hardly covering the market. Comprehensive solid-state technologies and bioreactors are the most promising part for fast and large amount of cultivation of medicinal fungi biomass and its pharmaceutically active products. Wood, agriculture, and food industry wastes represent the main substrates that are in this process delignified and enriched in proteins and highly valuable pharmaceutically active compounds. Research in physiology, basic and applied studies in fungal metabolism, process engineering aspects, and clinical studies in the last two decades represent large contribution to the development of these potentials that initiate the development of new drugs and some of the most attractive over-the-counter human and veterinary remedies. Present article is an overview of the achievements in solid-state technology of the most relevant medicinal mushroom species production in bioreactors. Graphical Abstract.

The structures and biological functions of polysaccharides from traditional Chinese herbs

Most of traditional Chinese medicine substances come from herbal plants. The medicinal quality of herbal plants varies with the locations of cultivation, the parts of the herb collected, the season of the herb collected, and the herb processing method. Polysaccharides are major components of the herb plants and their biosynthesis is partly controlled by the genes but mostly influenced by the availability of the nutrition and determined by the various environmental factors. In recent decades, polysaccharides isolated from different kinds of Chinese herbs have received much attention due to their important biological activities, such as anti-tumor, anti-oxidant, anti-diabetic, radiation protecting, antiviral, hypolipidemic, and immunomodulatory activities. Interestingly, different batches of the same herb can obtain different polysaccharide fractions with subtle differences in molecular weight, monosaccharide compositions, glycosidic linkages, and biological functions. Even with these variations, a large number of bioactive polysaccharides from different kinds of traditional Chinese herbs have been purified, characterized, and reported. This review provides a comprehensive summary of the latest polysaccharide extraction methods and the strategies used for monosaccharide compositional analysis plus polysaccharide structural characterization. Most importantly, the reported chemical characteristics and biological activities of the polysaccharides from the famous traditional Chinese herbs including Astragalus membranaceus, Ginseng, Lycium barbarum, Angelica sinensis, Cordyceps sinensis, and Ophiopogon japonicus will be reviewed and discussed. The published studies provide evidence that polysaccharides from traditional Chinese herbs play an important role in their medical applications, which forms the basis for future research, development, and application of these polysaccharides as functional foods and therapeutics in modern medicine.

Critical Problems Stalling Progress in Natural Bioactive Polysaccharide Research and Development

Natural polysaccharides are attracting increasing attention from food and pharmaceutical industries for their wide range of valuable biological activities. However, the poor repeatability of the methods used in sample preparation and chemical characterization is hampering both research and product development. The unstandardized quality, in turn, undermines efforts to understand the mechanism by which they work via oral dose, which is essential to realize the full beneficial potential of polysaccharides. Some scientists believe polysaccharides work by direct gut absorption; however, increasing evidence points to the gut microbiome and intestinal Peyer's patches as holding the keys to how they work.

A comparative proteomic characterization and nutritional assessment of naturally- and artificially-cultivated Cordyceps sinensis

Cordyceps sinensis has gained increasing attention due to its nutritional and medicinal properties. Herein, we employed label-free quantitative mass spectrometry to explore the proteome differences between naturally- and artificially-cultivated C. sinensis. A total of 22,829 peptides with confidence ≥95%, corresponding to 2541 protein groups were identified from the caterpillar bodies/stromata of 12 naturally- and artificially-cultivated samples of C. sinensis. Among them, 165 proteins showed significant differences between the samples of natural and artificial cultivation. These proteins were mainly involved in energy production/conversion, amino acid transport/metabolism, and transcription regulation. The proteomic results were confirmed by the identification of 4 significantly changed metabolites, thus, lysine, threonine, serine, and arginine via untargeted metabolomics. The change tendencies of these metabolites were partly in accordance with changes in abundance of the proteins, which was upstream of their synthetic pathways. In addition, the nutritional value in terms of the levels of nucleosides, nucleotides, and adenosine between the artificially- and naturally-cultivated samples was virtually same. These proteomic data will be useful for understanding the medicinal value of C. sinensis and serve as reference for its artificial cultivation.

SIGNIFICANCE

C. sinensis is a precious and valued medicinal product, the current basic proteome dataset would provide useful information to understand its development/infection processes as well as help to artificially cultivate it. This work would also provide basic proteome profile for further study of C. sinensis.

