Chaenomeles sinensis polysaccharide and its carboxymethylated derivative alleviate dextran sulfate sodium-induced ulcerative colitis via suppression of inflammation and oxidative stress

Advances in the polysaccharide derivatives for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease: A review

The incidence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is increasing worldwide and poses a huge economic burden. The disease is difficult to treat and prone to recurrence, which seriously affects the physical and mental health of patients. Several studies have shown that natural polysaccharides have significant advantages in IBD treatment. To improve the therapeutic efficacy and broaden the scope of its application, numerous studies on various polysaccharide derivatives for IBD treatment have been published, showing broad application prospects. This paper reviews studies on various chemically modified polysaccharides, including carboxymethylation, sulfation, acetylation, esterification, thiolation, glycosylation, and polysaccharide metal complexes, in IBD treatment. These studies revealed the mechanism of action of polysaccharide derivatives and contributed to the development of related drug delivery systems, providing new strategies for IBD treatment. The advantages and disadvantages of each type of polysaccharide derivatives are discussed in this paper, aiming to provide a scientific basis for optimizing future IBD therapeutic regimens and exploring the potential application of polysaccharide derivatives as IBD therapeutic agents.

Chestnut Nonstarch Polysaccharides Enhance Intestinal Barrier Integrity and Modulate Gut Microbiota to Ameliorate DSS-Induced Colitis in Mice

This study investigated the biological activity of chestnut nonstarch polysaccharide (CNP) after removing starch. CNP was isolated from chestnut, with its monosaccharide composition identified as rhamnose, mannose, fructose, glucuronic acid, ribose, and galacturonic acid. Animal experiments showed that CNP can significantly alleviate the inflammatory response induced by dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) in a murine model of ulcerative colitis (UC). CNP alleviates colitis in mice by boosting antioxidant enzymes, reducing pro-inflammatory cytokines, increasing anti-inflammatory cytokines, strengthening the intestinal barrier via tight junction proteins, and suppressing inflammation through the PI3K/NF-κB pathway. Results from 16S rDNA sequencing demonstrated that CNP intake significantly improved the richness and composition of the gut microbial community. These findings suggest that CNP exerts a protective effect against DSS-induced colitis by enhancing intestinal barrier integrity, mitigating oxidative stress, regulating cytokine levels, and restoring gut microbial balance. The results of this study highlight the important application value of CNP in the development of functional foods.

Larimichthys crocea isinglass polysaccharide attenuates DSS-induced colitis via gut microbiota regulation and NF-κB signaling inhibition

This study aimed to investigate the therapeutic efficacy of Larimichthys Crocea Isinglass polysaccharide (CIP) in ameliorating DSS-induced colitis. CIP, a complex polysaccharide composed of six monosaccharides with a molecular weight of 3.97 kDa. Specifically, CIP treatment mitigated weight loss and histopathological damage in the colon, increased colon length, and by inhibiting the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB pathway significantly downregulated the secretion levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β, while simultaneously upregulating the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 and inhibition of the oxidative stress-related enzyme inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). Additionally, CIP treatment enhanced intestinal barrier function by increasing the expression of intestinal tight junction proteins (TJs) and MUC2, and it promoted the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). Concurrently, CIP modulated the composition of the intestinal microbiota, inhibiting the proliferation of potentially harmful bacteria such as Bacteroidota and Campylobacter. Taken together, these findings suggest that CIP exhibits promising attributes as a functional food constituent, with a particular efficacy in modulating and maintaining intestinal health.

Hawthorn Pectin Alleviates DSS-Induced Colitis in Mice by Ameliorating Intestinal Barrier Function and Modulating Gut Microbiota

Pectin, as a kind of soluble dietary fiber in hawthorns, exhibits a wide range of biological activities. Nevertheless, its role and mechanism in ulcerative colitis (UC) remain unclear. In this study, the effect of hawthorn pectin (HP) against dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced UC in mice and its underlying mechanism were evaluated. HP dramatically alleviated the pathological symptoms related to colitis in mice, displaying an increase in body weight and colon length and inhibition in colon damage. Importantly, HP inhibited the serum levels of inflammation-related factors including tumor necrosis factor-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 as well as decreased the number of F4/80-positive macrophages in the colon. Moreover, the expression levels of ZO-1 and occludin proteins related to intestinal permeability were increased. A significant decrease in a dose-dependent manner at the gut bacterial genus level (such as Alistipes, Colidextribacter, and Blautia) was observed after HP treatment. HP improved the metabolic pathways of gut microbiota and increased the concentrations of short-chain fatty acids in cecal contents of UC mice. Intriguingly, fecal microbiota transplantation intervention with an HP-derived microbiome notably increased the length and relieved histopathological changes of colon in UC mice. Conclusively, our study provided valuable insights into the potential of HP as a prebiotic for maintaining intestinal health and confirmed that HP could ameliorate UC in a gut microbiota-dependent manner.

