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Phyllanthus emblica L. offers promising therapeutic potential for inflammatory diseases. This study revealed the molecular structure of a homogeneous polysaccharide purified from Phyllanthus emblica L. (PEP-1) and evaluated its anti-inflammatory effects on ulcerative colitis (UC) in mice. In the in vivo experiment, administered in varying dosages to dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced UC models, PEP-1 significantly alleviated colonic symptoms, histological damages and reshaped the gut microbiota. Notably, it adjusted the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio and reduced pro-inflammatory species, closely aligning with shifts in the fecal metabolites and metabolic pathways such as the metabolism of pyrimidine, beta-alanine, and purine. These findings underscore the potential of PEP-1 as a therapeutic agent for UC, providing insights into the mechanisms through gut microbiota and metabolic modulation., 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 © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Tenebrio molitor, which is rich in various nutrients, and its polysaccharides, as significant bioactive substances, exhibit strong antioxidant effects. This study utilized defatted T. molitor as raw material and employed an ultrasound-assisted extraction method. The factors considered include extraction temperature, time, ultrasound power, and liquid-to-feed ratio, with the yield of T. molitor polysaccharides as the response value. Based on single-factor experiments and response surface methodology, the optimal extraction parameters for T. molitor polysaccharides were determined. Following purification, protein removal, and dialysis to eliminate impurities, the structure of the extracted polysaccharides was preliminarily investigated using infrared spectroscopy. Their antioxidant activities were explored by measuring their DPPH·, OH·, and ABTS + · radical scavenging abilities and Fe 3+ reducing power. The results indicated that the optimal conditions for ultrasound-assisted extraction were an extraction temperature of 75 °C, an extraction time of 150 min, an ultrasound power of 270 W, and a liquid-to-feed ratio of 15:1 mL/g, yielding a polysaccharide extraction rate of 9.513%. Infrared spectroscopy analysis revealed the presence of pyranose sugars with main functional groups including C-O, C=O, and O-H. Antioxidant activity tests showed that within a certain concentration range, the higher the polysaccharide concentration, the stronger its radical scavenging abilities. Compared with Vitamin C(Vc), the polysaccharides had stronger scavenging abilities for DPPH· and OH·, some scavenging ability for ABTS +· , and Fe 3+ reduction ability, and corresponding to IC 50 values of 0.9625, 9.1909, and 235.69 mg/mL respectively. The Fe 3+ reducing power reached a maximum absorbance of 0.38899 at a concentration of 1.6 mg/mL. T. molitor polysaccharides demonstrate promising antioxidant activity and potential as functional ingredients in food, health products, and pharmaceuticals, providing new technical references for the development and utilization of T. molitor resources., Competing Interests: Declarations Competing interests The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Simultaneous separation of compounds with multiple chiral centers and highly similar structures presents significant challenges. This study developed a novel supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC) method with reduced organic solvent consumption and robust separation capabilities to address these challenges. The method was applied to simultaneously achieve enantioselective, diastereoselective, and achiral separation of palonosetron hydrochloride and its six impurities. The effects of the polysaccharide-based chiral stationary phase (CSP), modifier, additive, and column temperature on retention and separation were comprehensively evaluated. It was found that a combination of a polysaccharide-based CSP and a single modifier or a mixture of protonic modifiers could not achieve complete separation due to high structural similarity. However, an ADH column and a ternary solvent mixture containing acetonitrile (methanol: acetonitrile: diethylamine, 60:40:0.2, v/v/v) provided satisfying separation, particularly for the enantiomer and diastereomers of palonosetron. Using the optimized method, the enantioselective, diastereoselective, and achiral separation of palonosetron hydrochloride and its six impurities can be accomplished in 18 min under gradient elution. Thermodynamic results indicated that the separation process was entropy driven. A molecular docking study revealed that the separation was mainly achieved through the differences in hydrogen bond and π - π interactions between the analytes and CSP. This study lays the foundation for SFC analysis of palonosetron hydrochloride and provides a reference for the simultaneous SFC separation of the enantiomers, diastereoisomers and structurally similar compounds., 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 © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Portulaca oleracea L., a plant with both edible and medicinal properties, is traditionally valued for its diuretic, antipyretic, antiseptic, antispasmodic, and anthelmintic functions in folk medicine. P. oleracea polysaccharide (POP), a pivotal bioactive component, has various biological activities. Notably, their immunomodulatory capabilities have emerged as a significant area of research. The extraction, purification, monosaccharide composition, structure characterization, and biological activity of POP have been extensively investigated to identify the active components and to clarify their pharmacological actions and underlying molecular mechanisms. It aims to delineate the pharmacological mechanisms and molecular pathways associated with these polysaccharides, thereby underscoring their therapeutic promise and nutritional significance. Furthermore, the review critically examines the current research landscape of POP, identifying gaps and proposing innovative perspectives to enrich the scientific discourse surrounding these bioactive compounds., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest All the authors declared they do not have anything to disclose regarding conflict of interest with respect to this manuscript., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Lonicera japonica Thunb.,commonly referred to as Caprifolium japonicum (Thunb.) Dum. Cours.,is a perennial herb classified under the caprifoliaceae family. It is utilized worldwide as a medicinal plant and also serves as food source and an ornamental plant. Lonicera japonica Thunb. polysaccharides (LJP) constitute one of its primary components, demonstrating a wide range of biological activities including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, immunomodulatory, anti-Alzheimer's, anti-diabetic, and anti-cancer effects. This paper reviews and summarizes recent research advancements on the extraction, purification, structural characteristics, and biological activities of LJP, offering a valuable foundation and up-to-date insights for the continued development and application of LJP in pharmaceutical and functional food sectors., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Hakka Huangjiu, a traditional Chinese rice wine, boasts a rich history and is known for its immunomodulatory, antibacterial, anti-aging and anti-fatigue effects. However, there is limited research on the primary active components and molecular mechanism of the bioactivity of Hakka Huangjiu. To address this gap, this study assessed the structural characteristics, antioxidant, and immunomodulatory activities of the polysaccharide-1 of Guangdong Hakka Huangjiu (HP1). Structural analysis revealed that HP1 had a low molecular weight polysaccharide of 5550 Da, primarily consisting of glucose (93.2 %), with smaller amounts of xylose, mannuronic acid and