Arenarosides A-G, Polyhydroxylated Oleanane-Type Saponins from Polycarpaea arenaria and their Cytotoxic and Antiangiogenic Activities.

Seven new polyhydroxylated oleanane-type triterpene saponins, arenarosides A-G (1-7), together with four known compounds, were isolated from an ethanol extract of the aerial parts of the Vietnamese plant Polycarpaea arenaria. The chemical structures of the newly isolated oleanane saponins were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic and spectrometric analysis, especially 2D NMR and HRMS. Biological evaluation revealed that 3, 4, 6, and 7 showed moderate activities against four human cancer cell lines (A549, HTC116, PC3, and RT112) with IC50 values of 6.0-9.9 µM, and 3, 4, 5, and 7 also displayed promising antiangiogenesis effects with IC50 values <5 µM in the test system used. Among the isolates, arenaroside D (4) exhibited the most potent inhibitory effects, not only in cancer cell proliferation but also in angiogenic activities. Preliminary SAR studies revealed that the presence of an acetyl group at C-22 in oleanane-type triterpene saponins increases these bioactivities.

A (1→6)-Branched (1→4)-ß-d-Glucan from Grifola frondosa Inhibits Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Cytokine Production in RAW264.7 Macrophages by Binding to TLR2 Rather than Dectin-1 or CR3 Receptors.

Mushroom polysaccharides including ß-glucans possess various health-promoting properties and are known to be the major bioactive constituents of Grifola frondosa (GF), which is a popular edible and medicinal mushroom. Dectin-1, a pattern-recognition receptor, is responsible for recognizing ß-glucans. In this study, parental RAW264.7 macrophages and Dectin-1-expressing RAW264.7 macrophages were used to investigate the anti-inflammatory activity and receptor involvement of the water-soluble polysaccharides from GF. Results indicated that the high molecular weight fraction of GF (GF70-F1; 1260 kDa) inhibited TNF-α and IL-6 production as well as NF-κB activation in lipopolysaccharide-induced macrophages. Chemical and enzymatic linkage analyses indicated that GF70-F1 mainly contained the known (1→3),(1→6)-ß-d-glucan and a polysaccharide not previously isolated from GF, a nondigestible glucan with a ß-(1→4)-linked backbone and ß-(1→6)-linked branches. The ability of GF70-F1 to inhibit cytokine production was not affected by the expression level of Dectin-1 in cells, and a similar inhibitory activity was observed after removing the (1→3),(1→6)-ß-d-glucan from GF70-F1. Blockade of Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) but not Dectin-1 or complement receptor 3 (CR3) attenuated the inhibitory activity of GF70-F1. The nondigestible (1→6)-branched (1→4)-ß-d-glucan in GF70-F1 may contribute to the anti-inflammatory activity via interacting with TLR2 rather than Dectin-1 or CR3 receptors.

Astragalus membranaceus-Polysaccharides Ameliorates Obesity, Hepatic Steatosis, Neuroinflammation and Cognition Impairment without Affecting Amyloid Deposition in Metabolically Stressed APPswe/PS1dE9 Mice.

Astragalus membranaceus is commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine for strengthening the host defense system. Astragalus membranaceus-polysaccharides is an effective component with various important bioactivities, such as immunomodulation, antioxidant, anti-diabetes, anti-inflammation and neuroprotection. In the present study, we determine the effects of Astragalus membranaceus-polysaccharides on metabolically stressed transgenic mice in order to develop this macromolecules for treatment of sporadic Alzheimer's disease, a neurodegenerative disease with metabolic risk factors. Transgenic mice, at 10 weeks old prior to the appearance of senile plaques, were treated in combination of administrating high-fat diet and injecting low-dose streptozotocin to create the metabolically stressed mice model. Astragalus membranaceus-polysaccharides was administrated starting at 14 weeks for 7 weeks. We found that Astragalus membranaceus-polysaccharides reduced metabolic stress-induced increase of body weight, insulin and insulin and leptin level, insulin resistance, and hepatic triglyceride. Astragalus membranaceus-polysaccharides also ameliorated metabolic stress-exacerbated oral glucose intolerance, although the fasting blood glucose was only temporally reduced. In brain, metabolic stress-elicited astrogliosis and microglia activation in the vicinity of plaques was also diminished by Astragalus membranaceus-polysaccharides administration. The plaque deposition, however, was not significantly affected by Astragalus membranaceus-polysaccharides administration. These findings suggest that Astragalus membranaceus-polysaccharides may be used to ameliorate metabolic stress-induced diabesity and the subsequent neuroinflammation, which improved the behavior performance in metabolically stressed transgenic mice.