Innovative alginate-clay shell and magnetite-gelatin core composite for multifaceted contaminant removal: Cadmium, thiabendazole and bacterial adsorption from aqueous solutions

In this study, a novel magnetic composite adsorbent with an alginate-chamotte clay outer layer and a gelatin-magnetite core was synthesised for effective contaminant removal from aqueous solutions. The alginate component ensures biocompatibility, chamotte clay enhances adsorption, gelatin provides mechanical strength, and magnetite enables easy recovery of the adsorbent. The composite material was characterised using Fourier-transform infrared, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy-energy-dispersive X-ray analysis, micro-computed tomography, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller analysis and dynamic mechanical analysis techniques. Response surface methodology was employed to optimise cadmium and thiabendazole adsorption. Optimal conditions for cadmium removal were achieved at pH 7 using 500 mg of adsorbent, with a 30-min contact time and a 5 mL sample volume. Additionally, thiabendazole adsorption was optimal at pH 3, with a 65-min contact time. Thermodynamic and kinetic experiments revealed that both adsorption processes were spontaneous and endothermic and followed a pseudo-second-order model. Cadmium adsorption aligned with Langmuir isotherm , while thiabendazole adsorption followed Freundlich isotherm . The adsorbent also showed high antibacterial efficiency, effectively removing both Gram-positive S. aureus and Gram-negative E. coli, with adsorption capacities of 43.86 mg g-1 for cadmium, 5.01 mg g-1 for thiabendazole, 2.5 × 1010 CFU g-1 for E. coli and 6.7 × 1010 CFU g-1 for S. aureus. These results highlight the multifunctional potential of the adsorbent for wastewater treatment.

Natural polysaccharides in the prevention of hyperuricemia: Source, classification, mechanism, application in food industry

Hyperuricemia (HUA) is one of the major threats to human health. In recent years, with the gradual increase in the incidence rate of Hua, the prevention and treatment of HUA has attracted more and more attention. Clinical pharmaceutical interventions, such as Allopurinol, Febuxostat, and so on, though effective, are usually accompanied by notable adverse effects. Therefore, alternative therapy with high-safety natural components has received more and more attention from scholars. The natural polysaccharides showed a significant potential in HUA therapy and more and more natural polysaccharides for treating HUA were being obtained. Therefore, in this review, the recent progress on natural polysaccharides in preventing HUA was presented focusing on the sources, classification, and biological activities (oxidative stress, anti-inflammatory, and UA-lowering) of natural polysaccharides. Furthermore, this review explores the mechanisms of action and application. It is beneficial to the development of polysaccharides for natural HUA therapy and the results of this review could offer guidance on preventing the occurrence of HUA in daily life.

Extraction of American ginseng polysaccharide by ultrasound-assisted deep eutectic solvents-based three-phase partitioning: Process optimization, structural characterization, and anti-ulcerative colitis study

Three-phase partitioning (TPP) is promising for isolating bioactive polysaccharides, but t-butanol's environmental impact limits its application. Deep eutectic solvents can serve as a green and recyclable alternative to t-butanol. This study introduces an ultrasonic-assisted DES three-phase partitioning (UA-TPP-DES) system to extract and purify American ginseng polysaccharides (AGPs). The optimized DES-4, composed of lauric acid and nonanoic acid (molar ratio = 1:1), achieved a 35.28 % extraction yield under specific conditions and can be recycled five times with minimal yield loss. AGP-DES-4 has a broad molecular weight distribution (2.48-174.64 kDa) and mainly consists of mannose, glucose, galactose, and arabinose. In vivo Drosophila models show that AGP-DES-4 improves UC fly survival and enhances intestinal barrier function by regulating the proliferation and differentiation of intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) and intestinal stem cells (ISCs). Our results highlight the effectiveness of the AGP-DES-4 extraction method and its potential therapeutic value for treating UC.