Analysis of Cordyceps by multi-column liquid chromatography

Cordyceps is a famous traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) that has been used in China for hundreds of years. In the present study a multi-column liquid chromatography (MC-LC) system was developed for the qualitative analysis of macromolecules and micromolecules in Cordyceps. The MC-LC system includes a size exclusion pre-column, a size exclusion column (SEC) and a reversed phase column (RP) which were controlled by column-switching valves. The sample was separated by the size exclusion pre-column into two fractions (macromolecules and micromolecules). These fractions were further separated on SEC and RP columns, respectively. A diode array detector (DAD) and a mass spectrometer (MS) were used to detect the components. This MC-LC method was utilized for analysis of Cordyceps samples. Two macromolecular peaks and 15 micromolecular peaks were found in Cordyceps, and 11 of the micromolecular peaks were identified as adenosine-5'-monophosphate (AMP), phenylalanine, uridine, hypoxanthine, inosine, guanine, guanosine, deoxyadenosine-5'-monophosphate (dAMP), adenosine, adenine and cordycepin (or its isomer). This method is useful for quality control of Cordyceps.

Cordyceps collected from Bhutan, an appropriate alternative of Cordyceps sinensis

Natural Cordyceps collected in Bhutan has been widely used as natural Cordyceps sinensis, an official species of Cordyceps used as Chinese medicines, around the world in recent years. However, whether Cordyceps from Bhutan could be really used as natural C. sinensis remains unknown. Therefore, DNA sequence, bioactive components including nucleosides and polysaccharides in twelve batches of Cordyceps from Bhutan were firstly investigated, and compared with natural C. sinensis. Results showed that the fungus of Cordyceps from Bhutan was C. sinensis and the host insect belonged to Hepialidae sp. In addition, nucleosides and their bases such as guanine, guanosine, hypoxanthine, uridine, inosine, thymidine, adenine, and adenosine, as well as compositional monosaccharides, partial acid or enzymatic hydrolysates, molecular weights and contents of polysaccharides in Cordyceps from Bhutan were all similar to those of natural C. sinensis. All data suggest that Cordyceps from Bhutan is a rational alternative of natural C. sinensis, which is beneficial for the improvement of their performance in health and medicinal food areas.

Extraction, characterization and antioxidant activity of mycelial polysaccharides from Paecilomyces hepiali HN1

Optimization of extraction, characterization and antioxidant activity of mycelial polysaccharides from Paecilomyces hepiali HN1 (PHMPs) were investigated. As results, the optimal parameters for extraction of PHMPs were obtained by a Box-Behnken design as follows: extraction temperature 92 °C, extracting time 190 min and ratio of water to material 43 mL/g. The analysis of monosaccharide composition by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) revealed that PHMPs was composed of mannose, ribose, rhamnose, glucuronic acid, galacturonic acid, glucose, galactose, xylose and arabinose in molar ratio of 46.07:0.59:2.25:1.29:1.42:18.82:26.17:1.13:2.26, respectively. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that PHMPs had a significant protective effect against oxidative stress induced by d-galactose in mice, as evident by higher activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase and level of total antioxidant capacity, as well as lower levels of malondialdehyde in serums and livers compared to the d-galactose-treated group. These results suggested that PHMPs could be explored as promising natural antioxidant.

Identification of chemical markers in Cordyceps sinensis by HPLC-MS/MS

Authentication and quality assessment of Cordyceps sinensis, a precious and pricey natural product that offers a variety of health benefits, is highly significant. To identify effective chemical markers, authentic C. sinensis was thoroughly screened by using HPLC-MS/MS. In addition to many previously reported ingredients, two glycosides, i.e., cyclo-Ala-Leu-rhamnose and Phe-o-glucose, were detected for the first time in this material. Six ingredients detected, including cordycepin, D-mannitol, Phe, Phe-o-glucose, cyclo-Gly-Pro, and cyclo-Ala-Leu-rhamnose, were selected as a collection of chemical markers. An HPLC-MS/MS method was developed to simultaneously quantify them with sensitivity and specificity. The method had limits of detection ranging from 0.008 μg mL(-1) for cordycepin to 0.75 μg mL(-1) for cyclo-Gly-Pro. Recovery was found between 96 and 103 % in all tests. To evaluate the effectiveness of the marker collection proposed, five authentic C. sinensis samples and five samples of its substitutes were analyzed. Cordycepin, D-mannitol, and Phe were found present in all samples. The contents ranged from 0.0076 to 0.029 % (w/w) for cordycepin, 0.33 to 18.9 % for mannitol, and 0.0013 to 0.642 % for Phe. Interestingly, the two glycosides, Phe-o-glucose and cyclo-Ala-Leu-rhamnose, were detected only in authentic C. sinensis samples. These results indicated that the proposed protocol based on HPLC-MS/MS quantification of the markers might have a great potential in authentication and quality assessment of C. sinensis. Graphical abstract Chemical markers of C. sinensis identified in this work.

