Search

In the present study, three-phase partitioning (TPP) coupled with gradient ethanol precipitation (GEP) was developed for the first time to extract and isolate polysaccharides (GPSs) from raw garlic (Allium sativum L.) bulbs. Four kinds of fructose polymers, namely, GPS35, GPS50, GPS65, and GPS80, were obtained at the final ethanol precipitation concentrations of 35%, 50%, 65%, and 80% (v/v), respectively, and their physicochemical characteristics and in vitro biological activities were investigated. Results indicated that GPS80 had higher carbohydrate (86.68% ± 0.90%) and uronic acid (12.89% ± 0.09%) contents, lower weight-average molecular weight (8.93 × 10 3  Da), and looser surface morphology than the other three GPSs. Furthermore, among the four GPSs, GPS80 exhibited the strongest antioxidant capacities, inhibitory effects on α-amylase and α-glycosidase, and nitric oxide stimulatory activity on RAW264.7 macrophage cells in vitro. Therefore, this study provides a simple and feasible technological strategy for producing bioactive polysaccharides from raw Allium vegetables., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

In this study, three-phase partitioning (TPP) coupled with gradient ammonium sulfate ((NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 ) precipitation (GNP) method was first used to extract and separate bioactive polysaccharides (OPSs) from fresh okra pods. Results showed that OPS-50 obtained by GNP at a saturation of 50% (NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 after TPP presented higher precipitation yield, carbohydrate (86.82%) and uronic acid (22.34%) contents with same monosaccharide composition and different molar ratios compared with OPS-30 and OPS-40 obtained via GNP at saturations of 30% and 40% (NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 , respectively. OPS-50 had lower weight-average molecular weight (3.65 × 10 6 g/mol), more flexible chain, and relatively looser surface structure compared with OPS-30, OPS-40, and the OPS obtained with TPP parallelized with decreased apparent viscosity and dynamic viscoelasticity. Furthermore, OPS-50 exhibited stronger DPPH radical-scavenging ability, antioxidant capacity, and α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities in vitro than OPS, OPS-30, and OPS-40., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

