Optimization for ultrasound-assisted extraction of polysaccharides with antioxidant activity in vitro from the aerial root of Ficus microcarpa.

In this study, optimization of ultrasound-assisted extraction and antioxidant activity of polysaccharides from the aerial root of Ficus microcarpa (FMPS) were investigated. The optimal conditions for extraction of FMPS were determined as followings: ultrasound power 200 W, ultrasound temperature 70°C, extraction temperature 74°C, liquid-solid ratio 35, extraction time 238 min, ultrasound time 49 min. The experimental yield of FMPS (3.44%) obtained under these conditions was well agreement with the value predicted by the model. In addition, Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy and antioxidant activity assays revealed that FMPS were acidic polysaccharides and had strong Fe2+ chelating activity and moderate hydrogen peroxide scavenging effect. Further work on the purification, structure characterization and antioxidant activity in vivo of FMPS is in progress.

Purification, characterization and immunostimulatory activity of polysaccharide from Cipangopaludina chinensis.

In this study, we investigated the purification, preliminary characterization and immunostimulatory activity in vivo of polysaccharide from Cipangopaludina chinensis (CCPS). Firstly, crude CCPS was prepared by hot water extraction. And the crude CCPS was sequentially purified by chromatography of DEAE-52 and Sephadex G-100, resulting in two purified fractions of CCPS-1 and CCPS-2. We found the two fractions were homogeneous heteropolysaccharides mainly composed of rhamnose and glucose with the average molecular weight of 226 and 235 kDa, respectively. CCPS-2 was quite different from CCPS-1. It had much higher content of uronic acid and sulfuric radical. For immunostimulatory activity in vivo, crude CCPS could significantly increase the thymus and spleen indices, enhance the macrophage function, and increase the level of serum hemolysin in cyclophosphamide-treated mice, suggesting CCPS had a potent immunostimulatory activity and could be explored as a potential natural immunomodulatory agent.

Preliminary characterization and potential hepatoprotective effect of polysaccharides from Cipangopaludina chinensis.

In the present study, we investigated the preliminary characterization, in vitro antioxidant and in vivo heptoprotective activities of polysaccharides from Cipangopaludina chinensis (CCPS). The results of chemical and gas chromatography analysis indicated that CCPS was mostly composed of glucose with high contents of uronic acid and sulfate. For antioxidant activities in vitro, CCPS showed medium lipid peroxidation inhibition effect and high Fe²âº chelating and hydroxyl radical scavenging activities. For hepatoprotective activity in vivo, the administration of CCPS significantly decreased the serum levels of alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase, inhibited the formation of malondialdehyde in liver and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) in serum and restored the liver activities of superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase in BCG/LPS-induced immunological liver injury mice. The results suggested that CCPS had a significant protective effect against BCG/LPS-induced immunological liver injury. The hepatoprotective effect of CSPS might be partly due to its immunoregulatory effect by inhibiting TNF-α production and antioxidant activities to protect biological systems against the oxidative stress, which were dependent on the chemical and structural properties of CCPS. Further work on the structure of CCPS is in progress.

Antioxidant activity and potential hepatoprotective effect of polysaccharides from Cyclina sinensis.

In the present study, we investigated the preliminary structure, in vitro antioxidant and in vivo hepatoprotective activities of polysaccharides from Cyclina sinensis (CSPS). The analytic results of Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy indicated the presence of α-type glycosidic linkages in CSPS-1 or CSPS-2, and the average molecular weights for CSPS-1, CSPS-2 and CSPS-3 were 69, 81 and 101 kDa, respectively. For antioxidant activities in vitro, crude CSPS, CSPS-1, CSPS-2 and CSPS-3 showed moderate H(2)O(2) scavenging activity, lipid peroxidation inhibition effect and strong Fe(2+) chelating activity. For hepatoprotective activity in vivo, the administration of CSPS significantly decreased serum levels of alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase, inhibited the formation of malondialdehyde and enhanced the activities of liver superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase in carbon tetrachloride-induced liver injury mice. These results suggested that CSPS had potent antioxidant and hepatoprotective activities.