Anti-aging Effect of Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma：A Review / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma（GRR） has the function of replenishing vital energy and can lighten the body and prolong the life when taken for a long time， which is suitable for the development of anti-aging products， so this paper intends to sort out the progress of anti-aging research on GRR. After combing， the results of modern studies have shown that a variety of components in GRR have anti-aging effect， which can prolong the lifespan of aging animal models， as well as delay the aging of various systems. The anti-aging mechanisms mainly include anti-cellular senescence， anti-oxidative stress， inhibiting telomere shortening， maintaining mitochondrial homeostasis and so on. The anti-aging ingredients of GRR involved in the researches mainly include ginsenoside Rg1 and ginsenoside Rb1， in addition， ginsenoside Rg3， ginsenoside Rd， ginsenoside Rg2， ginsenoside Re， ginsenoside Rb2， oligosaccharides of GRR， polysaccharides of GRR， water extract of GRR， total saponins of Panax ginseng stems and leaves are also included. Therefore， under current background of population aging， the in-depth development of GRR and its transformation into anti-aging products are of great significance for delaying senility and improving the health conditions of aging population.

Evaluation of Relationship of Pueraria lobata Quality from Different Producing Areas Based on "Climate Factor-component Content-antioxidant Capacity" / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveThe correlation of Pueraria lobata producing areas， climate factors， total flavonoids of P. lobata， polysaccharide content of P. lobata， and antioxidant activity of P.lobata for medicinal application was analyzed， and the relationship between climate factors and the formation of P. lobata quality was evaluated. MethodThe scavenging rates of 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical 2,2-diphenyl-1-(2,4,6-trinitrophenyl)hydrazyl（DPPH） and 2, 2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)（ABTS） radicals by total flavonoids and polysaccharides of P. lobata were detected， and the correlation between the contents of each component and the information of producing areas and climate factors was analyzed. ResultThe ABTS+ scavenging rate by total flavonoids of P.lobata was negatively correlated with altitude （P<0.05） and positively correlated with annual sunshine hours （P<0.05）. The altitude was positively correlated with the total flavonoid content， while the annual sunshine hours were negatively correlated with the total flavonoid content. There was a negative correlation between total flavonoid content and ABTS+ scavenging rate by total flavonoids. In other words， lower altitude and longer annual sunshine hours indicated lower total flavonoid content and higher ABTS+ scavenging rate by total flavonoids. The ABTS+ scavenging rate by polysaccharides of P. lobata was negatively correlated with the frost-free period （P<0.05） and the mean temperature in July （P<0.01）. There was a positive correlation between the polysaccharide content of P. lobata and the frost-free period. The mean temperature in July was positively correlated with the polysaccharide content of P. lobata （P<0.05）. The polysaccharide content of P. lobata was negatively correlated with the ABTS+ scavenging rate by polysaccharides of P. lobata. In other words， a shorter frost-free period in the producing area and lower mean temperature in July indicated lower polysaccharide content of P. lobata and higher ABTS+ scavenging rate by polysaccharides of P. lobata. The mean temperature in July was significantly correlated with the contents of total flavonoids and polysaccharides in P. lobata samples （P<0.05）. The lower mean temperature in July was often accompanied by lower total flavonoid content of P. lobata， lower polysaccharide content of Pueraria lobata， and stronger antioxidant activity of P. lobata samples. ConclusionThe ability of P. lobata to remove ABTS+ is stronger than that of DPPH+. There is a significant correlation between climate factors， content， and antioxidant capacity in each producing area. Further research on the internal law of the formation of medicinal active components of P. lobata induced by core climate factors will provide a scientific basis for revealing the formation mechanism of genuine P. lobata and the subsequent control of P. lobata quality according to the environment of producing areas.

