Research advances in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease with polysaccharides from traditional Chinese medicine / 中国天然药物

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the loss of patients' memory and their cognitive abilities and the mechanism is not completely clear. Although a variety of drugs have been approved for the AD treatment, substances which can prevent and cure AD are still in great need. The effect of polysaccharides from traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) on anti-AD has gained great progress and attained more and more attention in recent years. In this review, research advances in TCM-polysaccharides on AD made in this decade are summarized.

Glucan HBP-A increase type II collagen expression of chondrocytes in vitro and tissue engineered cartilage in vivo / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>Although chondroprotective activities have been documented for polysaccharides, the potential target of different polysaccharide may differ. The study was aimed to explore the effect of glucan HBP-A in chondrocyte monolayer culture and chondrocytes-alginate hydrogel constructs in vivo, especially on the expression of type II collagen.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Chondrocytes isolated from rabbit articular cartilage were cultured and verified by immunocytochemical staining of type II collagen. Chondrocyte viability was assessed after being treated with HBP-A in different concentrations. Morphological status of chondrocytes-alginate hydrogel constructs in vitro was observed by scanning electron microscope (SEM). The constructs were treated with HBP-A and then injected to nude mice subcutaneously. Six weeks after transplantation, the specimens were observed through transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The mRNA expressions of disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs 5 (ADAMTs-5), aggrecan and type II collagen in both monolayer culture and constructs were determined by real time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The expression of type II collagen and matrix metalloproteinases-3 (MMP-3) in chondrocyte monolayer culture was also tested through Western blot and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), respectively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>MMP-3 secretion and ADAMTs-5 mRNA expression in vitro were inhibited by HBP-A at 0.3 mg/mL concentration. In morphological study, there were significant appearance of collagen in those constructs treated by HBP-A. Accordingly, in both chondrocyte monolayer culture and chondrocytes-alginate hydrogel constructs, the expression of type II collagen was increased significantly in HBP-A group when compared with control group (P<0.001).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The study documented that the potential pharmacological target of glucan HBP-A in chondrocytes monolayer culture and tissue engineered cartilage in vivo may be concerned with the inhibition of catabolic enzymes MMP-3, ADAMTs-5, and increasing of type II collagen expression.</p>

Protection of Grateloupia filicina polysaccharide against hepatotoxicity induced by Dioscorea bulbifera L / 药学学报

The present study was designed to observe the protection of Grateloupia filicina polysaccharide (GFP) against hepatotoxicity induced by Dioscorea bulbifera L in mice and its underlying mechanism. GFP was intragastrically (ig) given to mice at various doses. After 6 days, the mice were treated with ethyl acetate extract of Dioscorea bulbifera L (EF, ig). Serum levels of alanine/aspartate aminotransferase (ALT/AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total bilirubin (TB) were measured, and liver histological evaluation was conducted. Furthermore, reductions of liver glutathione (GSH) amount and glutamate cysteine ligase (GCL) activity were tested. The expressions of GCL-c, GCL-m, and HO-1 (heme oxygenase-1) in liver were observed by Western-blot. The results showed that GFP (600 mg x kg(-1)) decreased EF-induced the increase of serum ALT, AST and TB, and GFP (400, 600 mg x kg(-1)) inhibited EF-induced the increase of serum ALP. Liver histological evaluation showed that the liver injury induced by EF was relieved after treated with GFP. GFP further increased liver GSH amount and reversed EF-induced the decrease of GCL activity. The Western-blot result showed that GFP augmented EF-induced the increase of HO-1, and reversed EF-induced the decrease of GCL-c. In conclusion, GFP can act against the oxidative stress liver injury induced by Dioscorea bulbifera L in mice.

A new triterpenoid tetrasaccharide from the root of Scrophularia ningpoensis / 药学学报

A new oleanane-type triterpenoid glycoside, 3beta-O-(f-D-xylopyranosyl-(1-->2)-[beta-D-glucopyranosyl (1-->4)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1 -->3)]-beta-D-fucopyranosyl-11, 13(18) diene-olean-23alpha, 28 diol (1), along with three known phenylethyl glycosides (2-4), was isolated from the root of traditional Chinese medicine Scrophularia ningpoensis. Among them, compounds 2 and 3 were obtained from Scrophularia genus for the first time. The structure of compound 1 was elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic method including 1D, 2D NMR and HR-ESI-MS.

