A galactoglucan isolated from of Cistanche deserticola Y. C. Ma. and its bioactivity on intestinal bacteria strains

Medicinal and edible homologous poly/oligo-saccharides: Structural features, effect on intestinal flora and preventing and treating type 2 diabetes, and their applications: A review

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is the third most common chronic metabolic disorder worldwide and seriously dangerous. Novel therapeutics are sought due to the paucity of safe and effective metabolic disorder-related diabetes medicines. Intestinal flora impacts glucose and lipid balance, making it a unique T2DM therapeutic target. Due to gut fermentation, poly/oligo-saccharides are highly beneficial prebiotic carbohydrates for intestinal health. Moreover, supplementation with naturally occurring medicinal and edible homologous traditional Chinese medicines (MEHTCM) poly/oligo-saccharides has significant antidiabetic effects with few side effects. Now, a comprehensive review of research developments of MEHTCM poly/oligo-saccharides was presented to explore their prospects. We outlined the structural characteristics, structure classification, and structure-activity relationships. Notably, structure-activity relationships illustrated that molecular weight, monosaccharide composition, and glycosidic bond type could influence the hypoglycemic activity and prebiotic effect of MEHTCM poly/oligo-saccharides. Additionally, the review systematically summarized the effect and potential mechanism of MEHTCM poly/oligo-saccharide on T2DM, focusing on gut microbiota. The potential applications in formulations for special medical purposes, common food, health care product, agriculture and other fields have also been summarized. This review emphasizes MEHTCM poly/oligo-saccharides' potential as prebiotics for T2DM treatment. This information provides new insights and a theoretical foundation for MEHTCM poly/oligo-saccharide nutritional and medicinal research.

Polysaccharides from Cistanche deserticola Ma prevent alcoholic fatty liver disease by regulating hepatic lipid metabolism and gut microbiota in mice

Cistanche deserticola Ma polysaccharide (CDP) is an active ingredient extracted from Cistanche deserticola Ma (CD) and is believed to have hepatoprotective activity. However, the molecular mechanism of its hepatoprotective effect by intervening in alcoholic fatty liver disease (AFLD) remains unclear. In the present study, three polysaccharides were isolated and purified from CD, and the polysaccharide with the better lipid-lowering and liver-protecting activity and the highest yield, CDPS, was selected by in vitro experiments for subsequent. The efficacy of CDPS in ameliorating AFLD in mice was evaluated using hepatic lipidomics, 16S rRNA analysis and molecular biology experiments. The present study showed that CDPS significantly improved alcohol-induced weight loss, lipid accumulation, ALT, AST, inflammation and dyslipidemia, suggesting that CDPS can prevent AFLD. Lipidomics showed that CDPS improved lipid metabolism disorders by regulating glycerophospholipid metabolism, linoleic acid metabolism, and arachidonic acid metabolism. 16S rRNA analysis showed that CDPS ameliorated alcohol-induced gut microbiota disruption. In particular, CDPS supplementation reduced the abundance of Bacteroides, Parabacteroides, and Escherichia-Shigella and increased the abundance of Ruminococcaceae_UCG-010, Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group and Faecalibaculum abundance, and promoted the production of SCFAs. We further used Western blotting to determine the levels of proteins involved in lipogenesis and catabolism, and CDPS intervention resulted in decreased levels of lipid synthesis-associated proteins (SREBP-1c and FAS) and increased levels of lipid catabolism-associated proteins (PPARα) and p-AMPK/AMPK ratio. Our results suggest that CDPS has the potential to prevent AFLD by modulating lipid metabolism, altering the gut microbiota, increasing the content of SCFAs, activating the AMPK signaling pathway to promote fatty acid β-oxidation and limiting fatty acid biosynthesis, which provides a basis for further development of therapeutic drugs for AFLD.

A Novel Polysaccharide from the Flowers of Lilium lancifolium Alleviates Pulmonary Fibrosis In Vivo and In Vitro

Lily flowers are widely used in China for lung nourishment; however, their active ingredients remain unknown. To address this question, we isolated a novel polysaccharide (L005-B) from the flowers of Lilium lancifolium. Its backbone is comprised of Glcp, Galp, and 1,2-linked α-Rhap. The branch is composed of Xyl and T-α-Glcp residues substituted at the C-4 position of Rhap, along with portions of Glcp, Galp, Araf, and GlcpA residues substituted at the C-4 position of glucose or the C-3 position of galactose. Bioactivity study showed that L005-B alleviated fibrosis-associated protein (fibronectin, collagen, α-SMA) expression in TGF-β1-induced human fibroblast cells (MRC-5). Moreover, L005-B significantly inhibited the epithelial-mesenchymal transition of the human alveolar type II epithelial cell. More importantly, L005-B dramatically improved bleomycin-induced histopathological changes and attenuated the pulmonary index and hydroxyproline contents. Taken together, our findings revealed that L005-B may serve as a promising leading compound for the development of novel antipulmonary fibrosis therapeutics.