Effect and Mechanism of Action of Epimedii Folium Polysaccharides on Mice with Exercise-induced Fatigue Based on p38 MAPK/NF-κB Signaling Pathway / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo study the effects of Epimedii Folium polysaccharides on mice with exercise-induced fatigue and explore its possible mechanism of action. MethodICR male mice screened by swimming training were randomly divided into a control group， model group， vitamin C group， and low， medium， and high dose groups of Epimedii Folium polysaccharides， with eight mice in each group. The exercise-induced fatigue model was established by weight-bearing swimming training in each group except for the control group. After two weeks of weight-bearing swimming， the Epimedii Folium polysaccharide groups were given 100， 200， 400 mg∙kg-1 of Epimedii Folium polysaccharides by gavage， and the vitamin C group was given 200 mg∙kg-1 of vitamin C by gavage. The control group and the model group were given equal amounts of saline for 14 d. At the end of the experimental period， the body mass of the mice in each group and the time of last swimming due to exhaustion were recorded. Serum urea nitrogen （BUN）， lactic acid （LA）， lactate dehydrogenase （LDH）， malondialdehyde （MDA）， superoxide dismutase （SOD）， glutathione peroxidation （GSH-Px）， myoglycogen （MG） in skeletal muscle， hepatic glycogen （HG） in the liver were detected by kits. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining was used to observe the pathological changes in muscle tissue. Western blot was used to detect the protein expression of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase （p38 MAPK）， phosphorylation （p）-p38 MAPK， extracellular signal-regulated kinase1/2 （ERK1/2）， nuclear factor-κB （NF-κB）， p-NF-κB， interleukin-1β （IL-1β）， and interleukin-6 （IL-6） in muscle tissue. The immunofluorescence （IF） method was used to detect the expression of tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α） in skeletal muscle tissue of mice in each group. ResultCompared with the control group， the body mass of mice in the model group decreased， and the time of last swimming due to exhaustion decreased （P<0.01）. In addition， there were significantly higher serum levels of the fatigue metabolites LA， LDH， BUN， and lipid peroxidation product MDA （P<0.01） and decreased levels of MG， HG， SOD， and GSH-Px （P<0.01）. The protein expressions of p-p38 MAPK， ERK1/2， p-NF-κB， IL-1β， IL-6， and TNF-α in skeletal muscle tissue were significantly higher than those of the control group （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the body mass and time of last swimming due to exhaustion of the mice in the low， medium， and high dose groups of Epimedii Folium polysaccharides and the vitamin C group were increased （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and the contents of LA， LDH， BUN， and MDA were significantly decreased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The levels of MG， HG， SOD， and GSH-Px increased （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and the protein expression levels of p-p38 MAPK， ERK， p-NF-κB， IL-1β， IL-6， and TNF-α in skeletal muscle tissue decreased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionEpimedii Folium polysaccharides can play a role in alleviating exercise-induced fatigue by inhibiting the p38 MARK/NF-κB signaling pathway， thereby reducing the accumulation of metabolites， improving the activity of antioxidant enzymes， increasing the glycogen content of the body， and reducing inflammation in skeletal muscle.

Effects and mechanism of polysaccharides from Hedyotis diffusa on isoniazid-induced liver injury / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE To investigate the effects and mechanism of polysaccharides from Hedyotis diffusa （HDP） on isoniazid （INH）-induced liver injury. METHODS Healthy transgenic zebrafish with liver-specific fluorescence were divided into normal group， model group （4 mmol/L INH）， HDP low-concentration group （4 mmol/L INH+50 mg/mL HDP） and HDP high- concentration group （4 mmol/L INH+100 mg/mL HDP）. After grouping treating， the liver fluorescence area， fluorescence intensity and pathological changes of liver tissue were observed. Human liver L02 cells were divided into normal group， model group （4 mmol/L INH）， HDP low-concentration group （4 mmol/L INH+2 mg/mL HDP）， and HDP high-concentration group （4 mmol/L INH + 4 mg/mL HDP）. After grouping treating， the cell viability was detected， and the levels of alanine transaminase （ALT）， aspartate transaminase （AST）， and the content of glutathione （GSH） as well as the expression levels of silent information regulator 1 （Sirt1）， nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 （Nrf2）， heme oxygenase-1 （HO-1） and quinone oxidoreductase 1 （NQO1） proteins were detected. RESULTS Compared with the model group， the HDP low- and high-concentration groups showed varying degrees of increase in the fluorescence area and fluorescence intensity （except for HDP low-concentration group） of zebrafish liver （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）， and the characteristics of liver injury and necrosis had been improved to varying degrees. Compared with model group， the survival rate of L02 cells， the content of GSH （except for HDP low-concentration group）， the protein expression levels of Sirt1 （except for HDP low-concentration group）， Nrf2， NQO1， HO-1 （except for HDP low-concentration group） were significantly increased in HDP low- and high-concentration groups （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）， and the levels of ALT and AST （except for HDP low-concentration group） were significantly decreased （P＜0.05）； the number of survival cells significantly increased， while the number of damaged or dead cells significantly decreased. CONCLUSIONS HDP has a potential protective effect against INH-induced liver injury， the mechanism of which may be associated with activating Sirt1/Nrf2 signaling pathway， improving mitochondrial function and enhancing antioxidant capacity.

Mechanism of Promoting Chronic Refractory Wound Repair by Polysaccharides in Traditional Chinese Medicine： A Review / 中国实验方剂学杂志

A chronic refractory wound is caused by continuous skin damage. At the same time， it may be formed due to repeated infection， vascular insufficiency， diabetes， tumors， chronic osteomyelitis， and other reasons， resulting in wound repair interruption and recovery delay. Chronic refractory wound seriously affects the quality of life of patients and consumes a lot of medical resources. Polysaccharides in traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） are the effective components of most TCM. Modern pharmacological studies have found that polysaccharides contained in TCM have anti-inflammatory， antioxidant， anti-radiation， hypoglycemic， antiviral， anti-tumor， hypolipidemic， and immunomodulatory effects. Through the summary and analysis of the literature， it was found that the mechanism of polysaccharides in TCM to promote chonic refractory wound repair was mainly realized from the following aspects： firstly， regulating inflammatory cytokines like interleukin-4 （IL-4）， interleukin-10 （IL-10）， interleukin-8 （IL-8）， and tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α） or regulating macrophage-related inflammatory proteins and chemotactic proteins like MIP-2， MCP-1， to shorten the inflammatory period. Secondly， activating growth factors like platelet-derived growth fator （PDGF）， basic fibroblast growth factor （bFGF）， TGF-α， and vascular endothelial growth factor （VEGF） to recruit endothelial cells and fibroblasts into tissue proliferation. Thirdly， activationg VEGF and its downstream receptor vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-1 （VEGFR-1） and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 （VEGFR-2）-mediatated protein kinase C/extracellular regulated kinases （PKC/ERK） signaling pathway or promoting angiogenesie and improving wound blood flow through angiotensin （ANG）. Fourthly， promoting the ablility of collagen synthesis by enhancing the secretion of hydroxyproline and hyaluronic acid （HA） from fibroblasts （FB） and regulating relevant matrix metalloenzymes and their enzyme inhibitor to regulate the extracellular matrix. Fifthly， eliminating free radiccals to reduce the damage caused by oxidative stress to tissue. Sixthly， enhancing the phagocytic ability of macrophages， the activity of natural killer cells， and the proliferation of T cells to improve the defense ability of tissue. Polysaccharides in TCM can repair wounds in many ways at the same time. Its advantage lies in the multiple targets and multiple pathways. It is expected that the research will pay more attention to the mechanism of wound repair by polysaccharide components in TCM when improving the treatment of chronic refractory wounds.