Novel Carbohydrate Polymer-Based Systems for Precise Drug Delivery in Colon Cancer: Improving Treatment Effectiveness With Intelligent Biodegradable Materials

Due to their biocompatibility, biodegradability, and controlled release, carbohydrates polymers are crucial to targeted drug delivery systems, notably for colon cancer treatment. This article examines how carbohydrate polymers like chitosan, pectin, guar gum, alginate, hyaluronic acid, dextran, and chondroitin sulfate are used in improved drug delivery. Modifying these polymers improves drug loading, stability, and release patterns, enhancing chemotherapeutic drugs' therapeutic index. Chitosan nanoparticles are pH-responsive, making them perfect for cancer treatment. Pectin's resistance to gastric enzymes and colonic bacteria makes it a promising colon-specific medication delivery agent. The combination of these polymers with nanotechnology, 3D printing, and AI allows the creation of stimuli-responsive systems that release drugs precisely in response to environmental signals like pH, redox potential, or colon enzymatic activity. The review highlights intelligent delivery system design advances that reduce systemic toxicity, improve treatment efficacy, and improve patient adherence. Carbohydrate polymers will revolutionize colon cancer treatment with personalized and accurate alternatives.

Potential of plant-based polysaccharides as therapeutic agents in ulcerogenic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract: A review

In recent years, natural polysaccharides (PSs) have attracted increasing interest because of their remarkable biological properties and potential in various areas, such as medicine, and food. This study aimed to present a detailed review of the evidence on the therapeutic potential of PSs for the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases. The main evidence was correlated with their chemical composition, mechanism of action and therapeutic effect. The main results showed that the action can be attributed to their ability to suppress excessive inflammatory responses, regulating the expression of cytokines and interleukins, reducing intestinal inflammation and promoting wound healing. Furthermore, we discussed how PSs help in the repair of the intestinal mucosa and related these effects with the composition of monosaccharides. A detailed analysis was performed on the ability of PSs to modulate the intestinal microbiota, promoting the growth of beneficial bacteria and suppressing inflammatory bacteria, in addition to its probiotic action with production of short-chain fatty acids. All this evidence was also taken into a broader context, in which the main challenges in processing PSs were considered and strategies to circumvent them were pointed out. Therefore, this review sought to demonstrate the great potential and viability of PSs as innovative and effective therapeutic agents.

Qingzhuan dark tea polysaccharides-zinc alleviates dextran sodium sulfate-induced ulcerative colitis

BACKGROUND

Qingzhuan dark tea polysaccharides (QDTP) have been complexed with Zinc (Zn) to form the Qingzhuan dark tea polysaccharides-Zinc (QDTP-Zn) complex. The present study investigated the protective effects of QDTP-Zn on ulcerative colitis (UC) in mice. The UC mouse model was induced using dextran sodium sulfate (DSS), followed by oral administration of QDTP-Zn (0.2 and 0.4 g kg-1 day-1).

RESULTS

QDTP-Zn demonstrated alleviation of UC symptoms in mice, as evidenced by a decrease in disease activity index scores. QDTP-Zn also regulated colon tissue injury by upregulating ZO-1 and occludin protein expression, at the same time as downregulating tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-6β levels. Furthermore, QDTP-Zn induced significant alterations in the abundance of bacteroidetes and firmicutes and notably increased levels of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), particularly acetic acid, propionic acid, and butyric acid.

CONCLUSION

In summary, QDTP-Zn exhibits therapeutic potential in alleviating enteritis by fortifying the colonic mucosal barrier, mitigating inflammation and modulating intestinal microbiota and SCFAs levels. Thus, QDTP-Zn holds promise as a functional food for both the prevention and treatment of UC. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Polysaccharides in fruits: Biological activities, structures, and structure-activity relationships and influencing factors-A review

Fruits are a rich source of polysaccharides, and an increasing number of studies have shown that polysaccharides from fruits have a wide range of biological functions. Here, we thoroughly review recent advances in the study of the bioactivities, structures, and structure-activity relationships of fruit polysaccharides, especially highlighting the structure-activity influencing factors such as extraction methods and chemical modifications. Different extraction methods cause differences in the primary structures of polysaccharides, which in turn lead to different polysaccharide biological activities. Differences in the degree of modification, molecular weight, substitution position, and chain conformation caused by chemical modification can all affect the biological activities of fruit polysaccharides. Furthermore, we summarize the applications of fruit polysaccharides in the fields of pharmacy and medicine, foods, cosmetics, and materials. The challenges and perspectives for fruit polysaccharide research are also discussed.