In this study, three polysaccharides (BGPs: BGPs-Z21, BGPs-Z23, and BGPs-Z31) were successively extracted from barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) grasses (BG) at different growth stages, including seedling (Z21), tillering (Z23), and stem elongation (Z31). The effects of in vitro simulated saliva–gastrointestinal digestion on the physicochemical characteristics and biological activities of BGPs were investigated and compared. Results showed that the simulated saliva–gastrointestinal digestion had considerable influences on reducing sugar content, chemical components, monosaccharide constituents, and molecular weights of BGPs but hardly affected their preliminarily structural characteristics. Moreover, the antioxidant activities of BGPs were weakened after the simulated saliva–gastrointestinal digestion, but their bile acid-binding capacities were remarkably enhanced. The digested BGPs-Z31 by gastric juice possessed better antioxidant benefit, and bile acid-binding capacity (80.33 %) than other digested products. Overall, these results indicated that BGPs obtained from BG are valuable for functional foods as promising bioactive ingredients. • Polysaccharides (BGPs) were obtained from barley grasses at different growth stages. • Simulated digestion had important influences on physicochemical properties of BGPs. • Digestion enhanced bile acid-binding ability of BGPs, but reduced the antioxidation. • The gastric-digested BGPs showed better bioactivities than other digested products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Seven polysaccharides (BGPs) are extracted from barley grass at three growth stages. • Different growth stages obviously affected physicochemical properties of these BGPs. • These BGPs had similar structural characteristics but different thermal stabilities. • BGP-Z12 and BGP-Z21 obtained at seedling stage showed more excellent bioactivities. Barley grass polysaccharides (BGPs) are some of the major bioactive constituents of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) grass (BG). They exhibit favorable biological activities and health benefits. In this study, seven BGPs were extracted from BG, which was harvested at three different growth stages (e.g., seedling, tillering, and stem elongation), by alkaline-extraction method. Their physicochemical properties, structural characteristics, and biological activities were investigated and compared. Results demonstrated that the extraction yields, chemical compositions, monosaccharide constituents, and molecular weights of the seven BGPs obtained at different growth stages varied obviously. These BGPs had similar preliminary structural characteristics but different microstructures and thermal properties. Furthermore, the BGPs (BGP-Z12 and BGP-Z21) obtained at the seedling stage possessed stronger in vitro antioxidant potentials, cholic acid binding activity, and immunological activity than other BGPs. Therefore, these results indicated that that the seedling stage of BG was the preferable harvest time for preparing highly bioactive BGPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Corbicula fluminea distillate as an important industrial by-product of C. fluminea during steaming process is rich in amino acids, proteins and polysaccharides, showing potential hepatoprotective effect. In this study, a polysaccharide (CFDP) was obtained from C. fluminea distillate by three-phase partitioning combined with (NH 4) 2 SO 4 precipitation at a saturation of 60 %. The structural characteristics, antioxidant activity in vitro , and hepatoprotection against mice CCl 4 -induced acute liver damage of CFDP were studied. Results demonstrated that CFDP was a water-soluble homogenous polysaccharide predominantly comprising glucose (>98 %), with a weight-average molecular weight of 1.4 × 107 Da, and exhibiting potent antioxidant benefits in vitro. CFDP had a backbone of (1 → 4)-α- d -glucopyranosyl (Glc p) and a small amount of (1 → 4, 6)-α-D-Glc p. The branch formed at C-6 comprised by (1→)-α-D-Glc p and (1→)-α-D- N -acetylglucosamine. CFDP possessed excellent hepatoprotective activity against acute liver damage caused by CCl 4 in mice, mainly by ameliorating weight reduction and organ injures, alleviating hepatic function and serum lipid metabolism, suppressing oxidative stress and inflammatory responses, as directly verified by histopathological examination. Moreover, CFDP improved gut microbiota by up-regulating the relative abundance of total bacteria and probiotics such as Firmicutes , Bacteroidete , Rumminococcaceae , Lactobacillaceae , accompanied by promoting short chain fatty acid production. Therefore, our findings indicated that CFDP can be developed as a healthy food supplement for the prevention of chemical livery injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Okra [ Abelmoschus esculentus (Linn.) Moench], as a well-known medicinal and food plant, has important physiological activities and health benefits, and polysaccharide is its main bioactive component. In this study, a pectic polysaccharide (OPS-50) prepared from fresh okra pods by three-phase partitioning and gradient (NH 4) 2 SO 4 precipitation at a saturation of 50% was employed in carbon tetrachloride (CCl 4)-caused acute liver damage in mice to evaluate the hepatoprotective potential. Results indicated that OPS-50 was mainly composed of a limited linear homogalacturonan backbone and abundant rhamnogalacturonan-I domains as side chains. OPS-50 exerted positively protective effects on acute liver damage induced by CCl 4 in mice through relieving weight reduction and organ damage, ameliorating liver function and dyslipidemia, alleviating oxidative stress, suppressing pro-inflammatory cytokines, modulating gut microbiota, and promoting short-chain fatty acid secretion. Moreover, liver histopathology demonstrated the protective benefit of OPS-50 on CCl 4 -caused acute liver damage in mice. Therefore, our data suggested that the pectic OPS-50, as a dietary supplement, have great potential in preventing and treating chemical liver damages. [Display omitted] • An antioxidant pectic polysaccharide (OPS-50) obtained from fresh okra pods. • OPS-50 had a short linear homogalacturonan and abundant rhamnogalacturonan-I domain. • OPS-50 ameliorates liver damage by suppressing oxidative stress and inflammation. • OPS-50 beneficially regulates intestinal microbiota in mice with acute liver injury. • OPS-50 relieves liver injury by elevating the secretion of short-chain fatty acids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]