Identification of Cultured and Natural Astragalus Root Based on Monosaccharide Mapping

As the main substances responsible for immunomodulatory activity, saccharides can be used as quality indicators for Astragalus root (RA). Saccharide content is commonly determined by ultraviolet spectroscopy, which lacks species specificity and has not been applied in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia. Monosaccharide mapping based on trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) hydrolysis can be used for quantitative analysis of saccharide compositions. In addition, species specificity can be evaluated by analysis of the mapping characteristics. In this study, monosaccharide mapping of soluble saccharides in the cytoplasm and polysaccharides in the cell wall of 24 batches of RA samples with different growth patterns were obtained based on TFA hydrolysis followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Results indicated that the mapping and the molar ratios of saccharide compositions of the cultured and natural RA samples were different for both cytoplasm and cell wall. For example, the molar ratio of mannose and arabinose was more than 3.5:1 in cytoplasm in cultured RA, whereas the ratio was less than 3.5:1 in natural RA. This research not only lays a foundation for screening indicators for RA, but also provided new ways of evaluating the quality of Chinese medicinal materials in which saccharides are the main bioactive substances.

The Chemical Constituents and Pharmacological Actions of Cordyceps sinensis

Cordyceps sinensis, also called DongChongXiaCao (winter worm, summer grass) in Chinese, is becoming increasingly popular and important in the public and scientific communities. This study summarizes the chemical constituents and their corresponding pharmacological actions of Cordyceps sinensis. Many bioactive components of Cordyceps sinensis have been extracted including nucleoside, polysaccharide, sterol, protein, amino acid, and polypeptide. In addition, these constituents' corresponding pharmacological actions were also shown in the study such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antitumour, antiapoptosis, and immunomodulatory actions. Therefore can use different effects of C. sinensis against different diseases and provide reference for the study of Cordyceps sinensis in the future.

Functional polysaccharides from medicinal mushroom Cordyceps sinensis as a potent food supplement: extraction, characterization and therapeutic potentials – a systematic review

As a rich source of novel polysaccharides, Cordyceps sinensis (CS), one of the valued traditional Chinese medicinal fungi, is a major focus of many natural products research efforts.

A novel and rapid HPGPC-based strategy for quality control of saccharide-dominant herbal materials: Dendrobium officinale, a case study

Qualitative and quantitative characterization of natural saccharides, especially polysaccharides, in herb materials remains a challenge due to their complicated structures and high macromolecular masses. Currently available methods involve time-consuming and complicated operations, and present poor specificity. Here, a novel and rapid high-performance gel permeation chromatography (HPGPC)-based approach is described for quality assessment of saccharide-dominant herbal materials by simultaneous qualitative and quantitative analysis of saccharide components. Dendrobium officinale, one of the rarest tonic herbs worldwide, was employed as the model herb in this study. First, a HPGPC fingerprint based on the molecular weight distribution of its carbohydrate components was established for qualitative identification of D. officinale. Then, HPGPC-guided dominant holistic polysaccharide marker was separated using ultra-filtration followed by HPGPC determination for quantitative evaluation of D. officinale. The experimental results suggest that this method is more efficient, stable, and convenient compared with the currently available methods for authentication and quality evaluation of D. officinale, and we expect the method will have similar advantages when used for quality control of other saccharide-dominant herbal materials and products.

Recent advances in Cordyceps sinensis polysaccharides: Mycelial fermentation, isolation, structure, and bioactivities: A review

Cordyceps (Ophiocordyceps sinensis) sinensis, the Chinese caterpillar fungus, is a unique and precious medicinal fungus in traditional Chinese medicine which has been used as a prestigious tonic and therapeutic herb in China for centuries. Polysaccharides are bioactive constituents of C. sinensis, exhibiting several activities such as immunomodulation, antitumour, antioxidant and hypoglycaemic. As natural C. sinensis fruiting body-caterpillar complexes are very rare and expensive, the polysaccharides documented over the last 15-20 years from this fungal species were mostly extracted from cultivated fungal mycelia (intracellular polysaccharides) or from mycelial fermentation broth (exopolysaccharides). Extraction and purification of the polysaccharides is a tedious process involving numerous steps of liquid and solid phase separations. Nevertheless, a large number of polysaccharide structures have been purified and elucidated. However, relationships between the structures and activities of these polysaccharides are not well established. This review provides a comprehensive summary of the most recent developments in various aspects (i.e., production, extraction, structure, and bioactivity) of the intracellular and exopolysaccharides from mycelial fermentation of C. sinensis fungi. The contents and data will serve as useful references for further investigation, production and application of these polysaccharides in functional foods and therapeutic agents.