Structural characteristics of a heteropolysaccharide from Ganoderma lucidum and its protective effect against Alzheimer's disease via modulating the microbiota-gut-metabolomics

Ganoderma lucidum is a traditional Chinese medicine used to treat Alzheimer's disease (AD), whose main active ingredient is polysaccharides. A heteropolysaccharide named GLPZ-1 was isolated from Ganoderma lucidum. GLPZ-1 (6.608 kDa) predominantly consisted of Glc and minor Gal. The results of GC-MS and NMR analyses indicated that the backbone of GLPZ-1 was mainly composed of 1,4-α-D-Glcp, 1,4,6-α-Glcp and a minor amount of 1,3,4-β-D-Glcp, which was substituted with complex side chains at C-6 of 1,4,6-α-D-Glcp and at C-3 of 1,3,4-β-D-Glcp. GLPZ-1 demonstrated a protective effect on AD rats by improving behavioral abnormalities, alleviating pathological damage and ameliorating levels of IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α and Th17, which were associated with GLPZ-1 modulating the microbiota-gut-metabolomics of AD rats. GLPZ-1 regulated the gut microbiota in AD rats by increasing the abundance of Bacteroides, unclassified_Lachnospiraceae, Lactobacillus, Pediococcus, Oscillibacter, Lachnoclostridium and Bifidobacterium, while simultaneously reducing the abundance of Pseudomonas and Desulfovibrio. GLPZ-1 could regulate fecal metabolites in AD rats tending towards the normal levels. These regulated fecal metabolites belonged to fatty acid metabolism, cholesterol and bile acid metabolism, neurotransmitters and aromatic amino acid metabolism. These findings provide a preliminary research basis for the exploitation of GLPZ-1 as an effective drug to prevent and delay AD.

The structure-function relationships and interaction between polysaccharides and intestinal microbiota: A review

The gut microbiota, as a complex ecosystem, can affect many physiological aspects of the host's diet, disease development, drug metabolism, and immune system regulation. Polysaccharides have various biological activities including antioxidant, anti-tumor, and regulating gut microbiota, etc. Polysaccharides cannot be degraded by human digestive enzymes. However, the interaction between gut microbiota and polysaccharides can lead to the degradation and utilization of polysaccharides. Disordered intestinal flora leads to diseases such as diabetes, hyperlipidemia, tumors, and diarrhea. Notably, polysaccharides can regulate the gut microbiota, promote the proliferation of probiotics and the SCFAs production, and thus improve the related-diseases and maintain body health. The relationship between polysaccharides and gut microbiota is gradually becoming clear. Nevertheless, the structure-function relationships between polysaccharides and gut microbiota still need further exploration. Hence, this paper systematically reviews the structure-function relationships between polysaccharides and gut microbiota from four aspects including molecular weight, glycosidic bonds, monosaccharide composition, and advanced structure. Moreover, this review outlines the effect of polysaccharides on gut microbiota metabolism and improves diseases by regulating gut microbiota. Furthermore, this article introduces the impact of gut microbiota on polysaccharide metabolism. The findings can provide the scientific basis for in-depth research on body health and reasonable diet.

Protective effects of phenylethanol glycosides from Cistanche tubulosa against ALD through modulating gut microbiota homeostasis

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Cistanche tubulosa (Schenk) Wight, a Chinese herbal medicine (Rou Cong Rong) with Xinjiang characteristics, was recorded in many medical books in ancient China and often used as a tonic medicine. Supported by the traditional Chinese medicine theory of "homology of liver and kidney," C. tubulosa (Schenk) Wight has many clinical applications in tonifying the kidney and protecting the liver. Modern pharmacological studies have also found that the protective effects of phenylethanol glycosides from C. tubulosa (Schenk) Wight (CPhGs) play an important role in ameliorating alcoholic liver injury.

AIM OF THE STUDY

We aimed to investigate whether CPhGs can enhance the therapeutic outcome of alcoholic liver disease (ALD) by targeting the "gut-liver axis," thus contributing to the knowledge of how Chinese herbs alleviate disease by influencing the gut microbiota.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

An ALD mouse model was established using the Lieber-DeCarli alcohol liquid diet, and the effects of CPhGs on the intestinal barrier and gut microbiota of ALD mice were investigated in a pseudo-sterile mouse model and fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) mouse model. We fed female C57BL/6N mice with Lieber-DeCarli ethanol liquid diet, according to the NIAAA model. Animal experiment of long-term, ethanol diet intervention for 6W, and short-term for 11d. The FMT experiments were also performed.