New Whitening Constituents from Taiwan-Native Pyracantha koidzumii: Structures and Tyrosinase Inhibitory Analysis in Human Epidermal Melanocytes.

Nontoxic natural products useful in skin care cosmetics are of considerable interest. Tyrosinase is a rate-limiting enzyme for which its inhibitor is useful in developing whitening cosmetics. Pyracantha koidzumii (Hayata) Rehder is an endemic species in Taiwan that exhibits tyrosinase-inhibitory activity. To find new active natural compounds from P. koidzumii, we performed bioguided isolation and studied the related activity in human epidermal melanocytes. In total, 13 compounds were identified from P. koidzumii in the present study, including two new compounds, 3,6-dihydroxy-2,4-dimethoxy-dibenzofuran (9) and 3,4-dihydroxy-5-methoxybiphenyl-2'-O-ß-d-glucopyranoside (13), as well as 11 known compounds. The new compound 13 exhibited maximum potency in inhibiting cellular tyrosinase activity, the protein expression of cellular tyrosinase and tyrosinase-related protein-2, as well as the mRNA expression of Paired box 3 and microphthalmia-associated transcription factor in a concentration-dependent manner. In the enzyme kinetic assay, the new compound 13 acted as an uncompetitive mixed-type inhibitor against the substrate l-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine and had a Km value against this substrate of 0.262 mM, as calculated using the Lineweaver-Burk plots. Taken together, our findings show compound 13 exhibits tyrosinase inhibition in human melanocytes and compound 13 may be a potential candidate for use in cosmetics.

Sulfated polysaccharides of Laetiporus sulphureus fruiting bodies exhibit anti-breast cancer activity through cell cycle arrest, apoptosis induction, and inhibiting cell migration.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Laetiporus sulphureus has long been used as an edible and medicinal mushroom in Asia, America, and Europe. Its fruiting bodies are widely used in folk medicine for treating cancer, gastric diseases, cough, and rheumatism. Polysaccharides are an important bioactive component of mushrooms. In nature, sulfated polysaccharides have never been reported in mushrooms. Furthermore, there is no information on differences in physicochemical properties and anti-breast cancer activities between polysaccharides (PS) and sulfated polysaccharides (SPS) of L. sulphureus. AIM OF THE STUDY: This study aimed to investigate the physicochemical properties of PS and SPS isolated from fruiting bodies of L. sulphureus and examine their anti-proliferative effects and mechanism(s) of action on MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. METHODS: Polysaccharides (PS) were isolated using hot water and ethanol precipitation methods. Sulfated polysaccharides (SPS) were isolated by the papain-assisted hydrolysis method. Physicochemical properties comprising sugar, protein, uronic acid, and sulfate contents, and molecular weight, monosaccharide composition, and structural conformation were analyzed on PS and SPS. In the anti-cancer study, a triple-negative breast cancer cell line (MDA-MB-231) and a normal human mammary epithelial cell line (H184B5F5/M10) were used to evaluate the anti-proliferative activity of PS and SPS, and their mechanism(s) of action. RESULTS: The results showed that SPS, which had higher sulfate and protein contents and diversified monosaccharide composition, exhibited more potent anti-proliferative activity against MDA-MB-231 cells than PS. Furthermore, it had a selective cytotoxic effect on breast cancer cells but not the normal cells. SPS induced cell cycle arrest at G0/G1 phase via down-regulating CDK4 and cyclin D1 and up-regulating p21 protein expression. Breast cancer cell apoptosis was not observed until 72 h after SPS treatment. In addition, SPS also markedly inhibited breast cancer cell migration. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that SPS exhibited selective cytotoxicity and was more potent than PS in inhibiting MDA-MB-231 cell proliferation. The contents of sulfate and protein, and monosaccharide composition could be the main factors affecting the anti-breast cancer activity of L. sulphureus SPS.