Improvement effect of Phellodendron amurense polysaccharides on gouty nephropathy in rats and its mechanism / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE To study the effects of Phellodendron amurense polysaccharides （PAP） on improving gouty nephropathy （GN） in rats， and to investigate its mechanism primarily by interfering the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase （p38 MAPK）/nuclear factor-κB（NF-κB）/tumor necrosis factor-α（TNF-α）. METHODS Sixty rats were randomly divided into normal group （water）， model group （water）， allopurinol group （positive control， 20 mg/kg）， PAP high-dose， medium-dose and low-dose groups （100， 50， 25 mg/kg， by raw material） after being stratified by body weight， with 10 rats in each group. Except for the normal group， the other groups were induced to construct GN model by giving 1 500 mg/kg potassium oxazinate and 100 mg/kg adenine intragastrically for 14 days. After modeling， the rats in each group were given relevant medicine/water intragastrically， once a day， for consecutive 28 days. After the last medication， the levels of biochemical parameters related to renal function [uric acid， creatinine （Cr）， blood urea nitrogen （BUN）， xanthine oxidase （XOD）] were detected in rats， and the histopathological changes in the rat kidney were observed. The protein expressions of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1（MCP-1），TNF-α and interleukin-6（IL-6） as well as the phosphorylation levels of p38 MAPK and NF-κB p65 protein were determined in renal tissue of rats. RESULTS Compared with the normal group， the model group suffered from the dilatation of renal tubules， structural damage to glomeruli， accompanied by inflammatory infiltration and fibrosis； the contents of uric acid， Cr， BUN and XOD， the protein expressions of MCP-1，TNF-α and IL-6 and the phosphorylation levels of p38 MAPK and NF-κB p65 protein were all increased significantly （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. Compared with the model group， the pathological symptoms of renal tissue in rats had been improved to varying degrees in different dose groups of PAP； the contents of uric acid， Cr， BUN and XOD， protein expressions of MCP-1， TNF-α and IL-6， the phosphorylation levels of p38 MAPK and NF-κB p65 protein in PAP high-dose and PAP medium-dose groups were all decreased significantly （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. CONCLUSIONS PAP exhibits an anti-GN effect， the mechanism of which may be associated with inhibiting the p38 MAPK/NF-κB/TNF-α signaling pathway.

Polysaccharides from Chinese herbal medicine: a review on the hepatoprotective and molecular mechanism / 中国天然药物

Polysaccharides, predominantly extracted from traditional Chinese medicinal herbs such as Lycium barbarum, Angelica sinensis, Astragalus membranaceus, Dendrobium officinale, Ganoderma lucidum, and Poria cocos, represent principal bioactive constituents extensively utilized in Chinese medicine. These compounds have demonstrated significant anti-inflammatory capabilities, especially anti-liver injury activities, while exhibiting minimal adverse effects. This review summarized recent studies to elucidate the hepatoprotective efficacy and underlying molecular mechanisms of these herbal polysaccharides. It underscored the role of these polysaccharides in regulating hepatic function, enhancing immunological responses, and improving antioxidant capacities, thus contributing to the attenuation of hepatocyte apoptosis and liver protection. Analyses of molecular pathways in these studies revealed the intricate and indispensable functions of traditional Chinese herbal polysaccharides in liver injury management. Therefore, this review provides a thorough examination of the hepatoprotective attributes and molecular mechanisms of these medicinal polysaccharides, thereby offering valuable insights for the advancement of polysaccharide-based therapeutic research and their potential clinical applications in liver disease treatment.

Chemical components in cultivated Cordyceps sinensis and their effects on fibrosis / 中草药·英文版

OBJECTIVE@#Cultivated Cordyceps sinensis powder has been used as clinical drug and healthy food to nourish the lung and kidney, which solves the problem of serious shortage of wild C. sinensis. This study aims to explore the chemical components and compared their anti-fibrotic effects in cultivated C. sinensis.@*METHODS@#Nucleosides, sterols and polysaccharides were separated and purified from cultivated C. sinensis, and analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and chemical chromogenic methods, respectively. In high glucose-induced rat mesangial cell models, fibronectin and type 1 collagen were used as evaluation indicators.@*RESULTS@#There were 10 kinds of nucleosides and one sterol in cultivated C. sinensis. The contents of nucleosides, sterols and polysaccharides in the cultivated C. sinensis were close to 2%, 0.55% and 4.4%, respectively. Furthermore, nucleoside, sterol and polysaccharide components exhibited varying degrees of anti-fibrotic activity. The nucleoside components and sterol components inhibited the expression of extracellular matrix more effectively in the three main components.@*CONCLUSION@#Cultivated C. sinensis remains the similar compounds with the wild C. sinensis, and nucleosides and sterols may be the main active substances that contribute to its anti-fibrotic effects. The project of this study may provide valuable information on further optimization of more effective remedies with few side effects based on cultivated C. sinensis.