RESULTS

CPhGs significantly improved ALD manifestations. ALD mice demonstrated significant gut microbiota dysbiosis and significantly abnormal proliferation of Allobaculum compared with the control diet group in long-term NIAAA mouse model (L-Pair). In mice that received the long-term intervention, the improvement in gut barrier function in the CPhGs-treated group was accompanied by a significant decrease in the abundance of Allobaculum and a significant increase in the abundance of Akkermansia. Furthermore, compared with the mouse were gavaged fecal microbiota from the long-term NIAAA mouse donors (FMT-EtOH), the number of goblet cells, abundance of Akkermansia, and the intestinal short-chain fatty acid concentrations were significantly increased in the mouse were gavaged fecal microbiota from high (700 mg/kg) doses of CPhGs orally in long-term NIAAA model donors (FMT-EtOH-H). Network analysis and species distribution results demonstrated that Akkermansia and Allobaculum were the genera with the highest abundances in the gut microbiota and that their interaction was related to propionic acid metabolism.

CONCLUSIONS

The results suggest that CPhGs exert a protective effect against ALD by modulating the abundance and composition of Akkermansia and Allobaculum in the intestine, maintaining the intestinal mucus balance, and safeguarding intestinal barrier integrity.

Structural elucidation of an active arabinoglucan from Gomphrena globosa and its protection effect and mechanism against metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis

The flower of Gomphrena globosa (G. globosa.) is used as Chinese traditional medicine and functional food. Extractions from G. globosa. have been reported to exert hepatoprotective effects. We further hypothesized that the polysaccharide components, as a bioactive ingredient, might have anti-fatty and hepatitis function. Here, a novel homogeneous arabinoglucan GGL0.05S1 (Mw = 83.9 kDa) from this flower, was characterized by monosaccharide composition analysis, methylation analysis, and NMR. Structural analysis showed that the backbone of GGL0.05S1 consists of →4)-α-Glcp-(1→ and →4,6)-α-Glcp-(1→ residues, and the branched chain linked to the main chain via C-6 of →4,6)-α-Glcp-(1→ in the form α-Araf-(1→[4)-α-Glcp-(1]b→ (b > 2). In vitro experiments demonstrated that GGL0.05S1 could inhibit lipid deposition and ROS overload in free fatty acid-induced hepatocytes, meanwhile in vivo tests showed that GGL0.05S1 effectively protected against liver injury, steatohepatitis, and fibrosis in a CDA-HFD-fed MASH model. Mechanism study further uncovered that GGL0.05S1 augmented the expression and antioxidant ability of thioredoxin protein that ameliorated oxidative stress, promoted fatty acid β-oxidation and mitophagy, up to reducing lipotoxicity and alleviating inflammation via inhibiting NLRP3 signaling pathway. Overall, GGL0.05S1 might be a potential novel active compound with liver-protective effect from G. globosa., and which is informative for anti-MASH new drug development.

Advance in Cistanche deserticola Y. C. Ma. polysaccharides: Isolation, structural characterization, bioactivities and application: A review

Cistanche deserticola Y. C. Ma (CD), is mainly distributed in the regions of China (Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, Gansu), Mongolia, Iran and India. Cistanche deserticola polysaccharide (CDPs), as one of the main components and a crucial bioactive substance of CD, has a variety of pharmacological activities, including immunomodulatory, anti-aging, anti-oxidant, hepatoprotective, anti-osteoporotic, anti-inflammatory, intestinal flora regulatory effects. Many polysaccharides have been successfully obtained in the last three decades from CD. However, there is currently no comprehensive review available concerning CDPs. Considering the importance of CDPs for biological study and drug discovery, the present review aims to systematically summarize the recent major studies on extraction and purification methods of polysaccharides from CD, as well as the characterization of their chemical structure, biological activity, structure-activity relationship, and the application of CDPs in pharmaceutical field. Meanwhile, the shortcomings of CDPs research are further discussed in detail, and new valuable insights for future CDPs research as therapeutic agents and functional foods are proposed.

