Extraction, purification, characteristics, bioactivities, prospects, and toxicity of Lilium spp. polysaccharides.

The genus Lilium has been widely used worldwide as a food and medicinal ingredient in East Asia for over 2000 years due to its higher nutritional and medicinal value. Polysaccharide is the most important bioactive ingredient in Lilium spp. and has various health benefits. Recently, Lilium spp. polysaccharides (LSPs) have attracted significant attention from industries and researchers due to their various biological properties, such as antioxidant, immunomodulatory, antitumor, antibacterial, hypoglycaemic, and anti-radiation. However, the development and utilization of LSP-based functional biomaterials and medicines are limited by a lack of comprehensive understanding regarding the structure-activity relationships (SARs), industrial applications, and safety of LSPs. This review provides an inclusive overview of the extraction, purification, structural features, bioactivities, and mechanisms of LSPs. SARs, applications, toxicities, and influences of structural modifications on bioactivities are also highlighted, and the potential development and future study direction are scrutinized. This article aims to offer a complete understanding of LSPs and provide a foundation for further research and application of LSPs as therapeutic agents and multifunctional biomaterials.

Extraction, structural-activity relationships, bioactivities, and application prospects of Bletilla striata polysaccharides as ingredients for functional products: A review.

Bletilla striata is a well-known medicinal plant with high pharmaceutical and ornamental values. Polysaccharide is the most important bioactive ingredient in B. striata and has various health benefits. Recently, B. striata polysaccharides (BSPs) have attracted much attention from industries and researchers due to their remarkable immunomodulatory, antioxidant, anti-cancer, hemostatic, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, gastroprotective, and liver protective effects. Despite the successful isolation and characterization of BSPs, there is still limited knowledge regarding their structure-activity relationships (SARs), safety concerns, and applications, which hinders their full utilization and development. Herein, we provided an overview of the extraction, purification, and structural features, as well as the effects of different influencing factors on the components and structures of BSPs. We also highlighted and summarized the diversity of chemistry and structure, specificity of biological activity, and SARs of BSP. The challenges and opportunities of BSPs in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmeceutical fields are discussed, and the potential development and future study direction are scrutinized. This article provides comprehensive knowledge and underpinnings for further research and application of BSPs as therapeutic agents and multifunctional biomaterials.

Dihydromyricetin improves type 2 diabetes-induced cognitive impairment via suppressing oxidative stress and enhancing brain-derived neurotrophic factor-mediated neuroprotection in mice.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) leads to cognitive impairment (CI), but there have been no effective pharmacotherapies or drugs for cognitive dysfunction in T2DM. Dihydromyricetin (DHM) is a natural flavonoid compound extracted from the leaves of Ampelopsis grossedentata and has various pharmacological effects including anti-oxidant and anti-diabetes. Thus, we investigated the effects of DHM on CI in T2DM mouse model and its possible mechanism. To induce T2DM, mice were fed with high-sugar and high-fat diet for 8 weeks, followed by a low dose streptozotocin (STZ) administration. After the successful induction of T2DM mouse model, mice were treated respectively with equal volume of saline (T2DM group), 125 mg/kg/d DHM (L-DHM group), or 250 mg/kg/d DHM (H-DHM group). After 16 weeks of DHM administration, the body weight (BW), fasting blood glucose, blood lipids, intraperitoneal glucose tolerance (IPGT), and cognitive function were determined. Then, alterations in the expressions of oxidative stress markers and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the hippocampus were investigated. Our findings demonstrated that DHM could significantly ameliorate CI and reverse aberrant glucose and lipid metabolism in T2DM mice, likely through the suppression of oxidative stress and enhancement of BDNF-mediated neuroprotection. In conclusion, our results suggest that DHM is a promising candidate for the treatment of T2DM-induced cognitive dysfunction.

Potential regulatory mechanisms of lncRNA in diabetes and its complications.

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are transcripts longer than 200 nucleotides without protein-coding potential. Although these molecules were initially considered as "junk products" of transcription without biological relevance, recent advances in research have shown that lncRNA plays an important role, not only in cellular processes such as proliferation, differentiation, and metabolism, but also in the pathological processes of cancers, diabetes, and neurodegenerative diseases. In this review, we focus on the potential regulatory roles of lncRNA in diabetes and the complications associated with diabetes.