Effect of different plant growth regulators on callus and adventitious shoots induction, polysaccharides accumulation and antioxidant activity of Rhodiola dumulosa / 中草药·英文版

OBJECTIVE@#As a medicinal plant, the resource of Rhodiola dumulosa is deficient along with the large collection. For the protection and utilization of R. dumulosa, the influence of plant growth regulators (PGRs) on callus induction and adventitious shoots differentiation, polysaccharide production and the antioxidant activity were tested.@*METHODS@#Internodes of R. dumulosa were used as explants and cultured on MS medium plus different plant growth regulators (PGRs). The anti-oxidative activities of polysaccharides were evaluated using radical scavenging assays.@*RESULTS@#By response surface plot, 0.85 mg/L N6-benzyladenine (BA), 0.34 mg/L naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) and 0.33 mg/L 2,4-dicholorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) were the optimal factors for callus induction (90.03%) from internodes explants on MS medium. The fresh weight of green callus increased 47.26 fold, when callus was inoculated on MS + thidiazuron (TDZ) 0.5 mg/L + NAA 2.0 mg/L. Adventitious buds regenerated from callus on the media of MS were fortified with BA 1.0 mg/L plus NAA 0.5 mg/L, and the induction rate was 40.00%. MS plus indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) 1.0 mg/L produced the highest rooting rate with 10 to 15 roots in a length of 2-3 cm per shoot. The content of total polysaccharides in callus developed on MS + TDZ 0.5 mg/L + NAA 2.0 mg/L and MS + BA 1.0 mg/L + NAA 0.5 mg/L was as high as 1.72%-2.15%. At the dose of 0.5 mg/mL polysaccharides extracted from different callus induced on MS + NAA 2.0 mg/L + TDZ 0.5 mg/L or MS + BA 1.0 mg/L + NAA 0.5 mg/L or MS + BA 0.5 mg/L + 2,4-D 0.5 mg/L, the ABTS radical eliminating percentages were 82.78%, 80.18% and 68.59%, respectively, much higher than that of wild plant.@*CONCLUSION@#A rapid micropropagation system for R. dumulosa has been developed. The combination of TDZ and NAA or BA and NAA can increase the yield of the total polysaccharides. The polysaccharides isolated from callus and whole wild plants had stronger free radicals scavenging activities, indicating that polysaccharides from R. dumulosa are the potential pharmaceutical supplements.

Anti-obesity and Gut Microbiota Modulation Effect of Astragalus Polysaccharides Combined with Berberine on High-Fat Diet-Fed Obese Mice / 中国结合医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate whether astragalus polysaccharides (APS) combined with berberine (BBR) can reduce high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity in mice.@*METHODS@#Except for normal mice, 32 HFD-induced obese mice were randomized into HFD, APS (1,000 mg/kg APS), BBR (200 mg/kg BBR), and APS plus BBR (1,000 mg/kg APS plus 200 mg/kg BBR) groups, respectively. After 6-week treatment (once daily by gavage), the obesity phenotype and pharmacodynamic effects were evaluated by histopathological examination of epididymal fat, liver, and colon using hematoxylin-eosin staining and serum biochemical analyses by an automated chemistry analyzer. The feces were collected at the 12 th week, and taxonomic and functional profiles of gut microbiota were analyzed by 16S ribosomal ribonucleic acid (16S rRNA) sequencing.@*RESULTS@#Compared with HFD group, the average body weight of APS plus BBR group was decreased (P<0.01), accompanied with the reduced fat accumulation, enhanced colonic integrity, insulin sensitivity and glucose homeostasis (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Importantly, APS combined with BBR treatment was more effective than APS or BBR alone in improving HFD-induced insulin resistance (P<0.05 or P<0.01). 16S rRNA sequence-based analysis of fecal samples demonstrated that APS combined with BBR treatment exhibited a better impact on HFD-induced gut microbiota dysbiosis, exclusively via the enriched abundances of Bacteroides, which corresponded to the large increase of predicted bacterial genes involved in carbohydrate metabolism.@*CONCLUSION@#APS combined with BBR may synergistically reduce obesity and modulate the gut microbiota in HFD-fed mice.