Simulated Gastrointestinal Digestion and Fecal Fermentation Characteristics of Exopolysaccharides Synthesized by Schleiferilactobacillus harbinensis Z171

Exopolysaccharides (EPSs) produced by Lactobacillus have important physiological activities and are commonly used as novel prebiotics. A strain of Lactobacillus with high EPS yield was identified as Schleiferilactobacillus harbinensis (S. harbinensis Z171), which was isolated from Chinese sauerkraut. The objective of this study was to investigate the in vitro simulated digestion and fecal fermentation behavior of the purified exopolysaccharide fraction F-EPS1A from S. harbinensis Z171 and its influence on the human intestinal flora composition. The in vitro digestion results showed that the primary structural characteristics of F-EPS1A, such as morphology, molecular weight, and monosaccharide composition remained stable after saliva and gastrointestinal digestion. Compared with the blank group, the fermentation of F-SPS1A by fecal microbiota decreased the diversity of the bacterial communities, significantly promoted the relative abundance of Bifidobacterium and Faecalibacterium, and decreased the relative abundance of Lachnospiraceae_Clostridium, Fusobacterium, and Oscillospira. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis also showed that the population of Bifidobacterium markedly increased. Furthermore, the total short-chain fatty acid levels increased significantly, especially for butyric acid. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) results showed that F-EPS1A could be fermented by the human gut microbiota to synthesize organic acids and derivative metabolites that are beneficial to gut health. Therefore, these findings suggest that F-EPS1A could be exploited as a potential prebiotic.

Structural characterization and Bacteroides proliferation promotion activity of a novel homogeneous arabinoglucuronoxylan from Commelina communis L

Commelina communis L., a functional food and herbal plant in Asia, has been used against obesity, diabetes, and infections for centuries. A growing body of studies has demonstrated that indigestible polysaccharides are significant in obesity management. However, the structures and bioactivities of homogeneous polysaccharides from C. communis remain unclear. This study presented the structural characterization, simulated digestion, and human gut Bacteroides proliferation promotion activity of a novel homogeneous polysaccharide (CCB-3) from C. communis. The results showed that CCB-3 was an arabinoglucuronoxylan, primarily composed of arabinose, galactose, xylose, glucuronic acid (GlcA), and 4-O-methyl GlcA with a molecular weight (Mw) of 58.8 kDa. Following a 6-hour exposure to simulated gastrointestinal fluid, the Mw of CCB-3 remained unchanged, revealing that CCB-3 was an indigestible polysaccharide. Notably, CCB-3 could promote the proliferation of B. thetaiotaomicron, B. ovatus, and B. cellulosilyticus and produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and 1,2-propanediol. These findings might shed light on the discovery of polysaccharide-based leading compounds from C. communis against obesity.

Phenylethanol Glycoside from Cistanche tubulosa Attenuates BSA-Induced Liver Fibrosis in Rats by Modulating the Gut Microbiota-Liver Axis

This study aimed to investigate the effect of phenylethanol glycoside from Cistanche tubulosa (CPhGs) on the prevention of bovine serum albumin (BSA)-induced hepatic fibrosis in rats. Investigation of the mechanisms of the anti-hepatic fibrosis effect was focused on CPhGs' influence on the "gut-liver" regulation, including the gut microbiota, intestinal barrier, systemic lipopolysaccharide (LPS) concentration, and LPS-related signaling pathway. The results show that CPhGs restored the diversity of gut microbiota, increased the relative abundance of Bacteroidetes, and decreased the relative abundance of Firmicutes and Proteobacteria in the fibrotic rats. In addition, CPhGs promoted the enrichment of probiotics such as Blautia, Oscillospira, Ruminococcus, Odoribacter, Bacteroides, and Parabacteroides in intestines of these rats. Furthermore, CPhGs reduced histopathological injury in the intestine and restored the tight junctions of the intestine by increasing the expression of ZO-1, occludin, and E-cadherin. CPhGs efficiently reduced serum LPS and liver lipopolysaccharide-binding protein (LBP) levels and inhibited the LPS-TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB pathway, which is related to protein expression in the liver. Correlation analysis confirmed that these beneficial bacteria were negatively associated with pathological damage, while LPS and harmful bacteria were positively associated with liver injury. Our fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) experiment confirmed that gut microbiota is an important part of disease progression and that CPhGs is useful for the prevention and treatment of hepatic fibrosis. Our data demonstrate that the anti-hepatic fibrosis mechanism of CPhGs was mediated by regulation of the "gut-liver" axis. These results can stimulate consideration for its use in clinical practices.

A water-soluble arabinoxylan from Chinese liquor distillers' grains: Structural characterization and anti-colitic properties