Sodium sulfate addition increases the bioresource of biologically active sulfated polysaccharides from Antrodia cinnamomea.

Fungal sulfated polysaccharides (SPS) have been used in the pharmaceutical industry. In this study, sodium sulfate was employed as an elicitor to induce stress on the mycelia of Antrodia cinnamomea for the biosynthesis of SPS with high sulfate content. Sodium sulfate treatments increased the yield of SPS to 4.46 % and increased the sulfate content to 6.8 mmol/g of SPS. SPS were extracted from A. cinnamomea cultured with 500 mM sodium sulfate; these SPSs are denoted as Na500. Na500 exhibited the highest sulfate content and dose-dependent inhibitory activity against LPS-induced production of macrophage interleukin 6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), and interleukin 1ß (IL-1ß). Mechanistically, Na500 hindered the phosphorylation of transforming growth factor-ß receptor II (TGFRII), extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK), and protein kinase B (AKT) expression. A purified 7.79 kDa galactoglucan, Na500 F3, augmented the anti-inflammation activity by inhibiting LPS-induced TGFß release. Additionally, Na500 F3 restrained the LPS-induced phosphorylation of p-38, ERK, AKT, and TGFRII in RAW264.7 cells. Na500 F3 impeded the proliferation of lung cancer H1975 cells by inhibiting the phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase, ERK, and Slug. The anti-inflammation and anticancer properties of Antrodia SPS contribute to its health benefits, suggesting its utility in functional foods.

Anti-inflammatory potential of low-molecular-weight and high-sulfation-degree sulfated polysaccharides extracted from Antrodia cinnamomea.

Two novel sulfated polysaccharides (SPs), N10 and K5 were isolated from ammonium sulfate or potassium sulfate at concentrations of 10 mM and 5 mM in liquid cultures of Antrodia cinnamomea, respectively. N10 and K5 were galactoglucans with a galactose:glucose molar ratio of approximately 1:3. In lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW264.7 cells, N10 and K5 exhibited strong anti-inflammatory potential, of 56 % and 23 % maximal inhibition of IL-6 and TNF-α production, respectively. Mechanical analysis revealed differences between N10 and K5, with N10 inhibiting the LPS-stimulated phosphorylation of ERK and p38 in RAW264.7 cells. K5 inhibited the LPS-stimulated phosphorylation of AKT and TGFßR-II. N10 and K5 were fragmented into F1, F2, and F3, the molecular weights of which were 455, 24, 0.9, and 327, 36, 1.9 kDa, respectively. K5 F2 and K5 F3 exhibited high degrees of sulfation of 1:3 and 1:8, resulting in strong anti-inflammation, of 83 % and 37 % highest inhibition of IL-6 and TNF-α production, respectively. Therefore, low-molecular-weight and high-sulfation-degree SPs exhibited strong anti-inflammatory activity. Specifically, K5 F2 inhibited the phosphorylation of p38, and K5 F3 suppressed the signaling pathway of p38/JNK. Overall, the sulfation degree of SPs is concluded to affect the anti-inflammatory responses.

Dendrobium nobile Polysaccharide Attenuates Blue Light-Induced Injury in Retinal Cells and In Vivo in Drosophila.

