Research progress in the preparation, structural characterization, and biological activities of polysaccharides from traditional Chinese medicine.

Traditional Chinese medicines are tremendous sources of polysaccharides, which are of great interest in the human welfare system as natural medicines, food, and cosmetics. This review aims to highlight the recent trends in extraction (conventional and non-conventional), purification and analytic techniques of traditional Chinese medicine polysaccharides (TCMPs), and the chemical structure, biological activities (anti-tumor, hypoglycemic, antioxidant, intestinal flora regulation, immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, anti-aging, hypolipidemic, hepatoprotective, and other activities), and the underlying mechanisms of polysaccharides extracted from 76 diverse traditional Chinese medicines were compared and discussed. With this wide coverage, a total of 164 scientific articles were searched from the database including Google Scholar, PubMed, Web of Science, and China Knowledge Network. This comprehensive survey from previous reports indicates that TCMPs are non-toxic, highly biocompatible, and good biodegradability. Besides, this review highlights that TCMPs may be excellent functional factors and effective therapeutic drugs. Finally, the current problems and future research advances of TCMPs are also introduced. New valuable insights for the future researches regarding TCMPs are also proposed in the fields of therapeutic agents and functional foods.

Research progress in extraction, purification, structure of fruit and vegetable polysaccharides and their interaction with anthocyanins/starch.

Fruits and vegetables contain polysaccharides, polyphenols, antioxidant enzymes, and various vitamins, etc. Fruits and vegetables polysaccharides (FVPs), as an important functional factor in health food, have various biological activities such as lowering blood sugar, blood lipids, blood pressure, inhibiting tumors, and delaying aging, etc. In addition, FVPs exhibit good physicochemical properties including low toxicity, biodegradability, biocompatibility. Increasing research has confirmed that FVPs could enhance the stability and biological activities of anthocyanins, affecting their bioavailability to improve food quality. Simultaneously, the addition of FVPs in natural starch suspension could improve the physicochemical properties of natural starch such as viscosity, gelling property, water binding capacity, and lotion stability. Hence, FVPs are widely used in the modification of natural anthocyanins/starch. A systematic review of the latest research progress and future development prospects of FVPs is very necessary to better understand them. This paper systematically reviews the latest progress in the extraction, purification, structure, and analysis techniques of FVPs. Moreover, the review also introduces the potential mechanisms, evaluation methods, and applications of the interaction between polysaccharides and anthocyanins/starch. The findings can provide important references for the further in-depth development and utilization of FVPs.

Research progress on the hypoglycemic activity and mechanisms of natural polysaccharides.

The incidence of diabetes, as a metabolic disease characterized by high blood sugar levels, is increasing every year. The predominantly western medicine treatment is associated with certain side effects, which has prompted people to turn their attention to natural active substances. Natural polysaccharide is a safe and low-toxic natural substance with various biological activities. Hypoglycemic activity is one of the important biological activities of natural polysaccharides, which has great potential for development. A systematic review of the latest research progress and possible molecular mechanisms of hypoglycemic activity of natural polysaccharides is of great significance for better understanding them. In this review, we systematically reviewed the relationship between the hypoglycemic activity of polysaccharides and their structure in terms of molecular weight, monosaccharide composition, and glycosidic bonds, and summarized underlying molecular mechanisms the hypoglycemic activity of natural polysaccharides. In addition, the potential mechanisms of natural polysaccharides improving the complications of diabetes were analyzed and discussed. This paper provides some valuable insights and important guidance for further research on the hypoglycemic mechanisms of natural polysaccharides.

Recent advances in medicinal and edible homologous polysaccharides: Extraction, purification, structure, modification, and biological activities.