galactose. Methylation and NMR analysis suggested that the main glycosidic linkages present in HP1 are α-D-Glcp-(1→, →4)-α-D-Glcp-(1 → and →6) -α-D-Glcp-(1→. Furthermore, HP1 exhibited dose-dependent DPPH·, ABTS + and OH· scavenging activity. HP1 exhibited significant protection of HepG2 cells from H 2 O 2 damage. Additionally, HP1 induced the release of NO, TNF-α, IL-6 and iNOS in RAW264.7 cells. HP1 treatment significantly increased mRNA expression of TNF-α, IL-6, iNOS, COX-2, IL-1β and TGF-β1. These results suggested that polysaccharides HP1 may have potential as a novel natural antioxidant and immunomodulatory product for use in nutraceuticals and functional foods., 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 © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Dioscorea has a history spanning over 2000 years for both medicinal and edible purposes in China. It contains rich polysaccharides, which are frequently utilized as thickening and stabilizing agents in the food industry. However, there has been relatively little focus on polysaccharides from common Dioscorea species besides D. opposita, such as D. alata and D. esculenta. In this study, non-starch crude polysaccharides were isolated from D. opposita (BD), D. alata (WC), and D. esculenta (GZ). Their structures, physicochemical compositions, and functional properties were characterized and compared. The results indicated three polysaccharides all exhibited characteristic peaks of polysaccharides and possessed triple-helix structures. The Glc (36.78-83.90 %), Man (6.71-26.68 %), and GalA (8.54-10.22 %) were identified as the primary monosaccharide components. In terms of functionality, three polysaccharide solutions demonstrated non-Newtonian flow characteristics and displayed commendable thermal stability. It is worth noting that the antioxidant and emulsifying properties of polysaccharides isolated from D. opposita (BD) and D. alata (WC) were superior to those of D. esculenta (GZ), making them more suitable for use as antioxidants and stabilizers. By comparing polysaccharides derived from different Dioscorea species, this study provides valuable insights into the food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries based on the unique properties of these different polysaccharides., 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 © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Pine pollen, a nutrient-rich pollen, is composed of significant amounts of protein, vitamins, and carbohydrates, featuring various functional groups. Pine pollen polysaccharide (PPP), a key bioactive component of pine pollen, exhibits a range of pharmacological activities, including anti-tumor, liver-protective, lipid-lowering, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, antioxidant, hypoglycemic, antiviral, and antibacterial properties. While numerous extraction and purification techniques have successfully isolated and characterized PPPs, understanding of their structure-activity relationships, safety profiles, and practical applications remains limited. This hampers their full potential in utilization and development. In this article, we present a comprehensive overview of the extraction, purification, structure characteristics, structural-activity relationships, biological activities, and pharmaceutical applications of PPPs derived from various sources, including Pinus massoniana Lamb, Pinus tabuliformis Carr, and related species. This review aims to provide extensive knowledge and insights for future research and the application of PPPs as therapeutic agents and versatile biomaterials., 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 © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

In our research, a novel polysaccharide (named SSP-3a) with uniform molecular weight was extracted from Scutellaria baicalensis stem-leaf. The structural analysis revealed that SSP-3a was an acidic polysaccharide with a heavy average molecular weight of 1.83 × 10 5  Da. By HPLC, the primary constituents of SSP-3a were mannose (11.60 %), glucuronic acid (42.99 %), glucose (23.43 %), and xylose (22.04 %). According to FT-IR and 1 H NMR analysis, it was confirmed to be a β-configuration pyranose with a CO stretching vibrational peak. The immunomodulation results also showed that SSP-3a not only significantly promoted RAW264.7 cell proliferation and phagocytosis, but also stimulated the release of NO and cytokines. Furthermore, mechanistic studies suggested that SSP-3a had the ability to trigger MAPKs and NF-κB immunological signaling pathways via TLR4 receptors. The findings suggested that SSP-3a might be a beneficial active component for the food and pharmaceutical industries., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors state that they have no known conflicting financial interests or personal ties that might have influenced the work presented in this study., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Ficus carica (F. carica), commonly referred to as the fig tree, has received considerable attention due to its delectable and nutritious fruits. F. carica polysaccharides (FPs) are one of the key bioactive constituents of F. carica, demonstrating various biological activities such as antioxidative, immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, and antitumor effects, among others. Nevertheless, the extraction and purification techniques for FPs still require innovations to address their structural characteristics in order to elucidate the intricate mechanisms affecting their biological activities. Given this, the current review systematically summarizes the recent advancements in FPs, covering extraction, purification, structural characteristics, bioactivities, structure-activity relationships (SARs), current applications, challenges and future prospects. The composition of FPs predominantly includes Glu, Gal, and Rha, with a broad molecular weight distribution (ranging from 21.9 kDa to 6890 kDa). The SARs analysis suggests that the bioactivities of FPs are closely linked to their monosaccharide composition, molecular weight, uronic acid content, and configuration characteristics, underscoring the significant role of FPs in driving the development of novel bioactive compounds in the health, food, and medical sectors. In conclusion, this review would contribute the valuable research insights and provide the updated information to foster the advancement of FPs for diverse therapeutic and industrial applications., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declared that there were no competing financial interests or personal relationships., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

A miscellaneous polysaccharide, PAP55-3-1, with a molecular weight of 23.03 kDa, was isolated from Periplaneta americana through extraction with dilute alkali solution, ethanol precipitation, and column chromatography purification. Structural analysis shows that PAP55-3-1 is mainly composed of five monosaccharides: galactosamine hydrochloride, glucosamine hydrochloride, galactose, glucose and mannose. Its main glycosidic bonds are: Manp-(1→, Galp-(1→, →3)-Galp-(1→, →3,6)-Manp-(1→, →2,6)-Manp-(1→, →6)-Manp-(1→, →4)-Galp-(1→, →6-Glcp-(1→, →6)-Galp-(1→, →2)-Manp-(1 →, →3,4)-Glcp-(1→, →3,6)-Galp-(1→. In vitro experiments demonstrated that PAP55-3-1 can effectively inhibit reactive oxygen species (ROS) and O 2 - production following H 2 O 2 - induction. After H 2 O 2 - induction, HIF-1α (hypoxia-inducible factor) was translocated in mitochondria PAP55-3-1 increased localization of HIF-1α was located on mitochondria to maintain the stability of mitochondrial function stability, thereby effectively inhibiting H 2 O 2 -induced mitochondrial oxidative damage. Additionally, PAP55-3-1 inhibited the M1 polarization of macrophages stimulated by H 2 O 2 and promoted the phenotype polarization of macrophages from M1 to M2, displaying anti-inflammatory and pro-repair properties. In vivo experimental results indicated that PAP55-3-1 