Study on the extraction of polysaccharides from Dendrobium officinale and its improvement effect on acute lung injury in mice / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE To optimize the extraction process of polysaccharides from Dendrobium officinale， and preliminarily study its effect on acute lung injury （ALI） in mice. METHODS Using D. officinale as raw material， the polysaccharides were extracted from D. officinale by ultrasonic-assisted hot water immersion. Using the extraction rate of D. officinale polysaccharides as response value， the single-factor experiments and Box-Behnken response surface method were used to optimize the ratio of material to liquid， extraction time and extraction temperature. ALI mice were induced by lipopolysaccharide. Using prednisone acetate （5 mg/kg） as the positive control， the effects on the mass ratio of wet and dry lung and pathological changes of lung tissue （HE staining and Masson staining） of low-dose， medium-dose and high-dose D. officinale polysaccharides （50，100，200 mg/kg） were investigated. RESULTS The optimal extraction technology of D. officinale polysaccharides was as follows： the ratio of material to liquid was 1∶25 （g/mL）， the extracting time was 1 h， and the extracting temperature was 58 ℃ . Under these conditions， the average extraction rate of D. officinale polysaccharides was 37.75% （RSD＝1.12%，n＝3）， the relative error of which with predicted value （38.63%） was 2.28%. Compared with the model group， the ratios of wet and dry lung in the positive control group and D. officinale polysaccharides groups were all decreased significantly （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）， and the pathological changes in lung tissue （severe destruction of alveolar structure， significant widening of alveolar septa， extensive infiltration of inflammatory cells and proliferation of fibroblasts） were alleviated to varying degrees. CONCLUSIONS The optimal extraction process of D. officinale polysaccharides is feasible； the obtained polysaccharide extract has a certain improvement effect on ALI in mice.

Antidepressant Effects of Oligosaccharides and Polysaccharides in Chinese Medicine： A Review / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Depression is a common psychiatric disease that seriously affects the physical and mental health and quality of life of patients， and has become one of the major global disease burdens. The etiology of depression is intricate， and despite extensive research， its pathogenesis remains inconclusive， resulting in various hypotheses of its onset mechanisms. Presently， the primary approach for clinically treating depression involves the utilization of selective inhibitors targeting the reuptake of monoamine neurotransmitters within the central nervous system. However， these drugs are generally characterized by delayed onset of action， limited efficacy and obvious resistance. Recently， researchers have gradually turned their attention to the development of antidepressant drugs with novel mechanisms. Notably， as a category of abundantly available active ingredients in Chinese medicine， numerous pharmacological studies have demonstrated that oligosaccharides and polysaccharides possess promising antidepressant properties， such as Morindae Officinalis Radix oligosaccharides， Polygalae Radix oligosaccharide esters， Poria polysaccharides and Astragali Radix polysaccharides. Their pharmacological mechanisms are various， including enhancing the levels of monoamine neurotransmitters in the brain， inhibiting the hyperactivation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis（HPA axis）， increasing the expression of neurotrophic factors（NTF）， regulating immune-inflammatory responses and modulating the microbiota-gut-brain axis. Therefore， oligosaccharides and polysaccharides from Chinese medicine have become a vital source of safe and effective novel antidepressant candidates due to the potential to improve depression through integrated regulatory effects. This article aims to provide a comprehensive and systematic review of recent progress to contribute to the elucidation of the mechanisms underlying the antidepressant effects of oligosaccharides and polysaccharides derived from Chinese medicine.

Chinese Medicine Polysaccharides Induce Apoptosis of Gastric Cancer Cells： A Review / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Gastric cancer （GC） is a digestive tract tumor that occurs in the epithelial tissues of the gastric mucosa， seriously affecting the life and health of patients， and its mortality rate ranks the third among malignancies. Although medical technology has made great progress in recent years， the progression of GC still cannot be effectively controlled by surgery， chemotherapy， and targeted therapy. The pathogenesis of GC is extremely complex and is closely related to the tumor microenvironment， chronic inflammation， and immune escape， among which the reduction of tumor cell apoptosis is one of the important mechanisms for the occurrence and development of GC. Apoptosis refers to the process of spontaneous termination of cell life caused by genes under specific physiological or pathological conditions， which is of great significance for maintaining the stability of the internal environment. Researchers have found that in the GC state， mitochondrial endogenous apoptosis， endoplasmic reticulum stress， external death receptors， and other apoptosis pathways are regulated by multiple signaling pathways and genes， which together lead to the decline of GC cell apoptosis rate and thus promote the progression of GC. Chinese medicine is advantageous and characterized by multiple components， multiple targets， synergistic effect， and few adverse reactions. A large number of studies have shown that polysaccharide components， as effective components of Chinese medicine， have biological activities such as cancer inhibition， blood sugar control， anti-inflammation， antioxidant damage， and anti-virus， and can effectively inhibit the deterioration of GC by inducing cell apoptosis， gradually becoming a hot spot in GC drug research and development. However， systematic reviews on the apoptosis of GC induced by Chinese medicine polysaccharides are rarely reported. Therefore， this paper analyzed and summarized the studies of Chinese medicine polysaccharides in promoting apoptosis and interfering with GC， in order to provide a theoretical basis for the basic research， new drug development， and clinical application of Chinese medicine polysaccharides in the intervention of GC.