Blue light is the higher-energy region of the visible spectrum. Excessive exposure to blue light is known to induce oxidative stress and is harmful to the eyes. The stems of Dendrobium nobile Lindl. (Orchidaceae), named Jinchaishihu, have long been used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for nourishing yin, clearing heat, and brightening the eyes. The polysaccharide is one of the major components in D. nobile. However, the effect on ocular cells remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate whether the polysaccharide from D. nobile can protect the eyes from blue light-induced injury. A crude (DN-P) and a partially purified polysaccharide (DN-PP) from D. nobile were evaluated for their protective effects on blue light-induced damage in ARPE-19 and 661W cells. The in vivo study investigated the electroretinographic response and the expression of phototransduction-related genes in the retinas of a Drosophila model. The results showed that DN-P and DN-PP could improve blue light-induced damage in ARPE-19 and 661W cells, including cell viability, antioxidant activity, reactive oxygen species (ROS)/superoxide production, and reverse opsin 3 protein expression in a concentration-dependent manner. The in vivo study indicated that DN-P could alleviate eye damage and reverse the expression of phototransduction-related genes, including ninaE, norpA, Gαq, Gß76C, Gγ30A, TRP, and TRPL, in a dose-dependent manner in blue light-exposed Drosophila. In conclusion, this is the first report demonstrating that D. nobile polysaccharide pretreatment can protect retinal cells and retinal photoreceptors from blue light-induced damage. These results provide supporting evidence for the beneficial potential of D. nobile in preventing blue light-induced eye damage and improving eyesight.

Targeting TGFß receptor-mediated snail and twist: WSG, a polysaccharide from Ganoderma lucidum, and it-based dissolvable microneedle patch suppress melanoma cells.

Cutaneous melanoma is a lethal skin cancer variant with pronounced aggressiveness and metastatic potential. However, few targeted medications inhibit the progression of melanoma. Ganoderma lucidum, which is a type of mushroom, is widely used as a non-toxic alternative adjunct therapy for cancer patients. This study determines the effect of WSG, which is a water-soluble glucan that is derived from G. lucidum, on melanoma cells. The results show that WSG inhibits cell viability and the mobility of melanoma cells. WSG induces changes in the expression of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related markers. WSG also downregulates EMT-related transcription factors, Snail and Twist. Signal transduction assays show that WSG reduces the protein levels in transforming growth factor ß receptors (TGFßRs) and consequently inhibits the phosphorylation of intracellular signaling molecules, such as FAK, ERK1/2 and Smad2. An In vivo study shows that WSG suppresses melanoma growth in B16F10-bearing mice. To enhance transdermal drug delivery and prevent oxidation, two highly biocompatible compounds, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), are used to synthesize a dissolvable microneedle patch that is loaded with WSG (MN-WSG). A functional assay shows that MN-WSG has an effect that is comparable to that of WSG alone. These results show that WSG has significant potential as a therapeutic agent for melanoma treatment. MN-WSG may allow groundbreaking therapeutic approaches and offers a novel method for delivering this potent compound effectively.

Advanced culture strategy shows varying bioactivities of sulfated polysaccharides of Poria cocos.

This study compares the bioactivity of six sulfated polysaccharides derived from glucose- and sucrose-feeding extracted from P. cocos. Anti-inflammatory potentials of these polysaccharides were evaluated by pretreating lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation in RAW264.7 cells. Of the tested polysaccharides, the sulfated polysaccharide derived from sucrose-feeding at the concentration of 40 g/l (referred to as "suc 40") exhibited the highest anti-inflammatory activity, of 83 %, and 33 % inhibition of IL-6 and TNF-α secretion, respetively. It achieved this by inhibiting the p-38 and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) MAPK signaling pathways. On the other hand, the sulfated polysaccharide derived from glucose-feeding at a concentration of 20 g/l (referred to as "glc 20") demonstrated the greatest anti-lung cancer activity. This was achieved by inducing apoptotic-related molecules, such as poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) and CHOP. Furthermore, glc 20 had the highest contents of sulfate, fucose, and mannose compared to the other tested polysaccharides. This suggests that the composition of monosaccharide residues are critical factors influencing the anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer activities of these sulfated polysaccharides. Overall, this study highlights the potential of sulfated polysaccharides derived from P. cocos to function as bioactive compounds with anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties.

Significance of culture period on the physiochemistry and anti-cancer potentials of polysaccharides from mycelia of Ganoderma lucidum.

Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides (GPS) have many functions. Polysaccharides are abundant in G. lucidum mycelia, but it is unclear whether the production and chemical characteristics of polysaccharides are related to the liquid cultural periods of mycelia. This study harvests G. lucidum mycelia at different cultural stages and isolates GPS and sulfated polysaccharides (GSPS) separately to determine an optimum cultural duration. After 42 and 49 days of mycelia are found to be the best times to harvest GPS and GSPS. Characteristic studies show that glucose and galactose are the main sugars in GPS and GSPS. The molecular weights of various GPS and GSPS are mainly distributed at >1000 kDa and from 101 to 1000 kDa. The sulfate content of GSPS at Day 49 is greater than that at Day 7. GPS and GSPS at 49 days exhibits a good anticancer effect but does not affect normal fibroblasts. GPS and GSPS that is isolated on day 49 inhibits lung cancer by suppressing epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and transforming growth factor beta receptor (TGFßR)-mediated signaling networks. These results show that the mycelia of G. lucidum that are cultured for 49 days exhibit the best biological characteristics.

Develop a hybrid machine learning model for promoting microbe biomass production.

Since the cultivation condition of microbe biomass production (mycelia yield) involves a variety of factors, it's a laborious process to obtain the optimal cultivation condition of Antrodia cinnamomea (A. cinnamomea). This study proposed a hybrid machine learning approach (i.e., ANFIS-NM) to identify the potent factors and optimize the cultivation conditions of A. cinnamomea based on a 32 fractional factorial design with seven factors. The results indicate that the ANFIS-NM approach successfully identified three key factors (i.e., glucose, potato dextrose broth, and agar) and significantly boosted mycelia yield. The interpretability of ANFIS rules made the cultivation conditions visually interpretable. Subsequently, a three-factor five-level central composite design was used to probe the optimal yield. This study demonstrates the proposed hybrid machine learning approach could significantly reduce the time consumption in laboratory cultivation and increase mycelia yield that meets SDGs 7 and 12, hitting a new milestone for biomass production.

SPS, a sulfated galactoglucan of Laetiporus sulphureus, exhibited anti-inflammatory activities.

Laetiporus sulphureus is an edible and medicinal mushroom. A sulfated galactoglucan (SPS) was isolated by the papain method. Polysaccharides (PS) were isolated by hot water and ethanol precipitation. The medium molecular weight SPS of 100 to 1000 kDa accounted for over half of the SPS mixture. Fucose, galactose, glucose, and mannose were the major monosaccharides in SPS and PS. The amount of sulfate in SPS was 1.09 mmol/g. SPS showed inhibition of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) release and reversed IκB degradation in LPS-induced RAW264.7 macrophages. The suppression of TNF-α secretion by SPS was through inhibiting the phosphorylation of AKT/extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK), p38, and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK). A purified SPS, named SPS-3, was proven to inhibit the LPS-induced phosphorylation of AKT, ERK, and p-38 in RAW264.7 cells. The suppression of interleukin 6 (IL-6) and transforming growth factor beta (TGFß) secretion by PS was through inhibiting LPS-induced phosphorylation of p-38 and TGF-ß receptor II (TGFRII) signaling pathways. This study demonstrates that the isolated SPS and PS from L. sulphureus possessed good anti-inflammatory activity for dietary supplements and functional food.

Biochemical characterization and anti-cancer activity of tangential flow filtration system assisted purification of fucoglucan from Laminaria japonica.

Polysaccharide from Laminaria japonica (LJPS) exhibits multiple biological functions. However, we found that crude LJPS doesn't show good anti-lung cancer activity in this study. We therefore used tangential flow filtration (TFF) system to optimize the anticancer activity of LJPS. We divided the crude LJPS into two fractions by TFF system with a 10 kDa filter and denoted as retentate (10K-R) and filtration (10K-F). The chemical assay revealed that the main molecular mass of 10K-R and 10K-F is about 985 and 3 kDa, respectively. The main components of 10K-R include fucose (19.3 %), and glucose (59.5 %); while glucose (88.6 %) is a major component of 10K-F. Biological functions showed that 10K-R but not 10K-F inhibited the viability and mobility of cancer cells. 10K-R downregulated expressions of transforming growth factor ß receptor and Slug, and inhibited intracellular signaling molecules, including FAK, AKT, ERK1/2, and Smad2. This study is the first concept to purify the polysaccharide by TFF system and showed the potential mechanism of 10K-R inhibited cancer cells.