promoted wound healing in mice. Immunohistochemical experiments revealed a reduction in CD68 expression and increase in CD206 expression in both positive and the high-dose polysaccharide group control group. This further demonstrated that PAP55-3-1 promotes the phenotype polarization of macrophages from M1 to M2, exerting anti-inflammatory and wound-healing activities., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that we have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Ginkgo biloba, a deciduous tree from the Ginkgoaceae family, is widely cultivated globally. In China, it predominantly grows in the eastern and southern regions. The leaves can be harvested multiple times throughout the growing season, presenting a significant resource potential. Ginkgo biloba leaves are considered as a living fossil with both medicinal and edible properties in traditional Chinese medicine. Polysaccharides, the primary bioactive compounds in these leaves, exhibit numerous biological activities, including antioxidant, antitumor, anti-inflammatory, immunoregulatory activity, antidepressant effects, hepatoprotective, hypoglycemic activity and hair-growth promoting effect. This review highlights the advancements in the extraction separation purification, structural elucidation, and functional analysis of polysaccharides derived from Ginkgo biloba leaves over the past decade, aiming to provide valuable insights for future development and commercialization of Ginkgo biloba leave polysaccharides., 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 © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Polysaccharides serve as a source of energy for organisms and play a crucial role in various life activities, exhibiting a wide array of biological functions. To develop bioactive polysaccharides for combating cancer, PGP40-2B, a homogeneous polysaccharide with a molecular weight of 7.05 × 10 3  g/mol, has been isolated from Platycodon grandiflorum, which is a traditional medicinal and edible plant with multiple functions. PGP40-2B was found to be mainly formed from several fragments including →2)-α-l-Araf-(1→, →5)-α-l-Araf-(1→, →3,4)-α-l-Rhap-(1→, →4)-α-d-GalpA-(1→, →6)-α-d-Glcp-(1→, and α-d-Galp-(1→. In addition to the structural characteristics characterized by various techniques, PGP40-2B was biologically assessed using zebrafish models and was found to exhibit in vivo antitumor effects. Subsequent mechanism studies suggested that the antitumor activity in vivo of PGP40-2B was not caused by cytotoxic mechanisms but was related to its targeting of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) to inhibit angiogenesis and activate immunity., 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 © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

This study aimed to fractionate and characterize the protein-rich polysaccharide-protein (PSP) complexes from a well-known edible mushroom, Lentinula edodes, and assess their nutritional and immunostimulatory properties. Crude PSP isolated from the mushroom water extract was purified by anion exchange chromatography, yielding fractions PSP-F1 and PSP-F2 containing 66.1 % and 74.0 % protein, respectively. Both fractions exhibited primarily β-sheet and random-coil protein structures, though the crude PSP fraction exhibited an additional α-helix structure. On SDS-PAGE, PSP-F1 showed two molecular weight bands, one below 10 kDa and another at 34 kDa, and PSP-F2 showed several bands, one below 10 kDa and others between 34 and 95 kDa. The nutritional value of essential and non-essential amino acid profiles was in the order of PSP-F2 > PSP-F1 > crude PSP; the amino acid ratio coefficient values of the crude PSP, PSP-F1, and PSP-F2 were 63 %, 67 %, and 72 %, respectively. The combination of PS and PSP fractions exhibited stronger immunoactivity than PSP-F1 or PSP-F2 alone. PSP-F2 showed a higher immunostimulatory activity than PSP-F1 in RAW264.7 cell culture. PSP-F2 was also more abundant of easily absorbed high-quality proteins. The results provide useful references for dietary and medicinal uses of PSP fractions in L. edodes and other edible mushrooms., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Jian Yong WU reports was provided by The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. If there are other authors, they 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 © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Yam is used as common herbal remedy in traditional Chinese medicine and is grown all over Asia. According to previous research, one of the primary bioactive components of yam is yam polysaccharide. To shed light on the mechanism of yam polysaccharide in ulcerative colitis (UC), a yam heteropolysaccharide named CYP-3a was isolated and purified using ultrasonic extraction, the trichloroacetic acid technique, DEAE cellulose-52 and a Sephadex G75 column. CYP-3a comprises rhamnus: arabinose:galactose:mannose:galacturonic acid glucuronic acid, with a molar ratio of 2.25:4.17:3.30:0.09:0.13:0.26. CCK-8 and ELISA analysis results showed that CYP-3a increased the number of dextran sodium sulphate (DSS)-induced Caco-2 cells and could reduce and inhibit their inflammatory response by lowering the amounts of secreted TNF-α and IL-6. Western blot data demonstrated that CYP-3a at various doses could suppress the endoplasmic reticulum stress-mediated apoptotic pathway generated by DSS-induced UC and down-regulate the protein levels of GRP78, CHOP and NF-κB., 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 © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Mycelium polysaccharide (MPP) from Monascus pilosus with the compositions of glucose, galactose, mannose, glucosamine hydrochloride, rhamnose and arabinose, was obtained using alkaline extracting, and subsequently three purified components (MPP-0, MPP-0.1 and MPP-0.3) were separated. The purity and extraction volume of the MPP-0.1 fraction surpassed those of the other two groups, thus warranting its selection for subsequent experimental investigations. The sample MPP-0.1, with an average molecular weight of 3.7776 × 10 4  Da, exhibited exceptional thermal stability up to 170 °C. The main glycosidic linkage pattern of MPP-0.1 was structured as→[4)-α-D-Glcp-(1] 6  → 4)-α-D-Glcp-(1 → [2)-α-D-Manp-(1] 5  → 2)-α-D-Manp-(1 → 5)-β-D-Galf-(1 → 3)-β-D-Galf (1 → 3)-β-D-Galf-(1 → 3)-β-D-Galf-(1→, and branched Glcp, Manp, Galf fragments were connected with the main chain through →4, 6)-α-D-Glcp-(1→, →2, 6)-α-D-Manp-(1 → and →3, 6)-β-D-Galf-(1→. Besides, the up-regulated levels of Nitric oxide (NO), Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), Interleukin-6 (IL-6), Interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and other pro-inflammatory cytokines along with increased phagocytic activity revealed that MPP-0.1 has significant immunomodulatory effect, and can significantly enhance the proliferation and activation of RAW264.7 cells. Finally, the gene UGE (UDP-glucose 4-epimerase) was overexpressed in M. pilosus to increase the MPP production. Results showed that the biomass of the recombinant strain exhibited a remarkable increase of approximately 62.56 ± 1.50 % compared to that of the parental strain, and the extraction yield of MPP increased significantly by 83.19 ± 4.56 %., 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 © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Fu brick tea (FBT), a post-fermented dark tea, is highly esteemed for its abundant nutritional and medicinal values. Fu brick polysaccharides (FBTPs) are acidic heteropolysaccharides primarily composed of galactose and galacturonic acid, which are crucial components of FBT. FBTPs exhibit multiple bioactivities, including immunomodulatory, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, regulatory effects on intestinal microbiota, anti-obesity, among others. Owing to their significant marketing potential and promising development prospects, FBTPs have attracted considerable attention from researchers