Characterization of Alpinia officinarum Hance polysaccharide and its immune modulatory activity in mice.

This study aimed to characterize the structural features of a novel water-soluble polysaccharide (AOHP) extracted from Alpinia officinarum Hance and to verify its regulating effect on mouse immunity. Cellulose DEAE-52 and Sephadex G-100 columns were used to obtain purified AOHP. Techniques including NMR, methylation, monosaccharide composition, FT-IR, and molecular weight determination were applied to investigate the physicochemical properties and structural characterization of AOHP. Then, the influence of AOHP on mice was studied. After oral administration of AOHP, organ indexes, serum biochemistry indexes, and cytokines in the spleens of the mice were analysed. The results showed that AOHP was composed of T-α-D-Glcp, (1,4)-α-D-Glcp and (1,4,6)-α-D-Glcp with a number-average molecular weight of 26.0 kDa and a weight-average molecular weight of 52.8 kDa. Additionally, the innate immune statuses of the mice were improved by treatment with AOHP, while no obvious damage was identified. To conclude, the immunomodulatory activity and biological safety make AOHP a viable candidate as an ingredient for healthcare drugs.

Characterizations of glucose-rich polysaccharides from Amomum longiligulare T.L. Wu fruits and their effects on immunogenicities of infectious bursal disease virus VP2 protein.

The aim of this study is to explore the characterization of Amomum longiligulare T.L. Wu fruits polysaccharide (ALP) and their immune enhancement effects. Two homogeneous polysaccharides (ALP1 and ALP2) were isolated from the fruits. The structural characterization results showed that ALP1 (26.10 kDa) and ALP2 (64.10 kDa) were both mainly composed of glucose. Furthermore, ALP1 was consisted of (1,2)-α-D-Glcp, (1,2,3)-α-D-Glcp and T-α-D-Glcp, while ALP2 was consisted of T-α-D-Glcp, (1,3)-α-D-Glcp and (1,3,6)-α-D-Glcp. Afterwards, the immune enhancement effects of two polysaccharides were evaluated by determining their effects on immunogenicities of infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) VP2 protein. Chickens were immunized with IBDV VP2 protein accompanied with ALP1/ALP2. And the results indicated both ALP1 and ALP2 promoted the weights and bursa of fabricius indexes of chickens. In addition, both two polysaccharides increased specific IBDV antibody levels, while ALP1 possessed higher immune enhancement ability and was expected to be an adjuvant for IBDV VP2 protein.

Structural characterization of Alpiniae oxyphyllae fructus polysaccharide 2 and its activation effects on RAW264.7 macrophages.

Polysaccharides are important components of Alpiniae oxyphyllae fructus that have been shown to exhibit significant immunomodulatory activity in our previous study. However, whether and how A. oxyphyllae fructus polysaccharides (AOFP) affect macrophages has not been determined. To further study the immunomodulatory activity of AOFP, the effect of AOFP on RAW264.7 cell activation was investigated in the present work. The results showed that AOFP2 significantly increased the phagocytic activity of RAW264.7 macrophages. AOFP2 promoted the secretion of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-10, TGF-ß, NO and iNOS and enhanced the Th2-type immune response via its activation effect on macrophages. Additionally, the structure of AOFP2 was characterized in the present study, as the structural features of polysaccharides determine their biological activities. AOFP2 was only composed of glucose, exhibiting an average molecular weight of 44.3 kDa. Furthermore, the infrared spectroscopy, methylation and nuclear magnetic resonance results indicated that AOFP2 consisted of â†’ 4)-α-D-Glcp-(1→, →4,6)-α-D-Glcp-(1 â†’ and T-α-Glcp.

