Schisandra Fruit Vinegar Lowers Lipid Profile in High-Fat Diet Rats.

Hyperlipidemia and its associated obesity, hepatic steatosis, and NAFLD are worldwide problems. However, there is no ideal pharmacological treatment for these. Therefore, the complementary therapies that are both natural and safe have been focused. Healthy foods, such as fruit vinegar, may be one of the best choices. In this study, we made a special medicinal fruit vinegar, Schisandra fruit vinegar (SV), and examined its lipid-lowering effects and the underlying mechanisms in a high-fat diet rat model. The results showed that SV significantly reduced the body weight, liver weight, liver index, the serum triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), free fatty acid (FFA), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and malondialdehyde (MDA), increased the content of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), upregulated the expressions of peroxisome proliferative activated receptor (PPAR-α), peroxisomal acyl-coenzyme A oxidase 1 (ACOX1), and carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 (CPT1) proteins, increased the contents of key component of antioxidant defense NF-E2-related factor 2 (NRF2) and its downstream heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) protein, and downregulated the expression of Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (KEAP1). These results suggest that SV has weight loss and lipid-lowering effects in HFD rats, which may be related to its upregulation of the expressions of ß-oxidation -elated PPAR-α, CPT1, and ACOX1 and the regulation of the expressions of antioxidant pathway-related KEAP1-NRF2-HO-1. Therefore, all these data provide an experimental basis for the development of SV as a functional beverage which is safe, effective, convenient, and inexpensive.

Codonopsis lanceolata polysaccharide CLPS inhibits melanoma metastasis via regulating integrin signaling.

ß1 integrin-mediated migration plays a fundamental role in melanoma metastasis. Here, we evaluated the molecular mechanisms underlying the anti-metastatic capacity of a polysaccharide fraction (CLPS) from Codonopsis lanceolata. CLPS inhibited in vivo melanoma metastasis in a B16F10 pulmonary metastasis model, impaired ß1 integrin-mediated B16F10 melanoma cell migration in vitro evaluated by Transwell assay, reduced affinity between ß1 integrin and ligand protein GST-FNIII9-10. Also, CLPS attenuated the adhesion-dependent formation of focal adhesion and blocked ß1 integrin/FAK/paxillin signaling axis. These findings illustrate a better understanding underlying the anti-metastatic activity of CLPS, indicating a potential treatment strategy for melanoma metastasis.

Macrophage activation induced by the polysaccharides isolated from the roots of Sanguisorba officinalis.

CONTEXT: Macrophage, involved at all stages of immune response, is an important component of the host defense system. Polysaccharides exist almost ubiquitously in medical plants and most of them possess immunomodulation and macrophage activation properties. OBJECTIVE: This study elucidates the effects on macrophage activation and molecular mechanism induced by the polysaccharides (SOPs) from the roots of Sanguisorba officinalis Linne (Rosaceae). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Polysaccharides (SOPs) from the roots of S. officinalis were obtained by water extraction and ethanol precipitation. Physicochemical characterization of SOPs was analyzed by phenol-sulfuric acid, m-hydroxydiphenyl, Bradford method, and gas chromatography. Phagocytic capacity of RAW 264.7 macrophages incubated with SOPs (25 and 100 µg/ml) was determined by the aseptic neutral red method. Macrophages were incubated with SOPs (25 and 100 µg/ml), and the TNF-α and NO the secretion were measured using ELISA kit and Griess reagent, respectively. In addition, TNF-α and iNOS transcripts were evaluated by semi-quantitative RT-PCR, and NF-κB signaling activation was detected by Western blot assay. RESULTS: SOPs enhanced the phagocytosis capacity of macrophages to aseptic neutral red solution and increased TNF-α and NO secretion. The amounts of TNF-α and iNOS transcript were increased significantly at the mRNA level when macrophages were exposed to SOPs. Meanwhile, the stimulation of macrophages by SOPs induced phosphorylation of p65 at serine 536 and a marked decrease of IκB expression. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: These results suggested that SOPs exhibited significant macrophage activation properties through NF-κB signaling pathway and could be considered as a new immunopotentiator.

Inhibitory function of P-selectin-mediated leukocyte adhesion by the polysaccharides from Sanguisorba officinalis.