[The effects of arecoline on the lipid metabolism of 3T3-L1 adipocytes].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of arecoline on lipid metabolism in 3T3-L1 adipocytes and explore its possible mechanisms. METHODS: 3T3-L1 pre-adipocytes were induced into adipocytes with the classic "cocktail" method, subsequently, adipocytes were treated with arecoline at the concentrations of 0, 25, 50 and 100 µmol/L for 72 hours. After 72 hours, cell vability was measured with MTT method, lipid droplet accumulation in the cytoplasm was observed with oil red O staining, the protein expression of fatty acid synthase (FAS), adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL) and hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL) were detected by Western blot assay. RESULTS: There were a large number of lipid droplets in the cytoplasm in the differentiated 3T3-L1 adipocytes. MTT results showed that 0~100 µmol/L arecoline had no significant effect on cell vability; oil red O staining found arecoline reduced lipid amount in 3T3-L1 adipocytes; Western blot results showed that compared with 0 µmol/L arecoline group (the control group), arecoline significantly reduced the protein level of FAS and increased the protein levels of ATGL and HSL, and 50 µmol/L arecoline group was the most significant. CONCLUSIONS: Arecoline significantly increased lipolysis of 3T3-L1 adipocyte, which might be associated with decreased the FAS expression of key enzyme of lipid synthesis and increased the ATGL and HSL expression of key enzyme of adipolysis.

[The effects of dihydromyricetin on cognitive dysfunction in type 2 diabetes mice].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of dihydromyricetin(DHM) on cognitive dysfunction and expression of brain derived neurotrophic factor(BDNF) protein in hippocampus of type 2 diabetic mice(T2DM). METHODS: Forty C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into two groups, normal control group (n=8):normal diet feeding; T2DM model group (n=32):high-glucose and high-fat combined with 100 mg/kg streptozocin(STZ) treatment (five mice died during modeling and three failed). Twenty-four diabetic mice were modeled successfully and divided into three groups (T2DM group, T2DM+L-DHM group and T2DM+H-DHM group). Three groups mice were fed with high-glucose and high-fat diet, and treated with equal volume of normal saline, 125 mg/(kg·d) DHM or 250 mg/(kg·d) DHM for 16 weeks respectively. The control mice were fed with normal diet and treated with equal volume of saline (once a day, gavage) for 16 weeks. After 16 weeks, the body weight and fasting blood glucose were measured, intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test and related behavioral experiment were performed. Finally, the expression of BDNF protein in hippocampus of mice was detected by Western blot. RESULTS: The model of type 2 diabetes mellitus was established successfully with high-glucose and high-fat combined with 100 mg/kg STZ. After 16 weeks, the body weight of T2DM group was significantly decreased, the fasting blood glucose was significantly increased and the glucose tolerance was significantly abnormal compared with the normal control group. Compared with T2DM group, the body weight of T2DM+DHM groups mice was increased, while the levels of fasting blood glucose were decreased. And H-DHM could significantly improve the abnormal glucose tolerance of T2DM mice. Behavior test results showed that the ability of learning and memory of T2DM mice was significant decreased compared with control group, but these phenomena were improved in T2DM+DHM groups mice, and T2DM+H-DHM group was more obvious. Western blot analysis showed that the expression of BDNF protein in hippocampus of T2DM group was significantly lower than that of control group, while T2DM+DHM group was significant increased compared with T2DM mice. CONCLUSIONS: Dihydromyricetin can improve the cognitive dysfunction in type 2 diabetic mice. The mechanism may be through hypoglycemic effect and activation of BDNF protein expression in hippocampus.

[Ameliorative effects and the mechanism of lyceum barbarum polysaccharide on insulin resistance of HepG2 cell].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of lyceum barbarum polysaccharide (LBP) on insulin resistance of HepG2 cells and investigate its possible mechanism. METHODS: IR-HepG2 cell model was induced with high glucose and high insulin in combination for 24 hours,with 104/vaccination in the 96-well plates, hole density after adherent cells (30 µg/ml、100 µg/ml、300 µg/ml) LBP cultivate 48 h, 200 µl/hole, each all had four holes. The effects of LBP at different concentrations on HepG2 cell activity and insulin resistance were tested. Intracellular malondialdehyde (MDA) content and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity were detected. The expressions of related proteins in insulin signal transduction pathways such as insulin receptor substrate-2(IRS-2), phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase(PI3-K), protein kinase B(Akt) and glucose transport-2(GLUT2) were determined. RESULTS: Compared with normal control group, the content of MDA was increased significantly and the activity of SOD and the expression levels of IRS-2,PI-3K,Akt and GLUT2 were decreased significantly in the IR model group. Compared with IR model group, medium and high concentrations of LBP decreased the content of MDA and increased the activity of SOD and the expression levels of IRS-2, PI-3K, Akt and GLUT2 in insulin-resistant HepG2 cells. MTT showed that at the same time, the OD value gradually decreased with the increase of LBP's concentration; under the same concentration of LBP, the OD value also gradually decreased with the extension of time, which indicated that LBP inhibited the proliferation of HepG2 cells with time and concentration-dependent manner. Glucose consumption experiment indicated that medium and high concentration of LBP could increase the glucose consumption of insulin-resistant HepG2 cells significantly, but low concentration of LBP had no significant impacted on glucose consumption of insulin-resistant HepG2 cells. CONCLUSIONS: Medium and high concentration of LBP can improve insulin resistance of HepG2 cell, its mechanisns may be associated with decreasing the level of oxidative stress and increasing the protein expressions of insulin signaling pathway.