worldwide. However, the specific mechanisms and underlying structure-function relationships of FBTPs are not well understood. Consequently, this review aims to provide comprehensive and cutting-edge information on the extraction, purification, structural characteristics, and biological activities of FBTPs, with an emphasis on exploring how their structural characteristics influence biological activities and therapeutic potential. We found that different materials and extraction techniques could result in differences in the structure-activity relationship of FBTPs. Furthermore, monosaccharide composition and molecular weight could also significantly impact the bioactivities of FBTPs, such as lipid-lowering effects and immunomodulatory activity. This review would further facilitate the applications of FBTPs as therapeutic agents and functional foods, thereby laying a solid foundation for their further development and utilization., 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 © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The structure and in vitro hypolipidemic activity of Bangia fusco-purpurea polysaccharide (BFP) assisted extracted with ultra-high pressure (UHP) at 100-600 MPa were studied. Compared to native BFP, UHP assisted extracted BFP had a more loose network structure with higher total sugar and uronic acid contents while less molecular weight (p < 0.05). Moreover, UHP assisted extraction significantly improved the in vitro hypolipidemic and antioxidant activity of BFP. Especially at 400 MPa UHP, the cholesterol adsorption and antioxidant capacities of BFP were increased by approximately 38.02 % and 11.69 %-32.29 %, respectively. BFP with UHP assisted extraction could alleviate oleic acid-induced lipid accumulation and lipid oxidation in HepG2 cells more effectively by activating the AMPK signaling pathway as well as inhibiting PPARγ expression, which was much related with its reduced molecular weight and loose network structure. The findings indicated that UHP assisted extracted BFP has better potential to develop natural hypolipidemic agent., 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 © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The extraction of polysaccharide from lotus root was highly homogenized, and the structure of the polysaccharide was not clear. Herein, we report a hot water method combined with α-amylase that was applied to extract lotus root polysaccharide. After purified, a lotus root polysaccharide fraction LP60-a with high purity and low molecule weight was obtained. Systematic characterization of the structure of LP60-a was achieved by monosaccharide composition, methylation and NMR analysis, showing that LP60-a was composed of α-1,6-glucan linked with a small amount of arabinogalactan. Conformational determination showed that LP60-a was a three-helix polysaccharide with random coil conformation. Furtherly, the immunomodulatory activities of LP60-a were investigated in RAW264.7 macrophages. The data indicated that LP60-a could enhance the proliferation and phagocytosis of macrophages significantly, and induce the expression of NO and TNF-α in macrophages without causing inflammation. Moreover, LP60-a promoted the phosphorylation of MAPK p38 and JNK, as well as NF-κB p65, indicating that LP60-a could activate RAW264.7 cells through MAPK and NF-κB signaling pathways. In conclusion, the results imply that LP60-a could enhance the immune function of macrophages, presenting a possibility to play a role as an immunomodulatory agent in dietary supplements., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declared that there is no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

In this study, two degraded polysaccharides from Gleditsia sinensis seed were obtained under ultrasonic power treatments of 300 and 450 W. The physicochemical properties, structural characteristics, and antioxidant activities of the degraded and undegraded polysaccharides were studied and compared. Ion exchange chromatography and methylation analysis showed that the polysaccharides had similar basic structural features and were composed of the same monosaccharide units before and after degradation, but the ultrasonic treatment increased the total monosaccharide content and changed the Mannose/Galactose value. Furthermore, with the increase in the ultrasonic power, the molecular weight and intrinsic viscosity of polysaccharides decreased, and the micromorphology became looser. The scavenging capacities for 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl and hydroxyl free radicals and the reducing ability were significantly increased by the ultrasonic treatment. In conclusion, ultrasonic treatment may be an effective way to improve the antioxidant activities of polysaccharides from G. sinensis seed, and further studies on its antioxidant mechanism are still needed., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors confirm that they have no conflicts of interest with respect to the work described in this manuscript., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

In this study, polysaccharide fraction (PFFNC) derived from Neolamarckia cadamba fruits showed remarkable antioxidant activity. The PFFNC was successfully extracted from the fruits by the hot water extraction process, followed by decolorization, defatting, and deproteinization. The chemical composition of PFFNC was effectively characterized by the use of UV-Vis, FT-IR, CHN, GC-MS, and 13 C NMR spectroscopy. The findings indicated that PFFNC had an average molecular weight of 292 kDa and was predominantly composed of carbohydrates (76 %), with notable contributions from uronic acids (37.22 %) and proteins (12.35 %). The primary components of the sugar content were glucose (19.24 %), galactose (10.19 %), mannose (4.09 %), and glucuronic acid (2.8 %). The tertiary structural study verified the existence of a triple-helical structure. PFFNC exhibited a strong reducing power in vitro as determined by ABTS (IC 50 : 121 ± 0.12 μg/mL), DPPH (IC 50 : 146.065 ± 0.54 μg/mL), FRAP (677.788 ± 24.189 mM Fe (II)/g), hydroxyl radical scavenging (IC 50 : 78.736 ± 0.32 μg/mL), and phosphomolybdate assay (90.7 ± 0.43 mg AAE/g). In addition, the PFFNC furthermore showed significant in vivo antioxidant capacity, as determined using the brine shrimp (Bsmp) (Artemia salina Leach) model. The PFFNC exhibits significant antioxidant potential, suggesting broad spectrum applications in pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, and oxidative stress-related disorders., 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 © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Herein, the identification and analysis of a newly discovered hypolipidemic polysaccharide extracted from Suaeda salsa L., SS3-N1, is reported. The weight-average molecular weight (Mw), number-average molecular weight (Mn), and dispersity (Ð) of SS3-N1 were determined to be 45.50 kDa, 34.21 kDa, and 1.33, respectively. This polysaccharide primarily consists of galactose (50.80 %) and arabinose (30.70 %), with lower proportions of xylose, mannose, guluronic acid, rhamnose, glucuronic acid, ribose, and fucose. Methylation and NMR analyses indicated that its backbone was primarily composed of R → 3,6)-β-D-Galp-(1 → R and R → 5)-α-L-Araf-(1→ residues. The sugar units at the reducing and nonreducing ends were identified as R → 4)-β-D-Xylp-(1 → R and R → 3)-β-D-Galp-(1 → R, respectively. In addition, α-L-Araf (1 → R side branches were incorporated at the C-3 position of R → 3,6)-β-D-Galp-(1 → R. At 100 μg/mL, SS3-N1 surpassed the lipid-lowering efficacy of the positive control, atorvastatin (0.4 μM), in an egg yolk powder (EYP)-induced hyperlipidemic zebrafish model. This effect may be attributed to the modulation of cholesterol metabolism due to the upregulation of nrf2, ho-1, ampk, ppara, and cyp7a1 gene expression and the downregulation of acaca and hmgcr gene expression. Such dual gene regulation inhibits fatty acid and cholesterol