Progress on the Anti-Inflammatory Activity and Structure-Efficacy Relationship of Polysaccharides from Medical and Edible Homologous Traditional Chinese Medicines

Medicinal food varieties developed according to the theory of medical and edible homologues are effective at preventing and treating chronic diseases and in health care. As of 2022, 110 types of traditional Chinese medicines from the same source of medicine and food have been published by the National Health Commission. Inflammation is the immune system's first response to injury, infection, and stress. Chronic inflammation is closely related to many diseases such as atherosclerosis and cancer. Therefore, timely intervention for inflammation is the mainstay treatment for other complex diseases. However, some traditional anti-inflammatory drugs on the market are commonly associated with a number of adverse effects, which seriously affect the health and safety of patients. Therefore, the in-depth development of new safe, harmless, and effective anti-inflammatory drugs has become a hot topic of research and an urgent clinical need. Polysaccharides, one of the main active ingredients of medical and edible homologous traditional Chinese medicines (MEHTCMs), have been confirmed by a large number of studies to exert anti-inflammatory effects through multiple targets and are considered potential natural anti-inflammatory drugs. In addition, the structure of medical and edible homologous traditional Chinese medicines' polysaccharides (MEHTCMPs) may be the key factor determining their anti-inflammatory activity, which makes the underlying the anti-inflammatory effects of polysaccharides and their structure-efficacy relationship hot topics of domestic and international research. However, due to the limitations of the current analytical techniques and tools, the structures have not been fully elucidated and the structure-efficacy relationship is relatively ambiguous, which are some of the difficulties in the process of developing and utilizing MEHTCMPs as novel anti-inflammatory drugs in the future. For this reason, this paper summarizes the potential anti-inflammatory mechanisms of MEHTCMPs, such as the regulation of the Toll-like receptor-related signaling pathway, MAPK signaling pathway, JAK-STAT signaling pathway, NLRP3 signaling pathway, PI3K-AKT signaling pathway, PPAR-γ signaling pathway, Nrf2-HO-1 signaling pathway, and the regulation of intestinal flora, and it systematically analyzes and evaluates the relationships between the anti-inflammatory activity of MEHTCMPs and their structures.

The chemical composition, protective effect of Rheum officinale leaf juice and its mechanism against dextran sulfate sodium-induced ulcerative colitis

BACKGROUND

Rhubarb is widely distributed and cultivated worldwide, and its leaves presented antioxidant activity and could be used as food additive. However, the chemical ingredients, and protective effect of Rheum officinale leaf juice (JROL) on dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced ulcerative colitis (UC) are still unclear.

PURPOSE

This paper sought to the characterization and functional properties of JROL, and explore the underlying mechanism on UC mice.

METHODS

UPLC-ESI-Q-TOF/MS and other analytical instruments were employed to determine the chemical ingredients of JROL. After inducing UC model using 3% DSS, multiple biological methods were used to evaluate its protective effect and the potential mechanism.

RESULTS

JROL is rich in proximate compositions and minerals and has high nutritional value, and contains reducing sugars, polysaccharides and pectin. Fifteen compounds were identified using UPLC-ESI-Q-TOF/MS. Among them, rutin has the highest content (2.22 %) in UPLC analysis. JROL presented protective effect on DSS-induced UC, and alleviated morphological alterations and ultra-structural feature of tissue, and the polysaccharides and flavonoids may contribute to its protective effect. JROL inhibited NF-κB/NLRP3 signaling pathway to alleviate inflammatory response, oxidative stress and intestinal injury by decreasing the expression of p-p65, p-IκBα, NLRP3, ASC, etc.. Moreover, it up-regulated the expression of tight junction proteins, and re-balanced the disturbance of gut microbiota to regulate the inflammatory response. Finally, a correlation among the inflammatory response, NF-κB/NLRP3 pathway and gut microbiota was established. Moreover, JROL presented the safety in the acute toxicity test.

CONCLUSION

JROL could be used as a potential new source for treating UC.