Avaliação e elucidação do mecanismo de ação de polímeros naturais modificados utilizados na agricultura / Evaluation and mode of action elucidation for modified natural polymers used in agriculture

Atualmente a agricultura ocupa um papel de extrema importância na conjuntura global e nacional e está inserida em um contexto de enormes desafios devido ao aumento da população mundial e maior demanda por alimentos. Ao mesmo tempo, é o setor mais afetado pelos impactos negativos das mudanças climáticas, que têm espalhado suas consequências de maneira cada vez mais frequente e intensa. Um dos principais efeitos é a alteração do regime de chuvas ao redor do globo, ocasionando estiagens intensas e duradouras, capazes de reduzir a produtividade de safras e comprometer a produção alimentícia. As abordagens atualmente existentes no mercado para mitigar as consequências negativas da escassez hídrica demandam alto investimento de implementação e manutenção, ou possuem um perfil ecotoxicológico insatisfatório. Polímeros de origem natural modificados quimicamente foram avaliados em termos de desempenho e capacidade de prover às plantas uma maior disponibilidade de água através de retenção hídrica. Os resultados alcançados demonstraram que os polímeros modificados com grupos iônicos foram capazes de promover um melhor gerenciamento hídrico no microambiente ao redor de sementes e entregar ganhos de produtividade a lavouras de soja. O mecanismo de ação da tecnologia estudada foi elucidado através de ensaios de determinação de capacidade de campo, análise de elipsometria, microscopia de força atômica, ensaios de germinação de soja sob estresse hídrico e implementação de áreas de soja a céu aberto a partir da aplicação em tratamento de sementes e sulco de plantio. As interações intra e intermoleculares entre as partículas de solo, moléculas de polímero e de água se mostraram ponto chave para a mudança de patamar de desempenho de polímeros naturais modificados utilizados na agricultura, quando comparados com os grupos controle. A tecnologia aqui estudada é, portanto, recomendada para utilização na agricultura, com capacidade de potencializar o efeito de tecnologias dependentes de água, resultando em maior produtividade na colheita

Nowadays agriculture occupies an extremely important role both in the global and national scenarios. Its included in a very challenging context due to the forecast of increased world population and consequent higher demand for food. At the same time, it is the most affected economic sector by the climate change effects, which have been causing frequent and harsh impacts. One of the main effects is the change in the rainfall pattern worldwide, which causes severe and long-lasting droughts, responsible for causing crops to fail and therefore putting food production at risk. The current available mitigation measures to address hydric scarcity require a huge investment for implementation and maintenance or do not present a satisfactory and safe ecotoxicological profile. Chemically modified natural polymers have been evaluated in terms of performance and ability to provide the plants with higher water availability through hydric retention. The results obtained show that such ionic group modified polymers are able to promote better water management in a given microenvironment surrounding the seeds and ultimately delivery a higher yield to soy crops. The technology's mode of action has been elucidated through field capacity determination trials, ellipsometry, atomic force microscopy, soy germination trials under hydric stress and, finally, implementation of soy areas under actual field conditions by applying the polymers via seed treatment and in-furrow methods. Both intra- and intermolecular interaction between soil particles, polymer and water molecules have been proven as key to understanding the agricultural performance improvement of the modified polymers when compared to the control. The technology is recommended for agricultural applications due to its ability to boost the effect of water-dependent technologies, promoting higher yields

Nicotine is a potent extracellular polysaccharide inducer in Fusobacterium nucleatum biofilms

The purpose of this in vitro study was to analyze the influence of nicotine on the extracellular polysaccharides in Fusobacterium nucleatum biofilm. Methods: F. nucleatum (ATCC 10953) biofilms supplemented with different concentrations of nicotine (0, 0.5, 1, 2, 4, and 8 mg/mL) were grown in two different BHI broth conditions [no sucrose and 1% sucrose]. Extracellular polysaccharides assay, pH measurements, and a spectrophotometric assay were performed. Data were submitted for ANOVA and Tukey honestly significant difference analyses (HSD) tests (α =.05). Results: Extracellular polysaccharides synthesis was influenced by an interaction between nicotine concentrations and growth medium solution containing sucrose (P<.05). The pH values declined in the sucrose-exposed biofilm were greater than in the group exposed only to nicotine (P<.05). The biofilm exposed to sucrose and nicotine had a higher total biofilm growth (P<.05) than the nicotine-treated biofilm without sucrose. Conclusions: Regardless of sucrose exposure, biofilms exposed to different nicotine concentrations influenced the amount of extracellular polysaccharides

Dendrobium Polysaccharides Mitigate CSE-induced Inflammatory Damage of Human Bronchial Epithelial Cells via TLR4/NF-κB Pathway / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo observe the effects of Dendrobium polysaccharides on the secretion of inflammatory cytokines and Toll-like receptor 4 （TLR4）/nuclear factor （NF）-κB pathway in 16HBE cells exposed to cigarette smoke extract （CSE）. MethodThe 16HBE cells were classified into the control， CSE， and CSE+ Dendrobium polysaccharides （100， 200， 400 mg·L-1） groups. The cell-counting kit-8 （CCK-8） assay was employed to measure the cell viability， and a microscope was used to observe the cell morphology. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was employed to measure the levels of interleukin （IL）-8， IL-1β， IL-4， IL-13， and transforming growth factor （TGF）-β in cell culture supernatants. Real-time PCR was carried out to determine the mRNA levels of Toll-like receptor 4 （TLR4）， nuclear factor-κB （NF-κB）， and IL-4. Western blot was employed to determine the protein levels of interleukin-4 receptor （IL-4R）， TLR4， myeloid differentiation primary response protein 88 （MyD88）， NF-κB， phosphorylated nuclear factor-κB （p-NF-κB）， and nucleoproteins nuclear factor-κB （NEs-NF-κB）. The immunofluorescence assay was employed to measure the nuclear translocation of NF-κB. ResultCompared with the control group， the CSE group showed elevated levels of IL-8， IL-1β， IL-4， IL-13， and TGF-β in the cell culture supernatants （P<0.05， P<0.01）， up-regulated expression levels of TLR4， MyD88， NF-κB， p-NF-κB， NEs-NF-κB， and IL-4 （P<0.01）， and significant nuclear translocation of NF-κB. Compared with the CSE group， Dendrobium polysaccharides increased the cell survival rate， recovered the cell activity， lowered the levels of IL-8， IL-1β， IL-4， IL-13， and TGF-β， down-regulated the expression of TLR4， MyD88， NF-κB， p-NF-κB， NEs-NF-κB， and IL-4 （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and reduced the nuclear translocation of NF-κB. ConclusionDendrobium polysaccharides showed significant protective effects on the 16HBE cells exposed to CSE by inhibiting the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway.