ZnF3, a sulfated polysaccharide from Antrodia cinnamomea, inhibits lung cancer cells via induction of apoptosis and activation of M1-like macrophage-induced cell death.

Sulfated polysaccharides (Ac-SPSs) of Antrodia cinnamomea present anti-cancer activity. However, the anti-cancer mechanism of Ac-SPSs is not fully understood and remains largely unexplored. In this study, we identify an Ac-SPS with 7.9 kDa, noted ZnF3, and aim to examine the dual anti-cancer functions of ZnF3 on inhibiting cancer cells and activating macrophages. A biological study shows that ZnF3 inhibits lung cancer cells by inducing subG1 population and apoptosis. ZnF3 downregulates the expression of TGFß receptor in lung cancer cells. In parallel, ZnF3 activates macrophages via induction of TNF-α and IL-6 secretion, NO production and phagocytosis. ZnF3 activates AKT/mTOR pathway and induces M1 type macrophage polarization. Cancer cells co-cultured with ZnF3-stimulated macrophages, leading to inhibition of lung cancer cells. This study demonstrates that ZnF3 not only directly inhibits cancer cells but also activates macrophages-mediated cytotoxic effect on cancer cells. Moreover, ZnF3 may be a supplement for suppressing lung cancer cells.

A branched 2-O sulfated 1,3-/1,4-galactoglucan from Antrodia cinnamomea exhibits moderate antiproliferative and anti-inflammatory activities.

A sulfated galactoglucan (3-SS) was discovered in Antrodia cinnamomea with antiproliferative and anti-inflammatory activities. Chemical identification of 3-SS resulted in the determination of a partial repeat unit as a 2-O sulfated 1,3-/1,4-linked galactoglucan with a two-residual 1,6-O-ß-Glc branch on the 3-O position of a Glc. by monosaccharide analysis and 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy. The anti-inflammation effects of 3-SS on RAW264.7 macrophage cells, such as IL-6 inhibition, restoration of LPS-induced IκB protein degradation, and inhibited LPS-induced TGFRII protein degradation, were confirmed to occur via AKT, ERK1/2, and p-38. In addition, 3-SS impaired the proliferation of H1975 lung cancer cells through EGFR/ERK/slug signaling. This is the first finding of 2-O sulfated 1,3-/1,4-galactoglucan with 1,6-ß-Glc branches with dual functions of anti-inflammatory and antiproliferative activities.

Exopolysaccharide is the potential effector of Lactobacillus fermentum PS150, a hypnotic psychobiotic strain.

Psychobiotics are a class of probiotics that confer beneficial effects on the mental health of the host. We have previously reported hypnotic effects of a psychobiotic strain, Lactobacillus fermentum PS150 (PS150), which significantly shortens sleep latency in experimental mice, and effectively ameliorate sleep disturbances caused by either caffeine consumption or a novel environment. In the present study, we discovered a L. fermentum strain, GR1009, isolated from the same source of PS150, and found that GR1009 is phenotypically distinct but genetically similar to PS150. Compared with PS150, GR1009 have no significant hypnotic effects in the pentobarbital-induced sleep test in mice. In addition, we found that heat-killed PS150 exhibited hypnotic effects and altered the gut microbiota in a manner similar to live bacteria, suggesting that a heat-stable effector, such as exopolysaccharide (EPS), could be responsible for these effects. Our comparative genomics analysis also revealed distinct genetic characteristics in EPS biosynthesis between GR1009 and PS150. Furthermore, scanning electron microscopy imaging showed a sheet-like EPS structure in PS150, while GR1009 displayed no apparent EPS structure. Using the phenol-sulfate assay, we found that the sugar content value of the crude extract containing EPS (C-EPS) from PS150 was approximately five times higher than that of GR1009, indicating that GR1009 has a lower EPS production activity than PS150. Through the pentobarbital-induced sleep test, we confirmed the hypnotic effects of the C-EPS isolated from PS150, as evidenced by a significant reduction in sleep latency and recovery time following oral administration in mice. In summary, we utilized a comparative approach to delineate differences between PS150 and GR1009 and proposed that EPS may serve as a key factor that mediates the observed hypnotic effect.