Chinese liquor distillers' grain (CLDG) is a valuable and abundant by-product from traditional Chinese baijiu production, containing a diverse array of bioactive components that have attracted significant interest. Herein, a water-soluble polysaccharide, DGPS-2B, with a weight-average molecular weight of 37.3 kDa, was isolated from the alkali-extract fraction of CLDG. Methylation and NMR analysis identified that the primary constituents of DGPS-2B are arabinoxylans, with an arabinose-to-xylose ratio of 0.66. In an animal model of colitis, DGPS-2B treatment significantly altered the gut microbiota composition by increasing the SCFA-producing bacteria (e.g., Butyricicoccus) and reducing the mucin-degrading bacteria such as Muribaculaceae. This microbial shift resulted in elevated production of butyrate, acetate, and propionate, which subsequently suppressed NF-κB signaling, decreased the levels of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNFα, and potentially inactivated Notch signaling. These multifaceted effects stimulated mucin 2 production, reduced inflammation and apoptosis in the gut epithelium, and ultimately alleviated colitis symptoms. Collectively, this study not only elucidates the purification and characterization of DGPS-2B from CLDG but also illuminates its anti-colitic properties and the underlying molecular mechanisms. These findings underscore the potential of DGPS-2B as a therapeutic intervention for managing inflammatory bowel disease and emphasize CLDG as a promising source for developing value-added products.

Beneficial effect and mechanism of natural resourced polysaccharides on regulating bone metabolism through intestinal flora: A review

Bone metabolism is an important biological process for maintaining bone health. Polysaccharides of natural origin exert beneficial effects on bone metabolism. Polysaccharide molecules often have difficulty passing through the intestinal cell membrane and are directly absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract. Therefore, polysaccharides may affect intestinal flora and play a role in disease treatment. We performed a comprehensive review of the relevant literature published from 2003 to 2023. We found that several polysaccharides from traditional Chinese medicines, including Astragalus, Achyranthes bidentata and Eucommia ulmoides, and the polysaccharides from several dietary fibers mainly composed of inulin, resistant starch, and dextran could enrich the intestinal microbiota group to regulate bone metabolism. The promotion of polysaccharide decomposition by regulating the Bacteroides phylum is particularly critical. Studies on the structure-activity relationship showed that molecular weight, glycosidic bonds, and monosaccharide composition may affect the ability of polysaccharides. The mechanism by which polysaccharides regulate intestinal flora to enhance bone metabolism may be related to the regulation of short-chain fatty acids, immunity, and hormones, involving some signaling pathways, such as TGF-β, Wnt/β-catenin, BMP/Smads, and RANKL. This paper provides a useful reference for the study of polysaccharides and suggests their potential application in the treatment of bone metabolic disorders.

Microbiome and metabolome integrally reveal the anti-depression effects of Cistanche deserticola polysaccharides from the perspective of gut homeostasis

Polysaccharides are one of the active components of Cistanche deserticola (CD). Cistanche deserticola polysaccharides (CDPs) significantly regulate gut microbiota, immune activity, and neuroprotective functions. However, it merely scratches the surface that the anti-depression effects of CDPs. We aimed to demonstrate the anti-depression effects of CDPs and the underlying mechanisms from the perspectives of gut homeostasis by behavioral evaluations and applying integrally microbiome, metabolome, and molecular biology. CDPs showed significant effects on improving abnormal behaviors of depressed rats. Additionally, CDPs maintained Th17/Treg balance and modulated gut immunity of depressed rats. Comprehensive microbiome and metabolome analysis showed that CDPs significantly ameliorated abundances of beneficial bacteria, and increased the contents of SCFAs, consequently maintaining gut homeostasis. Besides, the anti-depression effects of CDPs involved in amino acid metabolism including BCAAs, glutamine, etc., maintaining metabolic balance. The current findings provide not only deep understanding of depression focusing on gut, but also evidence about the anti-depression effects of CDPs, broadening clinic applications of CDPs. Of note, the present study is of significance in a long run, in terms of providing novel strategies and protocols for revealing mechanisms of anti-depression drugs, and for the discovery of new antidepressants and functional foods from natural products.

A cold-water extracted polysaccharide-protein complex from Grifola frondosa exhibited anti-tumor activity via TLR4-NF-κB signaling activation and gut microbiota modification in H22 tumor-bearing mice

Grifola frondosa polysaccharide-protein complex (G. frondosa PPC) is a polymer which consists of polysaccharides and proteins/peptides linked by covalent bonds. In our previous ex vivo research, it has been demonstrated that a cold-water extracted G. frondosa PPC has stronger antitumor activity than a G. frondosa PPC extracted from boiling water. The main purpose of the current study was to further evaluate the anti-hepatocellular carcinoma and gut microbiota regulation effects of two PPCs isolated from G. frondosa at 4 °C (GFG-4) and 100 °C (GFG-100) in vivo. The results exhibited that GFG-4 remarkably upregulated the expression of related proteins in TLR4-NF-κB and apoptosis pathway, thereby inhibiting the development of H22 tumors. Additionally, GFG-4 increased the abundance of norank_f__Muribaculaceae and Bacillus and reduced the abundance of Lactobacillus. Short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) analysis suggested that GFG-4 promoted SCFAs production, particularly butyric acid. Conclusively, the present experiments revealed GFG-4 has the potential of anti-hepatocellular carcinoma growth via activating TLR4-NF-κB pathway and regulating gut microbiota. Therefore, G. frondosa PPCs could be considered as safe and effective natural ingredient for treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma. The present study also provides a theoretical foundation for the regulation of gut microbiota by G. frondosa PPCs.