Effect of Polysaccharides and n-Butanol Fractions of Atractylodis Rhizoma Stir-fried with Bran on Metabonomics in Rats with Spleen Deficiency / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo explore the regulatory effect of polysaccharides and n-butanol fractions of Atractylodis Rhizoma stir-fried with bran on the plasma metabolites of spleen-deficient rats， and then to elucidate their mechanisms of spleen-enhancing effects. MethodForty male SD rats were randomly divided into the blank group， model group， polysaccharide group （FD group， 0.075 6 g·mL-1·d-1）， n-butanol fractions group （FZ group， 0.012 1 g·mL-1·d-1）， with 10 rats in each group. Except the blank group， the other three groups used the compound factors of overwork， dietary disorders and intragastric administration of Sennae Folium decoction to replicate the rat model of spleen deficiency. After the end of modeling， the FD group and FZ group were given the corresponding medicinal solution by gavage for 7 d， meanwhile， the blank group and model group were given an equal volume of saline. The plasma samples from rats in the blank， model， FZ and FD groups were analyzed by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole/electrostatic field orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry （UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap-MS）， multivariate statistical methods were used to process the data and screen differential metabolites， and metabolic pathway enrichment analysis of the screened differential metabolites was performed using the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes （KEGG)）database and MetaboAnalyst 5.0. ResultThe results of multivariate statistical analysis showed that there were significant differences in plasma metabolites between the model group and blank group， FZ group and model group， FD group and model group. There were 380 differential metabolites between the blank group and the model group， of which 78 and 57 were called back by polysaccharides and n-butanol fractions of Atractylodis Rhizoma stir-fried with bran， respectively. Metabolic pathway enrichment results showed that the n-butanol fractions mainly affected glycine， serine and threonine metabolism， alanine， aspartate and glutamate metabolism， D-arginine and D-ornithine metabolism， which were summarized as amino acid metabolism， while the polysaccharides mainly affected glycine， serine and threonine metabolism， alanine， aspartate and glutamate metabolism， tricarboxylic acid cycle， biotin metabolism and thiamine metabolism. ConclusionBoth of polysaccharides and n-butanol fractions of Atractylodis Rhizoma stir-fried with bran have significant regulating effects on the metabolic abnormalities in spleen-deficient rats， in which the n-butanol fractions is mainly involved in amino acid metabolism， and the polysaccharides are involved in energy metabolism and cofactor and vitamin metabolism in addition to regulating amino acid metabolism.

Angelica sinensis polysaccharides improve Th1/Th2 imbalance and protect pregnancy in threatened abortion model rats / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE To study the tocolysis effects of Angelica sinensis polysaccharides on threatened abortion model rats and their impacts on Th1/Th2 balance by regulating the phosphoinositide 3-kinase （PI3K）/protein kinase B （AKT） signaling pathway. METHODS Pregnant rats were randomly grouped into the control group， model group， A. sinensis polysaccharide group （200 mg/kg）， PI3K/AKT signaling pathway inhibitor LY294002 group （5 mg/kg）， and A. sinensis polysaccharide+LY294002 group （200 mg/kg A. sinensis polysaccharide+5 mg/kg LY294002）， with 10 rats in each group. Except for the control group， rats in all other groups were given mifepristone （8.3 mg/kg） and misoprostol （100 μg/kg） intragastrically to establish a threatened abortion model， and intragastric or intraperitoneal injection of corresponding drugs. The serum levels of estrogen， progesterone， interferon-γ （IFN-γ）， tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）， and interleukin-4 （IL-4） in each group of rats were detected， and the uterine ovarian index and embryonic mortality rate of rats in each group were measured； the morphology of uterine tissue in rats was observed in each group； Th1/Th2 balance in peripheral blood of rats as well as the expression of PI3K/AKT signaling pathway-related proteins in the uterine tissues of rats in each group were detected. RESULTS Compared with the control group， the uterine tissue of rats in the model group showed pathological damage； the serum levels of estrogen， progesterone and IL-4， uterine ovarian index， peripheral blood Th2 cell ratio， and the ratios of phosphorylated PI3K （p-PI3K）/PI3K and phosphorylated AKT （p-AKT）/AKT in uterine tissue were all decreased （P＜0.05）； the embryo mortality rate， Th1 cell ratio， Th1/Th2 ratio， and serum levels of IFN-γ and TNF-α were increased （P＜0.05）. Compared with the model group， the pathological damage of uterine tissue in the A. sinensis polysaccharide group was reduced， and the above indexes were all improved significantly （P＜0.05）； LY294002 could weaken the effect of A. sinensis polysaccharide on model rats （P＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS A. sinensis polysaccharides can improve Th1/Th2 imbalance in threatened abortion model rats by activating the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway， thereby inhibiting immune inflammation， and promoting embryo survival.