Effects of auxins on the production of steroidal alkaloids in rapidly proliferating tissue and cell cultures of Solanum lyratum.

INTRODUCTION: Solanum lyratum, a rare species, is used to treat cancer, tumours and warts. Plant cell and tissue culture of S. lyratum, producing steroidal alkaloids, could be useful supplements to natural sources. OBJECTIVE: To study the production of solanine, solanidine and solasodine by adding auxin-type phytohormones including indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), indole-3-butyric acid (IBA), naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) to cell and callus cultures of S. lyratum. METHODOLOGY: Methanolic extracts were made from callus and cell cultures of S. lyratumand and analysed using RP C18 HPLC with UV detection. RESULTS: 2,4-D-induced calli from roots led to a significant enhancement in solanine production with a value of 4.13 mg/g dry weight (DW). The maximal solanidine and solasodine levels of 6.26 and 7.69 mg/g DW were respectively obtained with IBA- and IAA-treated S. lyratum cells at concentrations of 1 and 5 mg/L. CONCLUSION: Auxins were found to be useful phytohormones for the production of steroidal alkaloids. The callus and cell culture system developed is simple and can hence be a method of production of steroidal alkaloids in S. lyratum and other Solanaceae species.

Structural changes, and anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer potential of polysaccharides from multiple processing of Rehmannia glutinosa.

Polysaccharides play important roles in the bioactivities of Rehmannia glutinosa. This study examined the physiochemical structure and biological activity of the polysaccharides of R. glutinosa during nine steps of processing. Characteristic study showed galactose, glucose, and fructose were the major sugars in the polysaccharides. The percentage of the high-molecular weight polysaccharide increased after processing. In addition, polysaccharides from repeated steam and dry processing of R. glutinosa can effectively increase the anti-inflammatory activity. Secretions of tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-6, and transforming growth factor (TGF)ß after lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation were detected in RAW264.7 macrophages because of its anti-inflammatory activity. RG-B9, a polysaccharide of the ninth steam and dry processing, showed the strongest inhibitory activity on bacterial LPS-induced macrophage IL-6 and TGFß production. Mechanically, RG-B9 down-regulated the phosphorylation of AKT/ERK. The anti-inflammation of RG-B9 involved AKT/ERK/JNK signaling. In addition, RG-B9 inhibited the viability of lung cancer cells via EGFR/AKT signaling.

Effect of carbohydrate-feeding strategy on the production, physiochemical changes, anti-inflammation activities of polysaccharides of Poria cocos.

The aim of this research was to physiochemically characterize the structure and study the pharmaceutical benefits of the polysaccharide (PS) produced by Poria cocos using two selected carbohydrates (sucrose, and potato dextrose broth) in the in vitro culture system. A direct dosage effect was shown as sucrose- or PDB-based medium on the PS yield of Paragalago cocos. Very low-molecular-weight PS (<1 kDa) were largely synthesized by sucrose and PDB feeding. Sucrose-feeding mycelia of P. cocos results in a direct dosage effect in the fructose component in the PS. Sucrose and PDB feeding increased the glucose content but decreased the galactose content of PS. This study examined the anti-inflammatory activities of PS in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW264.7 macrophages. At 100 µg/mL and 50 µg/mL, PS from 10 g/L PDB- treatment, denoted as PDB 10, pretreatment showed maximal inhibition of TNF-α and IL-6 release, respectively. Mechanically, PDB10 attenuated IκB from degradation in LPS-induced macrophages, and down-regulated LPS-induced phosphorylation of ERK/AKT/p-38. PDB10 showed dose-dependent inhibition of the LPS induced TGFRII signaling pathways.