Structural compositions and biological activities of cell wall polysaccharides in the rhizome, stem, and leaf of Polygonatum odoratum (Mill.) Druce.

Polygonatum odoratum is a perennial rhizomatous medicinal plant and different plant parts have been used in the treatment of various ailments. Herein, we have investigated the structural compositions of rhizome, leaf, and stem cell walls. We found 30-44% of polysaccharides in these wall preparations were cyclohexanediaminetetraacetic acid (CDTA) extractable, the proportion of heteromannans (HMs) in the rhizome is nearly three-fold compared to that of the leave and stem. The pectic polysaccharides of the rhizome are also structurally more diverse, with arabinans and type I and type II arabinogalactans being richest as shown by linkage study of the sodium carbonate (Na2CO3) extract. In addition, the 2-linked Araf was rhizome-specific, suggesting the cell walls in the rhizome had adapted to a more complex structure compared to that of the leaf and stem. Water-soluble polysaccharide fractions were also investigated, high proportion of Man as in 4-linked Manp indicated high proportion of HMs. The 21.4 kDa pectic polysaccharides and HMs derived from rhizome cell walls induced specific immune response in mice macrophage cells producing IL-1α and hematopoietic growth factors GM-CSF and G-CSF in vitro.

Brown Algae Carbohydrates: Structures, Pharmaceutical Properties, and Research Challenges.

Brown algae (Phaeophyceae) have been consumed by humans for hundreds of years. Current studies have shown that brown algae are rich sources of bioactive compounds with excellent nutritional value, and are considered functional foods with health benefits. Polysaccharides are the main constituents of brown algae; their diverse structures allow many unique physical and chemical properties that help to moderate a wide range of biological activities, including immunomodulation, antibacterial, antioxidant, prebiotic, antihypertensive, antidiabetic, antitumor, and anticoagulant activities. In this review, we focus on the major polysaccharide components in brown algae: the alginate, laminarin, and fucoidan. We explore how their structure leads to their health benefits, and their application prospects in functional foods and pharmaceuticals. Finally, we summarize the latest developments in applied research on brown algae polysaccharides.

Structural analysis and biological activity of cell wall polysaccharides extracted from Panax ginseng marc.

Ginseng marc is a major by-product of the ginseng industry currently used as animal feed or fertilizer. This fibrous, insoluble waste stream is rich in cell wall polysaccharides and therefore a potential source of ingredients for functional food with health-promoting properties. However, the extraction of these polysaccharides has proved problematic and their exact composition remains unknown. Here we have analysed the composition, structure and biological activity of polysaccharides from ginseng root, stem and leaf marc fractionated using a chelator and alkali solutions. The pectic fraction has been extracted from root marc in high abundance and can activate the production of interleukine-1α and the hematopoietic growth factor by RAW 264.7 murine macrophage cells, which are important immune regulators of T-cells during inflammatory responses and infection processes. Our study reveals the potential to increase the value of ginseng marc by generating carbohydrate-based products with a higher value than animal feed.