Analysis of the active ingredients and health applications of cistanche

Cistanche is a tonic Chinese medicine commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine, with 2016, CFSA through the alxa desert cistanche safety evaluation, cistanche began to officially enter the food field. At present, the research on cistanche mainly focuses on the extraction, isolation and purification and pharmacological effects, and its pharmacological effects such as neuroprotective effects, immunomodulation, antioxidant anticancer and hepatoprotective liver protection have attracted the attention of researchers. This review mainly reviews the research status, chemical composition and health benefits, analyzes its application prospects in food, and aims to provide certain theoretical support for the safe application of cistanche in functional food.

Simulated Digestion and Fecal Fermentation Behaviors of Levan and Its Impacts on the Gut Microbiota

Levan is a microbial fructan widely explored in various fields owing to its excellent physical and biochemical properties. However, little is known about its digestion and fermentation characteristics in vitro. This study evaluated the potential prebiotic properties of levan obtained by enzymatic synthesis. Scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy showed that the primary structures of levan remained stable after saliva-gastrointestinal digestion. The microtopography, molecular weight, and functional group of levan were seriously damaged during fecal fermentation. Moreover, the total short-chain fatty acid levels increased significantly, especially for propionic acid, butyric acid, and valeric acid. The 16S rDNA sequencing showed that levan mainly increased the abundance of Firmicutes; in genus levels, certain beneficial bacteria such as Megasphaera and Megamonas genera were remarkably promoted, and the proliferation of harmful genera was inhibited (such as Cedecea and Klebsiella). Overall, this study provided new insights into the potential probiotic mechanism of levan.

Cistanche Deserticola for Regulation of Bone Metabolism: Therapeutic Potential and Molecular Mechanisms on Postmenopausal Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a generalized disease of bone that leads to a loss of bone density and bone mass, destruction of bone microstructure, increased brittleness and therefore fracture. At present, the main treatment of Western medicine is drug therapy such as bisphosphonates, calcitriol, vitamin D, etc. However, long-term use of these drugs may bring some adverse reactions. Chinese herbal medicine Cistanche deserticola could regulate bone metabolism by promoting osteoblast activity and inhibiting osteoclast activity with low toxicity and adverse reactions. Therefore, Cistanche deserticola has attracted increasing attention for its efficacy in the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis in recent years. Here we present a literature review of the molecular pathways involved in osteoporosis and the effects of Cistanche deserticola on bone metabolism. Our objective is to clarify the mechanism of Cistanche deserticola in the treatment of osteoporosis.

Effects of Two Kinds of Extracts of Cistanche deserticola on Intestinal Microbiota and Its Metabolism

Cistanche deserticola belongs to the Liedang family. Known as "desert ginseng", it has high medicinal value and plays important roles in endocrine regulation, neuroprotection, immune regulation, and other processes. Some studies have shown that single substances such as polysaccharides and phenylethanolside can affect intestinal microbiota, but few studies have studied the synergistic effect of various components in Cistanche deserticola extracts on intestinal microbiota. Therefore, in this study, through an in vitro digestion model (Changdao Moni, CDMN) combined with 16S rRNA gene amplification sequencing technology and untargeted metabolomics technology, it was found that the two extracts all had significant effects on the enteric cavity and mucosal flora. Both extracts inhibited Bacteroides in the intestinal cavity and Parabacteroides and Ruminococcus 2 in the intestinal mucosa and promoted Bifidobacterium and Prevotella in the intestinal cavity and Megasphaera in the intestinal mucosa. The aqueous extract also inhibited Phascolarctobacterium. Both extracts also significantly increased the production of short-chain fatty acids, especially butyrate. The intake of extract had significant effects on the metabolic pathways related to amino acids and lipids. Indoles were upregulated by the aqueous extract but downregulated by the alcohol extract. In addition, the extract also had a significant effect on the hemolytic phosphorus esters. In conclusion, the two kinds of extracts have different effects on intestinal microbiota and its metabolism. This study provides guiding significance for the edibility and food development of Cistanche deserticola.