Studies on chemical constituents from root of Actinidia macrosperma / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the chemical constituents of root of Actinidia macrosperma.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>Chromatographic methods were used to isolate compounds from A. macrosperma and spectroscopic methods were used to identify the structures of the isolated compounds.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>Eight compounds were obtained and identified as 12-oleanene-2alpha, 3alpha, 24-triol (1), isotachioside (2), asiatic acid (3), catechin (4), epicatechin (5), ursolic acid (6), beta-daucosterol (7), beta-sitosterol (8).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>All these compounds were isolated from this plant for the first time, compound 1, 2 were obtained from this genus for the first time.</p>

Advances in research of chemical constituents and pharmacological activites of Ephedra / 中国中药杂志

The collected information is an attempt to cover the more recent developments in the phytochemistry and pharmacology of this genus. During the past years, alkaloids, flavonoids, volatile oils, organic acids, polysaccharides, tannins and phenolic constituents have been isolated from Ephedra. Pharmacological studies are described according to hypoglycemic effects, anticoagulated blood properties, depressurization, immunosuppressive activity, antioxidation and antivirus activity and so on. The information summarized here is intended to provid a rational foundation for the futher development and utilization of Ephedra which is rich in China.

Extraction, isolation and structure identification of polysaccharide in root of Salvia miltiorrhiza / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the polysaccharide of Salvia miltiorrhiza.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>The root was extracted by water and purified preliminarily by alcohol precipitation. The obtained crude polysaccharide purified by ion exchange resin DEAE-Sepharose Fast Flow then bleached with H2O2 and dialysed. Two portions of light yellow powder were obtained through lyophilization and named as SMP 1, SMP 0.5. On the basis of 13C-NMR, DEPT, IR spectra, monosaccharide composite analysis and part monosaccharide composite analysis, their structures were identified.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>The molecular weight of SMP 1, SMP 0.5 was estimated to be 1.39 x 10(6), 4.03 x 10(5), respectively, and the structure of SMP 1 was mainly alpha-(1-->6) D-Glc linked a few alpha-(1-->2) D-Glc, SMP 0.5 was mainly a alpha-(1-->6) D-Glucosan.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>SMP 1 and SMP0.5 were neutral homosaccharides that extracted from S. miltiorrhiza for the first time.</p>

Effect of Angelica sinensis polysaccharides on lymphocyte proliferation and induction of IFN-gamma / 药学学报

<p><b>AIM</b>To study the effect of Angelica sinsensis polysaccharides on lymphocyte proliferation and induction of IFN-gamma.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Angelica sinensis polysaccharides(AP) were separated into AP-I, AP-II, AP-III and AP-IV by alcohol deposition with different concentration. The radioactivities of [3H]-TdR uptake by lymphocyte were used to determine the ability of lymphocyte. The bioactivity of IFN-gamma was measured by violet crystalline dying.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>AP-IV was found to be composed of Ara and Glu in the ratio of 0.99:6.47, the molecular weight was estimated to be 5,600. AP-I and AP-II 100 mg.kg-1 i.p. were found to significantly augment mice splenocyte proliferation, release IFN-gamma and increase IFN-gamma bioactivity. 50 micrograms.mL-1 AP-I, AP-II and AP-III were shown to enhance the proliferative response of the mouse spleen lymphocytes in vitro.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>AP-I and AP-II showed higher immunoactivity than AP-III, AP-IV had no effect.</p>

Structural features of a neutral heteropolysaccharide CPB-4 from Cynanchum paniculatum / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the chemical features of CPB-4, a heteropolysaccharide obtained from Cynanchum paniculatum.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>Sugar composition analysis, methylation analysis, partial hydrolysis and carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance were used to determine the sugar composition, linkages, main chain, branch chains and branching points.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>CPB-4 is composed of L-arabinose, L-xylose, L-rhamnose and D-galactose in closely molar ratios of 0.8:0.2:0.2:1.0. Its main chain is comprised of 1, 5 linked galactose and side chains are comprised of terminal xylose, terminal arabinose, oligosaccharide of arabinose and oligosaccharide of arabinose, rhamnose and galactose. The branching points are located at C-6 and C-2 of galactose.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>CPB-4 is a new heteropolysaccharide from C. paniculatum.</p>