110 kinds of traditional Chinese medicines can be used for medicine and food from Chinese pharmacopoeia in 2021. With the deepening of research in recent years, medicinal and edible homologous (MEH) traditional Chinese medicines have great development and application prospects in many fields. Polysaccharides are one of the major and representative pharmacologically active macromolecules in traditional Chinese medicines with MEH. Moreover, traditional Chinese medicines with MEH have become the main source of natural polysaccharides with safety, high efficiency, and low side effects. Increasing researches have confirmed that MEH polysaccharides (MEHPs) have multiple biological activities both in vitro and in vivo methods, such as antioxidant, immunomodulatory, anti-tumor, anti-aging, anti-inflammatory, hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic activities, and regulating intestinal flora. Additionally, different raw materials, extraction, purification, and chemical modification methods result in differences in the structure and biological activities of MEHPs. The purpose of the present review is to provide comprehensively and systematically reorganized information in the extraction, purification, structure, modification, biological activities, and potential mechanism of MEHPs to support their therapeutic effects and health functions. New valuable insights and theoretical basis for the future researches and developments regarding MEHPs were proposed in the fields of medicine and food.

Extraction, purification, structure, modification, and biological activity of traditional Chinese medicine polysaccharides: A review.

Traditional Chinese medicines (TCM), as the unique natural resource, are rich in polysaccharides, polyphenols, proteins, amino acid, fats, vitamins, and other components. Hence, TCM have high medical and nutritional values. Polysaccharides are one of the most important active components in TCM. Growing reports have indicated that TCM polysaccharides (TCMPs) have various biological activities, such as antioxidant, anti-aging, immunomodulatory, hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic, anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, and other activities. Hence, the research progresses and future prospects of TCMPs must be systematically reviewed to promote their better understanding. The aim of this review is to provide comprehensive and systematic recombinant information on the extraction, purification, structure, chemical modification, biological activities, and potential mechanism of TCMPs to support their therapeutic effects and health functions. The findings provide new valuable insights and theoretical basis for future research and development of TCMPs.

Research Progress on Absorption, Metabolism, and Biological Activities of Anthocyanins in Berries: A Review.

Berries, as the best dietary sources for human health, are rich in anthocyanins, vitamins, fiber, polyphenols, essential amino acids, and other ingredients. Anthocyanins are one of the most important bioactive components in berries. The attractive color of berries is attributed to the fact that berries contain different kinds of anthocyanins. Increasing research activity has indicated that anthocyanins in berries show various biological activities, including protecting vision; antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor qualities; inhibition of lipid peroxidation; anti-cardiovascular disease properties; control of hypoglycemic conditions; and other activities. Hence, berries have high nutritional and medicinal values. The recognized absorption, metabolism, and biological activities of anthocyanins have promoted their research in different directions. Hence, it is necessary to systematically review the research progress and future prospects of anthocyanins to promote a better understanding of anthocyanins. The absorption, metabolism, and biological activities of anthocyanins from berries were reviewed in this paper. The findings of this study provide an important reference for basic research, product development and utilization of berries' anthocyanins in food, cosmetics, and drugs.

Synergy Effect of Nano-Organic Palygorskite on the Properties of Star-Shaped SBS-Modified Asphalt.

With the rapid development of economic construction, styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS)-modified asphalt is being more and more widely used in highway engineering, but there are still many deficiencies in the process of its use. In order to further improve its performance for use, nano-organic palygorskite (A-Pal) and star-shaped SBS were compounded to obtain modified asphalt in this study. The high-temperature stability of SBS-modified asphalt was enhanced after incorporation with A-Pal for the high-temperature stability test by a dynamic shear rheometer. The A-Pal should improve the surface free energy and adhesion of SBS-modified asphalt by the water stability test analysis. The aging test shows that A-Pal can reduce the thermal oxygen decomposition of SBS and improve the anti-aging performance and the fatigue resistance of SBS-modified asphalt. A-Pal has a certain improvement effect on the low temperature performance of SBS-modified asphalt as shown by a low temperature crack resistance test. A-Pal-compounded SBS-modified asphalt features good storage stability in normal temperatures with the lowest critical compatibility temperature.