Antiviral activity against porcine epidemic diarrhea virus of Pogostemon cablin polysaccharide.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: The dry overground parts of Pogostemon cablin (Blanco) Benth. is widely used in China as a traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of diarrhea, vomiting, nausea and fever. Polysaccharide is an important component of Pogostemon cablin (Blanco) Benth. but has not been studied. Pogostemon cablin (Blanco) Benth. is used to treat porcine epidemic diarrhea. But it is not known whether Pogostemon cablin polysaccharides (PCPs) has the antiviral activities against porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV). AIM OF THE STUDY: The purpose of present study is to investigate the structural characterization and the anti-PEDV activities of PCPs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: PCPs were prepared by water extraction and alcohol precipitation method and purified with DEAE-52 cellulose column and Sephadex G-100 column. Then, the structural characterization of the polysaccharides including the infrared spectrum, molecular weight and monosaccharide composition were analyzed. Afterwards, the antiviral effect of PCPs against PEDV on IPEC-J2 cells was studied by MTT method and real-time PCR method. Additionally, the effects of PCPs on PEDV adsorption, penetration and replication were analyzed by real-time PCR method. Furthermore, we also investigate whether the anti-oxidative effects of PCPs were important to the anti-PEDV activities. RESULTS: Four polysaccharides were obtained and named as PCP1.1 (31.3 kDa), PCP1.2 (3.5 kDa), PCP2.1 (9.1 kDa) and PCP2.2 (8.3 kDa). PCP1.1, PCP1.2 and PCP2.1 were composed of fucose, arabinose, galactose, glucose, mannose, galacturonic acid and glucuronic acid; and PCP2.2 was composed of arabinose, galactose, glucose, galacturonic acid and glucuronic acid. All PCPs showed anti-PEDV activities. PCP1.1 and PCP1.2 inhibited PEDV replication, while PCP2.1 and PCP2.2 inhibited PEDV penetration and replication. All PCPs showed anti-oxidative effects, which were important to the anti-PEDV activities. CONCLUSIONS: The treatment effect of Pogostemon cablin (Blanco) Benth. on porcine epidemic diarrhea might be related to the anti-PEDV effect of PCPs. Furthermore, the anti-oxidative effects of PCPs play important roles in their antiviral activities against PEDV.

Extraction, isolation, immunoregulatory activity, and characterization of Alpiniae oxyphyllae fructus polysaccharides.

For further applications of Alpiniae oxyphyllae fructus in modern clinical medicine, Alpiniae oxyphyllae fructus polysaccharide (AOFP) was studied in the present work. The extraction conditions of AOFP were optimized by the response surface method with a Box-Behnken design. The maximum extraction rate of AOFP was 3.18%. An anion-exchange DEAE-52 cellulose column and a Sephadex G-100 gel column were used to isolate the AOFP, and three polysaccharides (AOFP1, AOFP2, AOFP3) were obtained. All three polysaccharides possessed immunoregulatory activity, but the effects of AOFP1 were greater than the other two polysaccharides. AOFP1 significantly stimulated Th1- and Th2-type immune responses and specific immune responses. Meanwhile, the characterization of AOFP1 was studied. AOFP1 was composed of arabinose, galactose, glucose, xylose, mannose, galacturonic acid, and glucuronic acid at a molar ratio of 16.46:12.7:4.9:17.11:4.35:6.52:6 with an average molecular weight of 43.4 kDa. These results suggest that AOFP1 can be developed as a natural immunomodulatory drug.

In Vitro and In Vivo Immunomodulatory Activity of Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.) Polysaccharides.

Crude okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.) polysaccharide (RPS) was obtained by water extraction and alcohol precipitation. Three purified fractions of RPS, designated RPS-1, RPS-2, and RPS-3, were fractioned by diethylaminoethyl (DEAE)-cellulose chromatography. Their molecular weights, monosaccharide compositions, infrared (Fourier transform infrared [FT-IR]) spectra, and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra were analyzed. Their immunomodulatory activity was evaluated with an in vitro cell model (RAW264.7 cells). In vivo immunomodulatory activity of RPS-2 was evaluated in normal and cyclophosphamide-induced immunosuppressed mice. The results showed that the molecular weights of RPS-1, RPS-2, and RPS-3 were 600, 990, and 1300 kDa, respectively. RPS-1 and RPS-2 were mainly composed of galactose, rhamnose, galacturonic acid, and glucuronic acid, while RPS-3 was mainly composed of galactose, rhamnose, galacturonic acid, glucuronic acid, and glucose. FT-IR and NMR spectrum data indicated a rhamnogalacturonan I characteristic of polysaccharide. Both RPS and its purified fractions RPS-1, RPS-2, and RPS-3 significantly increased RAW264.7 cell proliferation, nitric oxide (NO) production, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interferon (IFN)-γ, and interleukin (IL)-10 secretion (P < .05). The purified fraction RPS-2 also increased the spleen index, splenocyte proliferation, and cytokine secretion in vivo. These results indicate that okra polysaccharides may potentially serve as novel immunomodulators.