A pair of novel phenylethanol glycosides from Cistanche tubulosa (Schenk) Wight

A pair of differential epimers with opposite C-7 configurations, crenatosides A and B (1 and 2), and 10 known phenylethanoid glycosides (PhGs) (3-12) were obtained from the succulent stem of Cistanche tubulosa. The structures were elucidated based on extensive spectral data (UV, IR, 1D and 2D NMR, HR-ESIMS), which are first reported natural products with unique glycoside structures. After acid hydrolysis, the configuration of the sugar was determined by comparing it with the normative sugar by HPLC. The absolute configurations of both compounds were determined by ECD spectrum analysis. All the obtained compounds were examined for their inhibitory effect on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nitric oxide (NO) production in mouse microglial cells (BV-2 cells), and compounds 1 and 2 showed potent inhibition on NO production with IC₅₀ values of 5.62 μM and 6.30 μM, respectively.

Novel pectin-like polysaccharide from Panax notoginseng attenuates renal tubular cells fibrogenesis induced by TGF-β

Renal fibrosis is the final common result of a variety of progressive injuries leading to chronic renal failure. However, there are no effective clinical available drugs for the treatment. Notoginsenoside from Panax notoginseng could ameliorate renal fibrosis. We hypothesized that polysaccharide from this herb might have similar bioactivity. Here, we elucidated structure of a novel pectin-like polysaccharide designed SQD4S2 with a netty antenna backbone of glucogalacturonan substituted by glucoarabinan, glucurogalactan and galactose residues from this herb. Interestingly, SQD4S2 could reverse the morphological changes of human renal tubular HK-2 cells induced by TGF-β. Mechanism study suggested that this bioactivity might associate with N-cadherin (CDH2), Snail (SNAI1), Slug (SNAI2) depression and E-cadherin (CDH1) enhancement. In addition, SQD4S2 could impede critical fibrogenesis associated molecules such as α-SMA, fibronectin, vimentin, COL1A1, COL3A1, FN1 and ACTA2 expression induced by TGF-β in HK-2 cells. Current findings outline a novel leading polysaccharide for against renal fibrosis new drug development.

Sulfation modification enhances the intestinal regulation of Cyclocarya paliurus polysaccharides in cyclophosphamide-treated mice via restoring intestinal mucosal barrier function and modulating gut microbiota

This work aimed to investigate the effects of a sulfated derivative of Cyclocarya paliurus polysaccharide (SCP3) on cyclophosphamide (CTX)-induced intestinal barrier damage and intestinal microbiota in mice. The results showed that SCP3 increased the intestine antioxidant defense, repaired the intestinal barrier via restoring villi length and crypt depth, and up-regulated the expression of tight junction proteins. Bacterial 16S rRNA sequencing results confirmed that SCP3 dramatically altered the structure of the gut microbiota, increased the diversity of gut microbiota, and regulated the relative abundances of specific bacteria, including increasing the abundances of Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, Tenericutes, Oscillospira, and Akkermansia, and decreasing the abundances of Proteobacteria and Verrucomicrobia. In conclusion, SCP3 can improve intestinal function in CTX-treated mice via enhancing the intestinal oxidative stress capacity, repairing the intestinal mucosal barrier, and regulating intestinal microorganisms, and this study provides a scientific theoretical basis for the application of SCP3 in the food and pharmaceutical fields.

Effects of the Cistanche tubulosa Aqueous Extract on the Gut Microbiota of Mice with Intestinal Disorders

Disorders of the gut microbiota are associated with many diseases. The aqueous extract from Cistanche tubulosa (CT), a traditional Chinese herbal formula, has been reported to play a role in protecting the human intestine. However, little is known about its effects on the gut microbiota. The present study was carried out to determine whether the CT aqueous extract can modulate the gut microbiome in mice with intestinal disorders. We found that the damaged intestinal morphology resulting from treatment with cefixime could be rescued using the CT aqueous extract. The comparison of microbial diversity between mice treated with the CT extract and control mice also indicated that the disorder in the microbiome community of model groups could be restored by treatment with high and medium concentrations of the CT aqueous extract. Treatment with cefixime led to a significant decrease in lactic acid bacteria; however, the supplementation of the CT aqueous extract recovered the growth of these lactic acid bacteria. Furthermore, the CT aqueous extract was able to moderate the dramatic changes in the metabolic pathways of the gut microbiome induced by cefixime. These findings provided an insight into the beneficial effects of the CT aqueous extract on gut microbiota, and they also provided an important reference for the development of related drugs in the future.