synthesis, suggesting potential applications for the natural hypolipidemic polysaccharide derived from S. salsa L., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Kuo Xu reports financial support was provided by Shandong Provincial Natural Science Foundation (No. ZR2022YQ71). Congmin Liu reports financial support was provided by Shandong Provincial Natural Science Foundation (No. ZR2020QC198). Qing Xia reports financial support was provided by Shandong Provincial Central Guidance Local Science and Technology Development Fund Project (No. YDZX2022164). Zongchang Xu reports was provided by National key research and development young scientist project (No. 2023YFD1901900). If there are other authors, they 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 © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Sulfated polysaccharides (SPSs) have excellent physicochemical properties, attracting research interest in the pharmaceutical industry. A previous study extracted SPS (named Suc40) from the edible fungus, Poria cocos and demonstrated that it exhibited anti-inflammatory and anticancer activities. In this study, three fractions of Suc40, Suc40 F1, Suc40 F2, and Suc40 F3, with different molecular weights and sulfate contents were prepared through gel-filtration column chromatography. The molecular weights of F1, F2, and F3 were approximately 616.23, 82.57, and 6.21 kDa, respectively, and their sulfate content were 0.23, 1.65, and 1.90 mmol/g, respectively. The fractions' anti-inflammatory activities were determined by assessing their ability to suppress inflammatory cytokines in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. Suc40 F2 and Suc40 F3 suppressed interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) production by 60 % and 35 %, respectively. Suc40 F2 and Suc40 F3 suppressed protein kinase B (AKT)/p38 and p38 signaling, which resulted in anti-inflammatory effects. The fractions' anti-lung cancer activity was evaluated by assessing their H1975 cell proliferation inhibition. Suc40 F3 at a concentration of 800 μg/ml exhibited maximal cell proliferation inhibition. The low molecular weight and high sulfate content of Suc40 F3 were associated with its enhanced anti-inflammatory and anti-lung cancer activities., 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 © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Porphyra haitanensis (P. haitanensis) belongs to the class Rhodophyta and the family Bangiaceae, which is a unique artificially cultivated seaweed in China, especially in the coastal areas of Fujian and Zhejiang province. P. haitanensis is rich in amino acids, mineral elements, proteins, polysaccharides, and trace elements, with proteins and polysaccharides being the main components. P. haitanensis proteins and polysaccharides have variety of biological activities, including antioxidant, anticancer, immunomodulatory, anti-allergic and anti-aging activities, among others. This review introduced and summarized the preparation, isolation and purification, phytochemistry and structural properties, and biological activities of P. haitanensis proteins and polysaccharide, as well as their biomedical and food applications. Furthermore, a thorough analysis of the current trends and perspectives on P. haitanensis bioactive macromolecules were highlighted and prospected. Hopefully, this review can provide a useful reference value for the development and application of P. haitanensis bioactive macromolecules in the field of biomedical and food in the future., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors confirm that they have no conflicts of interest with respect to the work described in this manuscript., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The physicochemical properties of the polysaccharides in Polygonatum kingianum, a Chinese medicinal herb used for both medicine and food, have not been fully studied. This study isolated three polysaccharides (PKP-1, PKP-2, and PKP-3) from the dry rhizomes of P. kingianum, with an average molecular weight of approximately 3137 Da, 5341 Da and 3755 Da, respectively. Structural analysis showed that all the three polysaccharides are fructans with β-D-Fruf-(2→, →6)-β-D-Fruf-(2→, →1)-β-D-Fruf-(2→, →1,6)-β-D-Fruf-(2→ and →6)-α-D-Glcp-(1→ glycosidic bond type. Notably, PKP-2 contains both acetyl groups and trace amounts of mannose residues. Scanning electron microscopy indicated that each polysaccharide possesses unique surface morphology. Thermal analysis showed that the three polysaccharides have good thermal stability. Rheological studies further revealed that all the three polysaccharides are typical shear thinning fluids. In vitro experiments showed that PKP-1 and PKP-2 significantly promote the secretion of NO and cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6) in macrophages by activating the NF-κB signaling pathway, thereby demonstrating potential immunomodulatory activity. These findings lay a theoretical foundation for the potential application of Polygonatum polysaccharides in the food industry., 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 © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Laminaria digitata is a high-quality seaweed resource that is widely cultured and has good application prospects. In this study, Laminaria digitata fucoidan (LF) was extracted from Laminaria digitata, and purified using DEAE-Sepharose Fast Flow gel column to obtain four different grades. Among those, LF4 (Mw:165 kDa), mainly composed of fucose(56.80 %), had the highest total sugar (66.91 %) and sulfate (17.07 %) content. FT-RT and NMR results showed that LF4 was mainly composed of galactosylated galactofucose, and has a sulfate group attached to fucose C4. With the animal experimentation, it was revealed that hyperlipidaemic mice had significantly higher levels of TC (5.52 mmol/L), TG (2.28 mmol/L) and LDL-C (5.12 mmol/L) and significantly lower levels of HDL-C (2 mmol/L). However, LF had the efficacy in modulating the lipid metabolism disturbances induced by hyperlipidemia, as well as the ability to regulate cholesterol transport in serum. Moreover, it regulated AMPK/ACC, PPAR-α/LAXRa, Nrf2/Nqo1, TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway genes and proteins expression in the liver. In addition, it promoted the production of beneficial short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) while improving the composition and structure of gut microbiota, including balancing the abundance of Bacteroidota, Firmicutes, Muribaculaceae, Alloprevotella, Escherichia-Shigella, Prevotella and NK4A136. The results clearly indicated that LF4 could significantly ameliorate hyperlipidemia, suggesting its prospective application as a functional food., 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 © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

A polysaccharide, CZS-0-1, was obtained from the marine green algae Codium fragile using ion-exchange and size-exclusion chromatography. Composition and characteristics analyses showed CZS-0-1 was a sulfated galactoarabinan consisting of arabinose, galactose and a small amount of glucose in a ratio of 9:2:1 with 21% sulfate content and a molecular weight of 810 kDa. Structural properties were determined using desulfation and methylation analyses combined with instrument analysis. The results showed that the backbone of CZS-0-1 was (1 → 3)-β-L-Arap. Its O-4 and/or O-2 positions showed sulfate modification; additionally, it had 10% of (1 → 3)-β-D-Galp branches at the O-4 position of the (1 → 3)-β-L-Arap. The galactose side chains also had sulfate modification at the O-4 or O-6 position. The structure of CZS-0-1 was further confirmed by Top-down analysis of the oligosaccharides after oxidated hydrolysis by mass spectrometry. CZS-0-1 exhibited significant heparin-like anticoagulant activity. It exerted anticoagulant effects by inhibiting FIIa and FXa activities with the presence of heparin cofactors. The anticoagulant activity of CSZ-0-1 was closely related to the molecular weight, and the reduction of molecular weight may lead to a significant decrease in the anticoagulant activity. This study demonstrated that the green algae, Codium fragile can be considered as a useful resource for bioactive polysaccharides., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest We declare that we do not have any commercial or associative interest that represents a conflict of interest in connection with the work submitted., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