Traditional Chinese medicine polysaccharides in the treatment of Parkinson's disease and its mechanism / 中国药理学与毒理学杂志

Parkinson's disease(PD)is a degenera-tive disease of the central nervous system characterized by the loss of dopamine(DA)neurons in the dense sub-stantia nigra and the depletion of DA neurons.Clinically,the treatment of PD is mainly supplementing dopamine deficiency or using DA receptor agonists,but these drugs can only alleviate the symptoms of PD patients,but cannot prevent neuronal loss and delay disease progres-sion.Natural bioactive polysaccharides have the advan-tages of multi-target,low toxicity and synergistic effect,and have great potential in the prevention and treatment of PD.Numerous studies have shown that polysaccha-rides can be involved in neuronal protection and preven-tion of neurodegenerative diseases through mechanisms such as oxidative stress,reducing neuroinflammation,and inhibiting anti-apoptosis.①Anti-oxidative stress.Oxi-dative stress is caused by increased reactive oxygen spe-cies(ROS)products and weakened antioxidant capacity,resulting in destruction of lipids,proteins,and DNA.Oxi-dative stress-induced mitochondrial dysfunction is thought to be an important cause of DA neuronal loss in PD mice.Polysaccharides reduce the damage of DA neurons in the substantia nigra by increasing the activity of antioxidant enzymes and inhibiting the formation of reactive oxygen species.② Reduce neuroinflammation.Neuroinflamma-tory response is the main causative factor of neurodegener-ation,microglia are innate immune cells present in the central nervous system,and their continuous activation is a key link in central nervous system neuroinflammation.Polysaccharides can regulate the expression of inflamma-somes,reduce the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and cytotoxic factors,inhibit the excessive activation of microglia,reduce PD neuroinflammatory damage,and then exert neuroprotective effects.③ Inhibiting apopto-sis.Apoptosis(APO)is the process of cell death caused by the activation of cell death procedures by various fac-tors.During the pathogenesis of PD,due to changes in the internal and external environment of DA neurons,some apoptosis-related genes cause DA neuronal death by regulating cell death signaling pathways.Polysaccha-rides can reduce the Bax/Bcl2 ratio,weaken the activa-tion of caspase-related proteins,improve the viability of PC12 cells,reduce apoptosis,and protect the activity of dopamine neurons.In summary,traditional Chinese med-icine polysaccharides can effectively treat and improve PD,and its mechanism of action involves anti-oxidative stress,reducing neuroinflammation and apoptosis.There-fore,traditional Chinese medicine polysaccharides have great development potential in the field of medicine and health.

Effects of Cistanches Herba polysaccharides on rats with constipation-predominant irritable bowel syndrome / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE To investigate the effects of Cistanches Herba polysaccharides （abbreviated as CDPS） on rats with constipation-predominant irritable bowel syndrome （IBS-C）. METHODS SD rats were divided into control group （20 rats） and modeling group. The modeling group was given 2 mL of normal saline at 0-4 ℃ intragastrically （once a day， for 14 consecutive days） to induce IBS-C model. After modeling， model rats were grouped into model group， positive control group （mosapride citrate， 1.35 mg/kg）， CDPS low-dose group （50 mg/kg） and CDPS high-dose group （100 mg/kg）， with 20 rats in each group. Administration groups were given corresponding drug solution intragastrically， and control group and model group were given a constant volume of water intragastrically， once a day， for 28 consecutive days. The fecal water content， serum content of 5-hydroxytryptamine （5-HT）， and charcoal powder propulsion rate of rats were determined in each group；the pathological morphology of colon tissue was observed， and mRNA and protein expressions of nerve growth factor （NGF） and tropomyosin receptor kinase A （TrkA） in colon tissue were detected. RESULTS Compared with control group， the fecal water content and carbon powder propulsion rate in the model group were decreased significantly （P＜0.05）； the rupture of mucosal muscle layer in colon tissue， significant infiltration of inflammatory cells and cellular edema were observed； the content of 5-HT in serum， and relative mRNA and protein expressions of NGF and TrkA were increased significantly （P＜0.05）. Compared with model group， the fecal water content and carbon powder propulsion rate of rats were increased significantly in administration groups （P＜0.05）， and pathological changes of colon tissue were relieved significantly， while the content of 5-HT in serum， the mRNA and protein expressions of NGF and TrkA in colon tissue were decreased significantly （P＜0.05）； among them， the above indicators inthe positive control group and CDPS high-dose group were generally close to those in the control group （P＞0.05）. CONCLUSIONS CDPS can alleviate the symptoms of IBS-C rats， which may be related to the inhibition of NGF/TrkA signaling pathway.