Cistanche deserticola polysaccharides alleviate cognitive decline in aging model mice by restoring the gut microbiota-brain axis

Recent evidence suggests alterations in the gut microbiota-brain axis may drive cognitive impairment with aging. In the present study, we observed that prolonged administration of D-galactose to mice induced cognitive decline, gut microbial dysbiosis, peripheral inflammation, and oxidative stress. In this model of age-related cognitive decline, Cistanche deserticola polysaccharides (CDPS) improved cognitive function in D-galactose-treated mice by restoring gut microbial homeostasis, thereby reducing oxidative stress and peripheral inflammation. The beneficial effects of CDPS in these aging model mice were abolished through ablation of gut microbiota with antibiotics or immunosuppression with cyclophosphamide. Serum metabolomic profiling showed that levels of creatinine, valine, L-methionine, o-Toluidine, N-ethylaniline, uric acid and proline were all altered in the aging model mice, but were restored by CDPS. These findings demonstrated that CDPS improves cognitive function in a D-galactose-induced aging model in mice by restoring homeostasis of the gut microbiota-brain axis, which alleviated an amino acid imbalance, peripheral inflammation, and oxidative stress. CDPS thus shows therapeutic potential for patients with memory and learning disorders, especially those related to gut microbial dysbiosis.

Cistanches Herba, from an endangered species to a big brand of Chinese medicine

Cistanches Herba (CH, Chinese name: Roucongrong), is a very precious, tonic Chinese medicine. Cistanche deserticola and Cistanche tubulosa are the two commonly used species and authenticated in Chinese Pharmacopoeia. Due to the parasitic nature of Cistanche plants, the wild source was once endangered and listed in the Appendix II of Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. However, after continuously struggling in the past decades, CH has grown up to a big brand of Chinese medicine featured with the cultivation area as 1.26 million mu, the annual output as 6000 tons, and the related industrial output value as more than 20 billion China Yuan, attributing to large-scale cultivation and in-depth phytochemical and pharmacological investigations. Noteworthily, great achievements have reached concerning the research and development of relevant products, such as modern drugs, traditional Chinese medicine prescriptions, and dietary supplements. The current review summarizes the research progresses concerning the distribution and cultivation, phytochemistry, pharmacology, metabolism and product development of CH in the past decades, and the emerging challenges and developing prospects are discussed as well.

Oyster polysaccharides ameliorate intestinal mucositis and improve metabolism in 5-fluorouracil-treated S180 tumour-bearing mice

The purpose of this study was to investigated the potential role of gut microbiota in protecting the intestinal barrier and improving nutritional metabolism in 5-FU-treated S180 tumour-bearing mice after treatment with oyster polysaccharide (CHP). CHP, with an α-(1→4) d-linked glucose backbone and (→4,6)-α-d-Glc-(1→) branches every 4.7 residues on average, increased the villus height, crypt depth, mucosa thickness, villus surface area and V/C ratio; decreased the expression of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α; and even restored the TP, ALB, PA, TRF, IgA, IgM and IgG levels to normal levels. All these factors are related to CHP increasing the propionic acid- and butyric acid-producing microorganisms and decreasing the production of Bacteroides, Prevotellaceae_UCG-001 and Rikenellaceae_RC9_gut_group, thus affecting the TLRs signalling pathway. In conclusion, CHP attenuates 5-FU-induced intestinal mucositis and malnutrition by regulating gut microbiota, and can improve the prognosis of patients receiving chemotherapy.

Structural properties and in vitro and in vivo immunomodulatory activity of an arabinofuranan from the fruits of Akebia quinata

In our continuous searching for natural active polysaccharides with immunomodulatory activity, an arabinofuranan (AQP70-3) was isolated and purified from the fruits of Akebia quinata (Houtt.) Decne. by using ion-exchange chromatography and gel permeation chromatography for the first time. AQP70-3 contained both α-l-Araf and β-l-Araf, and the absolute molecular weight was 1.06 × 10⁴ g/mol. The backbone of AQP70-3 comprised →5)-α-l-Araf-(1→, →3,5)-α-l-Araf-(1→, and →2,5)-α-l-Araf-(1→, with branches of →1)-β-l-Arafand →3)-α-l-Araf-(1→ residues. Biological assay suggested that AQP70-3 can stimulate phagocytic activity and promote the levels of nitric oxide (NO), interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) of RAW264.7 cells. Furthermore, AQP70-3 was found to increase the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and NO in zebrafish embryo model.

A high-molecular weight exopolysaccharide from the Cs-HK1 fungus: Ultrasonic degradation, characterization and in vitro fecal fermentation

This work was to examine the impact of power ultrasound (US) on the molecular properties of a high-molecular weight (MW) exopolysaccharide (EPS) from the Cs-HK1 medicinal fungus and the utilization, and prebiotic function of the US-treated EPS fractions in human fecal microflora in vitro. The US treatment caused notable reduction of intrinsic viscosity, average MW and aggregate size of EPS in water but no significant changes in the molecular structure. The US-treated EPS fractions were consumed more rapidly by the fecal microflora, resulting in a higher total level of short chain fatty acids. They also affected the relative abundance in the microflora more beneficially than the original EPS. The results suggest that power US is effective for modifying and improving the prebiotic properties of high-MW polysaccharides.