This experiment examined the antiviral activity of polysaccharides from Sargassum fusiforme against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in vitro, including their mechanism of action and preliminary structural analysis. Four polysaccharides (SFP1, SFP2, SFP3, and SFP4) were purified from Sargassum fusiforme using a DEAE-52 cellulose column and an NW Super 150 gel column. CCK-8 and western blot were utilized to study the antiviral activities and mechanisms of the polysaccharides. Preliminary structural analysis was conducted using HPLC and NMR techniques. The findings suggest that SFP4 (120 kD) is an acidic chemical compound composed of 88.8 % total sugars, 0.13 % proteins, 10.8 % glucuronidic acids, and 21.1 % sulfates. It contains at least ten monosaccharides, primarily mannuronic acid and fucose. Among the four polysaccharides, SFP4 had the highest anti-RSV activity, with a therapeutic index (TI) exceeding 139. SFP4 exhibited noteworthy antiviral efficacy in both upper and lower respiratory cells that were infected, especially when administered as a prophylactic treatment 2 h in advance. Furthermore, SFP4 showed a dose-dependent antiviral effect, with the highest therapeutic index (TI > 320) observed at a concentration of 7.81 μg·mL -1 during the prophylactic phase. It was speculated that SFP4's antiviral effect is due to its ability to inhibit the attachment of G-proteins to cells., 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 © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Pomelo peel is a valuable source of pectin, but research on its cell wall polysaccharides is limited. This study compared the cell wall polysaccharides of pomelo peel, enzyme-extracted polysaccharides of pomelo peel, and enzyme-extracted polysaccharides of whole pomelo fruit. Cell wall polysaccharides, including water-soluble pectin (WSP), chelator-soluble pectin (CSP), sodium carbonate-soluble pectin (NSP), 1 mol/L KOH soluble hemicellulose (KSH-1), and 4 mol/L KOH soluble hemicellulose (KSH-2), were obtained by sequence-extraction method. Total polysaccharides from whole pomelo fruit (TP) and peel-polysaccharides from pomelo pericarps (PP) were obtained using enzyme-extraction method. The structural, thermal, rheological, antioxidant properties, and wound healing effect in vitro were described for each polysaccharide. WSP had a uniform molecular weight distribution and high uronic acid (UA) content, suitable for commercial pectin. NSP had the highest Rhamnose (Rha)/UA ratio and a rich side chain with highest viscosity and water retention. PP displayed the highest DPPH radical scavenging activity and reducing capacity at 0.1 to 2.0 mg/mL concentration range, with an IC 50 of 1.05 mg/mL for DPPH free radicals. NSP also demonstrated the highest hydroxyl radical scavenging activity and promoted Human dermal keratinocyte proliferation and migration at 10 μg/mL, suggesting potential applications in daily chemical and pharmaceutical industries., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest regarding the publication of this article., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Artemisia argyi Levl. et Vant. (A. argyi) is an important member of Asteraceae (Compositae) family, which has good medicinal potential and edible value. Phytochemical studies have shown that the A. argyi has a variety of bioactive components, mainly including polysaccharides, flavonoids, alkaloids, and volatile oil. More and more evidences show that A. argyi polysaccharide is a kind of representative pharmacological and biological active macromolecules, which has a variety of pharmacological activities in vitro and in vivo, such as estrogen-like effect, anti-bacterial, anti-tumor, anti-oxidant and immune regulation effect. As far as we know, there are few comprehensively reviews on A. argyi polysaccharide. This review aims to comprehensively and systematically review the research progress on the extractions and purifications, structural characteristics, pharmacological activities, structure-activity relationships, existing and potential applications of A. argyi polysaccharides in the past 12 years, in order to support their therapeutic potential and health functions. Finally, prospects were made for the further development and utilization of A. argyi polysaccharides in four fields: food, medicine, packaging materials, and daily chemicals., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors have no conflict of interest regarding the publication of this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

This study aimed to optimize the extraction process of polysaccharides from Rosa laevigata Michx. (RLMP) using an ultrasound-microwave-assisted method and investigate its in vitro hypoglycemic activity. Key factors affecting RLMP yield were identified using a Plackett-Burman design, followed by a Box-Behnken design and response-surface methodology, to determine the optimal extraction conditions. RLMP was purified using DEAE-52 cellulose, yielding two homogeneous fractions: RLMP-1 and RLMP-2. Monosaccharide composition was analyzed by gas chromatography, and structural characterization of RLMP, RLMP-1, and RLMP-2 was performed using FT-IR, SEM, and TEM. Methylation analysis and NMR were used to elucidate the sugar-chain structure of RLMP-1. In vitro hypoglycemic activity analysis showed that RLMP improved the glucose consumption and glycogen synthesis and enhanced the activities of pyruvate kinase and hexokinase in IR-HepG2 cells. Moreover, RLMP significantly increased the activities of antioxidant enzymes, such as CAT, SOD, and GSH-Px and decreased those of ROS and MDA. Western blotting analysis confirmed that RLMP enhances glucose and lipid metabolism and reduces oxidative stress by activating the PI3K/Akt/GLUT-4 signaling pathway, thereby exerting its hypoglycemic effect. These findings suggest that RLMP is a promising candidate for developing novel antioxidant agents or hypoglycemic drugs., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests:, (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Global food systems are currently facing great challenges, such as food sources, food safety, and environmental crises. Alternative nutritional resources have been proposed as part of the solution to meeting future global food demand. In the natural resources, shellfish are the major component of global aquatic animals. Although most studies focus on the allergy, toxin, and contamination of shellfish, it is also a delicious food to the human diet rich in proteins, polysaccharides, minerals, and omega-3. Among the functional ingredients, shellfish polysaccharides possess nutritional and medicinal values that arouse the great interest of researchers. The selection of the extraction approach and the experimental condition are the key factors that influence the extraction efficiency of shellfish polysaccharides. Importantly, the purification of crude polysaccharides comprises the enrichment of shellfish polysaccharides and isolation of fractions, also resulting in various structural characteristics and physicochemical properties. Chemical modification is also an efficient method to further improve the biological activities of shellfish polysaccharides. This review summarizes the extraction, purification, structural characterization, and chemical modification methods for shellfish polysaccharides. Additionally, the beneficial health effects of shellfish polysaccharides are highlighted, with