CPW partially attenuates DSS-induced ulcerative colitis in mice.

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) of the gastrointestinal tract. The etiology is not fully understood, but environmental, microbial, and immunologic factors, as well as a genetic predisposition, play a role. UC is characterized by episodes of abdominal pain, diarrhea, bloody stools, weight loss, severe colonic inflammation, and ulceration. Despite the increase in the frequency of UC and the deterioration of the quality of life, there are still patients who do not respond well to available treatment options. Against this background, natural products such as polysaccharides are becoming increasingly important as they protect the intestinal mucosa, promote wound healing, relieve inflammation and pain, and restore intestinal motility. In this study, we investigated the effect of a polysaccharide isolated from the biomass of Campomanesia adamantium and Campomanesia pubescens (here referred to as CPW) in an experimental model of acute and chronic ulcerative colitis induced by dextran sulfate sodium (DSS). CPW reversed weight loss, increased disease activity index (DAI), bloody diarrhea, and colon shortening. In addition, CPW reduced visceral mechanical hypersensitivity, controlled oxidative stress and inflammation, and protected the mucosal barrier. CPW is not absorbed in the intestine, does not inhibit cytochrome P450 proteins, and does not exhibit AMES toxicity. These results suggest that CPW attenuates DSS-induced acute and chronic colitis in mice and may be a potential alternative treatment for UC.

Chitosan-Based Scaffolds for the Treatment of Myocardial Infarction: A Systematic Review.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD), such as myocardial infarction (MI), constitute one of the world's leading causes of annual deaths. This cardiomyopathy generates a tissue scar with poor anatomical properties and cell necrosis that can lead to heart failure. Necrotic tissue repair is required through pharmaceutical or surgical treatments to avoid such loss, which has associated adverse collateral effects. However, to recover the infarcted myocardial tissue, biopolymer-based scaffolds are used as safer alternative treatments with fewer side effects due to their biocompatibility, chemical adaptability and biodegradability. For this reason, a systematic review of the literature from the last five years on the production and application of chitosan scaffolds for the reconstructive engineering of myocardial tissue was carried out. Seventy-five records were included for review using the "preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses" data collection strategy. It was observed that the chitosan scaffolds have a remarkable capacity for restoring the essential functions of the heart through the mimicry of its physiological environment and with a controlled porosity that allows for the exchange of nutrients, the improvement of the electrical conductivity and the stimulation of cell differentiation of the stem cells. In addition, the chitosan scaffolds can significantly improve angiogenesis in the infarcted tissue by stimulating the production of the glycoprotein receptors of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) family. Therefore, the possible mechanisms of action of the chitosan scaffolds on cardiomyocytes and stem cells were analyzed. For all the advantages observed, it is considered that the treatment of MI with the chitosan scaffolds is promising, showing multiple advantages within the regenerative therapies of CVD.

Dietary polysaccharides from guavira pomace, a co-product from the fruit pulp industry, display therapeutic application in gut disorders.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) includes two distinct diseases: Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). IBD is a chronic systemic disease of the gastrointestinal tract, characterized by an inflammatory process. The mechanisms by which diseases develop are still unknown, but it is known that it results from a complex interaction between genetic variability, the host's immune system, and environmental factors. One of the main complaints of patients is abdominal pain, which may be associated with the release of inflammatory mediators, changes in the normal motility of the digestive tract, and increased intestinal permeability. Currently available drugs for abdominal pain are not satisfactory, therefore, it is extremely necessary to seek new therapeutic options for the treatment of abdominal pain. Polysaccharides extracted from fruits have attracted interest, as these molecules protect the intestinal mucosa and promote wound healing, attenuating inflammation, pain, and altered intestinal motility. In this study, we investigated the ability of pectic polysaccharides obtained from guavira pomace, named CPW to reduce visceral hypersensitivity, regulate intestinal motility, and control diarrhea in mice. Acetic acid, capsaicin, or mustard oil were used to assess visceral pain in normal mice. CPW reduced abdominal writhing, cell migration, and capsaicin-induced visceral nociception. Furthermore, it regulated intestinal motility and all measured parameters of castor oil-induced diarrhea. CPW treatment reversed the increase in mucosal permeability, TEER, and tissue weight caused by acetic acid. In addition, molecular docking analysis showed that specific the CPW units binds to the 3N8V, 5COX, 2J67 and 6RBF proteins. Thus, the results suggest that CPW has attractive therapeutic characteristics for the treatment of abdominal pain and ulcerative colitis.

Beneficial Effects of Polysaccharides on the Epithelial Barrier Function in Intestinal Mucositis.

Intestinal mucositis is a clinically relevant side effect of anticancer therapies. It is experienced by 60-100% of patients undergoing treatment with high doses of chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and bone marrow transplantation. Intestinal mucositis can manifest as pain, weight loss, inflammation, diarrhea, rectal bleeding, and infection; affecting normal nutritional intake and intestinal function. It often impacts adherence to anticancer therapy as it frequently limits patient's ability to tolerate treatment, causing schedule delays, interruptions, or premature discontinuation. In some cases, local and systemic secondary infections are observed, increasing the costs toward medical care and hospitalization. Several strategies for managing mucositis are available which do not always halt this condition. In this context, new therapeutic strategies are under investigation to prevent or treat intestinal mucositis. Polysaccharides from natural resources have recently become promising molecules against intestinal damage due to their ability to promote mucosal healing and their anti-inflammatory actions. These effects are associated with the protection of intestinal mucosa and regulation of microbiota and immune system. This review aims to discuss the recent advances of polysaccharides from natural resources as potential therapies for intestinal mucositis. The source, species, doses, treatment schedules, and mechanisms of action of polysaccharides will be discussed in detail.

Biocompatible gum arabic-gold nanorod composite as an effective therapy for mistreated melanomas.

Advanced melanoma patients that are not included in common genetic classificatory groups lack effective and safe therapeutic options. Chemotherapy and immunotherapy show unsatisfactory results and devastating adverse effects for these called triple wild-type patients. New approaches exploring the intrinsic antitumor properties of gold nanoparticles might reverse this scenario as a safer and more effective alternative. Therefore, we investigated the efficacy and safety of a composite made of gum arabic-functionalized gold nanorods (GA-AuNRs) against triple wild-type melanoma. The natural polymer gum arabic successfully stabilized the nanorods in the biological environment and was essential to improve their biocompatibility. In vivo results obtained from treating triple wild-type melanoma-bearing mice showed that GA-AuNRs remarkably reduced primary tumor growth by 45%. Furthermore, GA-AuNRs induced tumor histological features associated with better prognosis while also reducing superficial lung metastasis depth and the incidence of intrapulmonary metastasis. GA-AuNRs' efficacy comes from their capacity to reduce melanoma cells ability to invade the extracellular matrix and grow into colonies, in addition to a likely immunomodulatory effect induced by gum arabic. Additionally, a broad safety investigation found no evidence of adverse effects after GA-AuNRs treatment. Therefore, this study unprecedentedly reports GA-AuNRs as a potential nanomedicine for advanced triple wild-type melanomas.