Antidepressant-like Effects of Chinese Quince (Chaenomeles sinensis) Fruit Based on In Vivo and Molecular Docking Studies

In this study, we examined the potential antidepressant-like effects of Chinese quince fruit extract (Chaenomeles sinensis fruit extract, CSFE) in an in vivo model induced by repeated injection of corticosterone (CORT)-induced depression. HPLC analysis determined that chlorogenic acid (CGA), neo-chlorogenic acid (neo-CGA), and rutin (RT) compounds were major constituents in CSFE. Male ICR mice (5 weeks old) were orally administered various doses (30, 100, and 300 mg/kg) of CSFE and selegiline (10 mg/kg), a monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B) inhibitor, as a positive control following daily intraperitoneal injections of CORT (40 mg/kg) for 21 days. In our results, mice treated with CSFE exhibited significant improvements in depressive-like behaviors induced by CORT. This was evidenced by reduced immobility times in the tail suspension test and forced swim test, as well as increased step-through latency times in the passive avoidance test. Indeed, mice treated with CSFE also exhibited a significant decrease in anxiety-like behaviors as measured by the elevated plus maze test. Moreover, molecular docking analysis indicated that CGA and neo-CGA from CSFE had stronger binding to the active site of MAO-B. Our results indicate that CSFE has potential antidepressant effects in a mouse model of repeated injections of CORT-induced depression.

Extraction and Isolation of Two Polysaccharides from Chloranthus japonicus Sieb. and Evaluation of Their Anti-Gastric Cancer Activities

Two unreported heteropolysaccharides, denoted as YCJP-1 and YCJP-2, were isolated from the herbs of Chloranthus japonicus. YCJP-1 was a heteropolysaccharide composed of glucose, galactose, arabinose, mannose, rhamnose, and a minor proportion of uronic acids, with the molecular weight mainly distributed in the 74,475-228,443 Da range. YCJP-2 was mainly composed of glucose, mannose, and galactose, with the molecular weights ranging from 848 to 5810 Da. To further evaluate the anti-gastric cancer effects of C. japonicus, the inhibitory effects of the crude polysaccharide (YCJP) and the purified polysaccharides (YCJP-1 and YCJP-2) were determined using a CCK-8 assay and colon-forming assay on MGC-803 and AGS gastric cancer cell lines. Our results showed that YCJP, YCJP-1, and YCJP-2 possess prominent inhibitory effects on the proliferation of MGC-803 and AGS cells, and the AGS cell was more sensitive to YCJP, YCJP-1, and YCJP-2. Moreover, YCJP-2 demonstrated superior anti-gastric cancer effects compared to YCJP-1. This could potentially be attributed to YCJP-2's higher glucose content and narrower molecular weight distribution.

Gut microbiota-based discovery of Houttuyniae Herba as a novel prebiotic of Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron with anti-colitis activity

Ulcerative colitis (UC) represents an inflammatory disease characterized by fluctuations in severity, posing substantial challenges in treatment. The gut microbiota plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of UC. This study sought to identify drugs specifically targeting the gut microbiota to mitigate UC. We initiated a meta-analysis on gut microbiota in UC patients to identify UC-associated bacterial strains. Subsequently, we screened 164 dietary herbal medicines in vitro to identify potential prebiotics for the UC-associated bacterium, Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron. The DSS-induced colitis mouse model was utilized to evaluate the anti-colitis efficacy of the identified dietary herbal medicine. Full-length 16 S rRNA amplicon sequencing was employed to observe changes in gut microbiota following dietary herbal medicine intervention. The relative abundance of Bacteroides was notably diminished in UC patients compared to their healthy counterparts. B. thetaiotaomicron exhibited an inverse relationship with UC symptoms, indicating its potential as an anti-colitis agent. In vitro assessments revealed that H. Herba significantly bolstered the proliferation of B. thetaiotaomicron. Further experiments showed that treating DSS-induced mice with an aqueous extract of H. Herba considerably alleviated colitis indicators such as weight loss, colon shortening, disease activity score (DAI), and systemic inflammation. Microbial analysis revealed B. thetaiotaomicron as the sole bacterium substantially augmented by H. Herba in vivo. Overall H. Herba emerges as a promising prebiotic for B. thetaiotaomicron, offering significant anti-colitis benefits. Employing a gut microbiota-centric approach proves valuable in the quest for drug discovery.This study provides a new paradigm for drug discovery that targets the gut microbiota to treat UC.