Optimization for production of exopolysaccharides with antitumor activity in vitro from Paecilomyces hepiali

In the present study, optimal medium for the growth of mycelia and the production of exopolysaccharides from Paecilomyces hepiali HN1 (PHEPS) in submerged culture was investigated. As a result, the maximum production of mycelia (12.98 ± 0.14 g/L) and PHEPS (5.33 ± 0.11 g/L) were achieved under the optimal medium of sucrose 46.08 g/L, yeast extract 4.71 g/L, (NH₄)₂SO₄ 5.72 g/L, KH₂PO₄ 1.70 g/L, CaCl₂ 0.50 g/L, MgSO₄ 0.50 g/L, potato extract 1% and malt extract 1%. Furthermore, the antitumor activity of PHEPS in vitro was evaluated by using three cell lines of human liver tumor HepG2 cells, breast cancer MCF-7 cells and cervical cancer Hela cells. It was found that PHEPS exhibited relative higher anti-proliferative activity against HepG2 cells than MCF-7 cells and Hela cells. At a concentration of 500 μg/mL and 72 h treatment, the inhibition rate of PHEPS on HepG2 cells reached to 62.58%. All these results suggested that PHEPS could be explored as novel natural antitumor agent with great potential application.

Mycelia extracts of fungal strains isolated from Cordyceps sinensis differently enhance the function of RAW 264.7 macrophages

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Cordyceps sinensis, an entomogenous fungus used in traditional Chinese medicine with multiple pharmacological activities. However, its usage has been limited due to the high price and short supply. Isolate of fungi strains from natural Cordyceps sinensis to achieve a large-scale production by fermentation is an alternative choice. The aim of this study was to investigate and compare the effects of mycelia extracts of different fungal stains isolated from natural Cordyceps sinensis on macrophage functions in vitro.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Macrophages' proliferation, phagocytosis, nitric oxide (NO) production, cytokines secretion, iNOS, NF-κB p65 activation and translocation were investigated by the MTT assay, flow cytometry assay, Griess reagent method, ELISA, western blot and immunostaining assay, respectively.

RESULTS

The results showed that the effects of cultured Cordyceps mycelia of different fungal strains isolated from natural Cordyceps sinensis on macrophages greatly variant. Among 17 Cordyceps aqueous extracts, only five extracts (UM01, QH11, BNQM, GNCC and DCXC) could significantly increase cell proliferation and NO production of RAW 264.7 mouse macrophages. Moreover, the five extracts, especially UM01 and QH11, significantly enhanced phagocytosis and promoted cytokines release of macrophages. Polysaccharides in cultured UM01 mycelia were found to be the main immune stimulating compounds.

CONCLUSIONS

The variation of biological effects of fermented mycelia of different fungal strains from natural Cordyceps sinensis may be derived from their chemical diversity, especially polysaccharides, which need further study in future.

Bioactive principles from Cordyceps sinensis: A potent food supplement - A review

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Introducing the importance of Cordyceps sinensis (CS) and its economics.

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Alternative artificial cultivation methods for large scale production to meet the world demand for CS.

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Chemical characterization of compounds in different extracts of CS.

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Potential health benefits and mechanism of action of compounds in CS.

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Possible application of whole fungus or its extracts in food and pharmaceutical industries.

Cordyceps sinensis (CS) is a well-known entamophagus fungus, naturally distributed in the Tibetan Plateau of Asia and Himalayas. Recently this synonym is transferred to Ophiocordyceps by both scientific and non-scientific communities. It is widely used as a tonic and medicinal food in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), as it possess wonderful health benefits. To support its functional attributes, various investigations have been carried out to find out its adaptogenic, aphrodisiac, anti-oxidant, anti-aging, neuroprotective, nootropic, immunomodulatory, anti-cancer and hepatoprotective role. Its fruiting portion as well as the larvae possesses potent bio-active fractions and their composition almost found to be similar in both. The bioactive principles are nucleosides, exo-polysaccharides, sterols and, proteins, among others. Among nucleosides, adenosine and cordycepin are the major biochemical markers. Further, different types of solvent extracts and their mixtures exhibit wide range of pharmacological activities, while the water and methanol extracts with the richest sources of nucleosides and polysaccharides also show wide range of pharmacological activities. This review gives a panoramic view of potential health benefits of various classes of bio-active fractions along with the need for sustainable management of CS for human wellness.

Characterization of polysaccharides from Ganoderma spp. using saccharide mapping

Polysaccharides from Ganoderma spp. and their adulterants were firstly investigated and compared using saccharide mapping, enzymatic (endo-1,3-β-D-glucanase and pectinase) digestion followed by polysaccharide analysis using carbohydrate gel electrophoresis analysis. The results showed that both 1,3-β-D-glucosidic and 1,4-α-D-galactosiduronic linkages were existed in Lingzhi (Ganoderma lucidum and Ganoderma sinense), and the similarity of polysaccharides from G. lucidum and G. sinense was high, which may contribute to rational use of Lingzhi. Different species of Ganoderma and their adulterants can be differentiated based on the saccharide mapping, which is helpful to well understand the structural characters of polysaccharides from different species of Ganoderma and to improve the quality control of polysaccharides in Lingzhi.