CONTEXT: P-selectin is a promising target for inflammatory-related diseases. Polysaccharides are the active ingredients of Sanguisorba officinalis L. (Rosaceae) responsible for its anti-inflammatory activities; however, the molecular mechanism is not clear yet. OBJECTIVE: This study evaluates the effects of polysaccharides (SOPs) from Sanguisorba officinalis on their antagonistic function against P-selectin-mediated leukocyte adhesion. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The antagonistic function of SOPs was investigated by flow cytometry and static adhesion assay at the concentrations of 25 and 100 µg/ml. The dynamic interaction between HL-60 cells and CHO-P cell monolayer treated with SOPs (25 and 100 µg/ml) was analyzed in a parallel plate flow chamber, and quantitatively calculated by ImageJ software (NIH, Bethesda, MD). In vitro protein binding assay was carried out to evaluate the blocking effects of SOPs (25 and 100 µg/ml) on the interaction between P-selectin and PSGL-1. RESULTS: SOPs-treatment (100 µg/ml) significantly reduced the percentage of HL-60 cells binding to P-selectin (p < 0.01) determined by flow cytometry. In addition, SOPs (25 and 100 µg/ml) markedly blocked the adhesion between HL-60 cells and CHO-P cells under static condition, and the inhibitory rates reached 39.9% and 71.2%, respectively. Compared with the positive control group, SOPs-treatment (25 and 100 µg/ml) significantly reduced the percentage of HL-60 cells rolling on CHO-P cell monolayers by 43.5% and 75.2%, respectively. Protein binding assay showed the interaction between P-selectin and PSGL-1 was significantly blocked by SOPs. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: SOPs possess a significant antagonistic function against P-selectin-mediated leukocyte adhesion, and SOPs could be considered as a promising candidate for amelioration of inflammation-related diseases.

Immunomodulatory and antitumor activities of grape seed proanthocyanidins.

Proanthocyanidins are naturally occurring compounds that are widely available in many kinds of plants; particularly, the grape seeds are a rich source of proanthocyanidins. Grape seed proanthocyanidins (GSPs) have been demonstrated to possess a wide range of health beneficial properties. This study was carried out to elucidate the molecular mechanisms involved in the antitumor therapeutic and immunomodulating effects of GSPs through in vivo and in vitro models. The results showed that GSPs could significantly inhibit the growth of Sarcoma 180 tumor cells in vivo and remarkably increase thymus and spleen weight of Sarcoma 180-bearing mice and upgrade the secretion level of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in serum. Moreover, GSPs could stimulate lymphocyte transformation, enhance lysosomal enzyme activity and phagocytic capability of peritoneal macrophages, and remarkably promote the production of TNF-α. These results suggested that GSPs could improve functional activation of the immune system, and the antitumor effects of GSPs were achieved by immunostimulating properties.

Structural characterization and in vitro antitumor activity of a novel polysaccharide isolated from the fruiting bodies of Pleurotus ostreatus.

A novel water-soluble polysaccharide (POPS-1) was obtained from the fruiting bodies of Pleurotus ostreatus by hot water extraction, ethanol precipitation, and fractionated by DEAE-cellulose ion exchange chromatography and sepharose CL-6B gel filtration chromatography using an ATKA explore 100 purifier. The structure characterization and antitumor activity of the POPS-1 were evaluated in this paper. According to GC analysis, HPGPC, FT-IR, partial acid hydrolysis, periodate oxidation and Smith degradation, methylation and GC-MS analysis, the results indicate POPS-1 (M(w)=31 kDa) was composed of Man; Gal; Glc with a molar ratio of 1:2.1:7.9, it had a backbone of beta-(1-->3)-linked glucose residues, which occasionally branches at O-6. The branches were composed of (1-->3)-linked Glc, (1-->4)-linked Gal, (1-->4)-linked Man, and terminated with Glc and Gal residues. Cytotoxicity assay showed POPS-1 presented significantly higher antitumor activity against Hela tumor cell in vitro, in a dose-dependent manner, and exhibited significantly lower cytotoxicity to human embryo kidney 293T cells than Hela tumor cells compared with 5-Fu. The results suggest POPS-1 may be considered as a potential candidate for developing a novel low toxicity antitumor agent.