Quality evaluation of Codonopsis Radix and processed products based on the analysis of monosaccharides and oligosaccharides by liquid chromatography coupled with charged aerosol detector.

INTRODUCTION: Codonopsis Radix (CR) is an edible food and traditional Chinese herb medicine that is widely used in China and Southeast Asia. Saccharides, including fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) and polysaccharides, are among the most important active substances in CR. However, a quality evaluation of CR based on oligosaccharides has not been conducted. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to establish a high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with charged aerosol detector method (HPLC-CAD) for the quality evaluation of CR and processed products based on analysis of monosaccharides and oligosaccharides. METHOD: A sensitive and rapid HPLC-CAD method for the simultaneous determination of two monosaccharides (D-fructose and D-glucose), sucrose, and FOS (GF2-GF6) was established to evaluate the quality of CR for the first time. In the present study, 65 batches of CR from three species of the genus Codonopsis were analysed using multivariate statistical techniques. Furthermore, the effects of cultivation management measures (plant growth retardants supply, harvesting time, and growth period) and primary process (drying methods) in the production areas on the target compounds were studied by analysing 34 batches of processed samples. RESULTS: Different varieties of CR resulted in considerably different saccharide contents. Cultivation management measures and processing method remarkably affected the quality of CR. Low concentration of plant growth retardants was recommended. The best harvest time is in October after 4 years of growth. Dryer-drying was suggested to meet the requirement for large-scale processing. CONCLUSION: This method would provide an efficient analytical tool for monosaccharides and oligosaccharides of CR and contribute to the improvement of CR quality.

Effects of Polysaccharides in Lycium Barbarum Berries from Different Regions of China on Macrophages Function and their Correlation to the Glycosidic Linkages.

Berries of Lycium barbarum L. are not only used for traditional Chinese medicine, but also for raw materials in many health foods. Polysaccharides are major components of L. barbarum berries, which possess a variety of biological activities. In this study, effects of water-soluble polysaccharides, in 8 typical batches of L. barbarum berries collected from different producing areas of China, on macrophage function were evaluated in vitro. Furthermore, to better understand the structure-activity relationship of the polysaccharides in L. barbarum berries, the activity of typical polysaccharides and their partial acid and enzymatic hydrolysates were also investigated and compared. The results showed that the effects of polysaccharides of different regions are similar, which should be correlated to their similar chemical properties. However, their promotion effects on macrophage function are different in degree, this might be caused by their different content of active polysaccharides. Moreover, the α-1,4-d-galactosiduronic and α-1,5-arabinosidic linkages, especially the former one was discovered to significantly affect the promotion effect on macrophage function induced by the polysaccharides in L. barbarum berries. These results were beneficial to improve the pharmacological activity-based quality control of polysaccharides in L. barbarum berries and their products. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: The results showed that immunomodulation effects of polysaccharides in L. barbarum berries (LBPs) from different regions are similar, but different in degree, this might be caused by their different content of bioactive polysaccharides. Moreover, an enzymatic digestion method was used to investigate the structure-bioactivity relationship of polysaccharides from LBPs. The result indicated that α-1,4-d-galactosiduronic and α-1,5-arabinosidic linkages, especially the former one was significantly affect the immunomodulation effects of LBPs. The results were beneficial to the improvement of pharmacological activity-based quality control of LBPs and future development of related unique functional and health products.