an emphasis on their potential mechanism. Finally, current challenges and perspectives on shellfish polysaccharides are also spotlighted., 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 © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera), belonging to the family of Nelumbonaceae, is a beautiful aquatic perennial plant. It has been used as an ancient horticulture plant and famous agricultural crop for thousands of years. Modern phytochemical and pharmacological experiments have proved that polysaccharide is one of the most pivotal bioactive constituents of lotus. Hence, the systematic review covering the fundamental research advances and developing prospects of N. nucifera polysaccharides (NNPs) is an urgent demand to provide theoretical basis for their further research and application. The present review summarizes current emerging research progresses on the polysaccharides isolated from lotus, and it focuses on advanced extraction and purification methods, unique structural features, engaging biological activities, potential molecular mechanisms, as well as the relationship of structure and activity of NNPs. This review sheds light on the potential values of NNPs in affording functionally bioactive agents in food industry or therapeutically effective medicines for health care. In addition, this review will provide valuable insights for further commercial product development and promising industrial application of NNPs in both of the fundamental research communities and food or pharmaceutical industries in future., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest No conflict of interest exits in the submission of this manuscript, and manuscript is approved by all authors for publication. 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 © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The growing demand for food safety has stimulated the development of new environmentally friendly food packaging. It is the development trend of food packaging in recent years by using natural polysaccharides as carriers and adding bioactive ingredients extracted from plants to prepare multifunctional films with antioxidant, antimicrobial and biodegradable properties. Herein, three polysaccharide components (PPE40, PPE60, and PPE80) from pineapple peel were extracted by ultrasound-assisted hot water extraction combined with gradient ethanol precipitation method, which all showed a certain scavenging activities against DPPH, ABTS, and hydroxyl radical. Then, the composite films were prepared by adding PPE40, PPE60 and PPE80 to chitosan. The results of SEM, FT-IR and XRD analysis showed that PPE40, PPE60 and PPE80 could interact with chitosan matrix. Furthermore, the addition of PPE40, PPE60, and PPE80 could improve the mechanical properties of the films, and promote the antibacterial activity of the films against B. subtilis, S. aureus and E. coli. Finally, the application of the composite films to strawberries showed that the addition of PPE40, PPE60 and PPE80 could delay the rapid decay of strawberries during storage. The results of this study showed that pineapple polysaccharides have a potential to be applied in the field of food packaging., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no potential conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Houttuynia cordata Thunb, also known as "Chinese medicine antibiotic", is a medicine food homology plant. It has functions of clearing heat, eliminating toxins, in folk medicine. The extraction purification and bioactivity of Houttuynia cordata polysaccharides (HCPs) have been of wide interest to researchers in recent years studies. Studies have confirmed that HCPs exhibit various biofunctionalities, such as anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antibacterial, antioxidant, immunomodulatory, regulation of gut microbiota, and gut-lung axis, as well as anti-radiation, and anti-cancer properties. Therefore, a comprehensive systematic review is needed to summarize the recent advances of HCPs and facilitate a better understanding of their biofunctionalities. This paper reviews the research progress of HCPs in extraction and purification methods, chemical structures, biological activities, possible mechanisms of action, and potential application prospects, which can provide some valuable insights and updated information for their further development and application of HCPs in the fields of therapeutic agents, functional foods, cosmetics, animal feeds., 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 © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The effects of electron beam irradiation (EBI) pretreatment on the alkaline extraction of pectic polysaccharides from Diaphragma juglandis fructus (DJF) are highly dependent on the irradiation dosage. Comprehensive characterizations encompassing physicochemical, structural, and functional properties were conducted on crude pectic polysaccharide extract from DJF subjected to various EBI doses. EBI pretreatment significantly increased the yields of crude pectic polysaccharides extract (increasing by 41.89 %), also facilitating the extraction of uronic acid, RG-I structure, and protein content, despite causing a decrease in total sugar content. EBI pretreatment induced the degradation of pectin, resulting in decreased molecular weight, particle size, crystallinity, viscosity, thermal stability, and water holding capacity, while enhancing solubility and oil holding capacity. Variations in physicochemical and structural properties induced by different EBI doses influenced the functional activities of DJF pectic polysaccharides. Low-dose EBI (at 5 kGy) pretreatment markedly improved the emulsifying activity/stability (increasing by 20.82/74.10 %) and ABTS/DPPH radical scavenging activity (increasing by 27.91/12.40 %), whereas high-dose EBI pretreatment (50 kGy) greatly enhanced foaming capacity/stability (increasing by 259.99/175.56 %). These findings provide a novel regulatory strategy for the functional activity of pectic polysaccharides., 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 © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The high polysaccharide content of Lycii fructus agri-food waste should be reclaimed for value liberation from both environmental and economic perspectives. In this study, waste from L. fructus pigment products was valorized on a bench scale by upcycling into active polysaccharide-rich extracts. The methodological feasibility of polysaccharide recovery from L. fructus waste was evaluated using sequential extraction techniques. Three fractions LFP-30, LFP-100, and LFP-121, were obtained under stepwise increases in temperature and pressure. Highly heterogeneous xyloglucan (XG)-pectin macromolecules composed of linear homogalacturonan (HG) and alternating intra-RG-I-linkers, with topological neutral branches and XG participation, were predominant among the L. fructus polysaccharides (LFPs). Antioxidant activities in LFPs were unaffected by waste resources and severe extraction methodology conditions. Additionally, the direct investment potential of polysaccharide recovery was evaluated for full-scale implementation. This study demonstrated the necessity and feasibility of extracting bioactive polysaccharides with potential applications from L. fructus waste, and provided a sustainable strategy for transforming L. fructus waste disposal problems into value-added products using cost-effective methodologies., 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 © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The structural characteristics, acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity, and immune effects of two purified acid polysaccharides from Chrysanthemum morifolium cv. Gongju were investigated. GJP-1 and GJP-2 were isolated and purified using DEAE-sepharose and Sephadex G-100 chromatography. GJP-1 consisted of Man, Rha, Ara, Glc, Gal, and GalA, with a ratio of 1.99:3.98:81.2:2.65:7.03:3.15, while GJP-2 comprised of Man, Rha, Ara, Glc, Gal, and GalA in a ratio of 0.27:2.36:8.03:38.44:2.38:48.52. GJP-2 is a kind of pectin-type polysaccharide. GJP-1 and GJP-2 differed in average molecular weight of 5.86 kDa and 4.92 kDa. The results indicated that GJP-1 and GJP-2 significantly inhibited the activity of acetylcholinesterase and had good immunomodulatory activities. GJP-1 and GJP-2 are bioactive polysaccharides with the potential to improve cognitive function. GJP-2 promoted more proliferation, as well as the release of tumor necrosis factor-α and interferon γ. Clarifying the structures and bioactivities of polysaccharides could lay a foundation for the application of Gongju in functional foods and medicines production., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors confirm that they have no conflicts of interest with respect to the study described in this manuscript., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The long-term use of antibiotics can cause drug resistance. Natural polysaccharides are a novel means of treating bacterial infections, and the development and utilization of litchi pericarp polysaccharide (LPPs) as a bacteriostatic active substance offer a new research direction for the high-value utilization of litchi by-products. This study revealed that LPPs inhibited Staphylococcus aureus more than Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, and Salmonella typhimurium, with the minimum inhibitory concentrations of 145, 205, 325, and 445 μg/mL, respectively. The inhibitory activity of LPPs was insignificant for Bacillus subtilis at 505 μg/mL. The assessment of antibacterial mechanisms revealed that LPPs influenced the growth, conductivity, protein, and nucleic acid, reducing sugar, respiratory chain dehydrogenase activity, bacterial lipid peroxidation, intracellular adenosine triphosphate, and extracellular alkaline phosphatase levels of S. aureus. Of note, LPPs could modify the cell wall integrity and cell membrane permeability of S. aureus, resulting in the leakage of intracellular large and small molecules, inhibition of cellular respiratory metabolism, and oxidative losses. These processes exhibited an inhibitory effect and made the bacterium nonfunctional, thereby affecting its growth and metabolism or causing cell death. These findings provide support and insights into the potential application of LPPs as a natural antimicrobial agent., 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 © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Ultrasound-assisted extraction of Cissus repens polysaccharides (CRPs) was optimized through response surface methodology (RSM) based on Box-Behnken design (BBD). The maximum CRPs yield (16.18 %) was achieved under the optimum extraction conditions: extraction time 72 min, extraction temperature 74 °C, extraction power 240 W. Then three-phase partitioning (TPP) method combined with gradient alcohol precipitation was used to obtained CRP20, CRP40, CRP60 and CRP80 from CRPs, and CRP80 has a higher purity than others. The primary chemical and structural characteristics of CRP80 were investigated by UV, FT-IR, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and high-performance gel-permeation chromatography (HPGPC). CRP80 is mainly composed of glucose, galactose, arabinose and mannose, with a molecular weights of approximately 2.95 kDa. Furthermore, the antioxidant activity and hypoglyceamic activity of CRP80 in vitro were evaluated. The results showed that CRP80 had strong scavenging activities on ABTS, hydroxyl and DPPH radicals, as well as high scavenging activities on α-glucosidase and α-amylase. Our research provided an efficient method for the extraction of polysaccharides from C. repens and CRP80 has potential as a promising source of natural antioxidants and hypoglycemic agent for the functional food and medicinal industries., (© 2024 Wiley-VHCA AG, Zurich, Switzerland.)

Medicago sativa polysaccharides (MSPs) are beneficial compounds extracted from Medicago sativa L. that exhibit multiple medicinal activities. However, little is known about their hypoglycemic effects. In this study, MSP-II-a, a neutral polysaccharide with an Mw of 4.3×10 4 Da, was isolated and purified from M. sativa L. Monosaccharide composition analysis determined that MSP-II-a was composed of arabinose, glucose, galactose, mannose, rhamnose, and xylose in a molar ratio of 2.1 : 4.0 : 1.1:0.4 : 1.4 : 1.1. Structural characterization of MSP-II was performed using a combination of methylation analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. The results showed that MSP-II-a was mainly comprised of 1,4-p-Glc, 1,3,4-Rha, and 1,3-p-Gal glycosidic linkages, revealing a mesh-like texture with irregular blade shapes. In vitro assays demonstrated that MSP-II-a, at concentrations of 200 and 400 μg/mL, promoted glucose uptake in insulin-resistant 3T3-L1 adipocytes. In vivo studies have shown that MSP-II-a significantly alleviates insulin resistance by reducing fasting blood glucose levels and increasing hepatic glycogen synthesis in HFD/STZ-induced diabetic mice. These findings revealed that MSP-II-a is a promising source of bioactive polysaccharides with potential hypoglycemic activity., (© 2024 Wiley-VHCA AG, Zurich, Switzerland.)

Stevia rebaudiana boasts a wide range of medical and food applications and contains polysaccharides that exert beneficial effects against oxidative stress. In this study, we optimised the extraction of a polysaccharide (SRRP) from S. rebaudiana roots by employing a Box-Behnken design and response surface methodology. The optimal extraction conditions were as follows: 93.57 min, 71.67 °C, and a water-to-raw material ratio of 21.40 mL/g. Under these conditions, 14.00 ± 0.35% of crude polysaccharide was obtained. Treatment of RAW264.7 cells with SRRP prior to the addition of H 2 O 2 , a major contributor to oxidative damage, significantly increased cell viability. In addition, SRRP increased the levels of superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione and reduced the levels of malondialdehyde in RAW264.7 cells. Therefore, SRRP can provide effective protection against H 2 O 2 -induced oxidative damage. These findings indicate the potential of SRRP as a natural antioxidant in the food and pharmaceutical industries.

A response surface methodology (RSM) and one-factor method were established to investigate the optimum conditions for the extraction of lychee nuclear polysaccharides (LSP) by ultrasonic-assisted pectinase. The content of basic components in polysaccharides was determined. The antioxidant activity was well determined and compared the differences in the activities of the polysaccharides extracted by water extraction (LSP-HW) and those extracted at ultrasound-assisted enzyme (LSP-UAE). The activity of lychee nuclear polysaccharide increased with the increase of concentration. The anti-hydroxyl radical and anti-lipid peroxidation abilities of lychee nuclear polysaccharide were more excellent, and LSP-HW was slightly better than LSP-UAE in terms of activity, but the difference was not significant. In terms of solubility; LSP-HW without deproteinization was the best, followed by LSP-UAE, and the worst was LSP-UAE after deproteinization. The higher the glycoprotein content, the better the solubility of its polysaccharide. Compared with the existing extraction methods, this experiment greatly improved the extraction rate of lychee nuclear polysaccharides and further enriched the antioxidant activities of polysaccharides., 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 © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) possess unique features with excellent bioavailability and bioactivity, but the poor stability limits its application. A combination of polysaccharides and SeNPs is an effective strategy to overcome the limitation. Herein, a heteropolysaccharide (SVL-3) with an average molecular weight of 2.428 × 10 4  Da was purified from the fruiting body residue of Sanghuangporus vaninii after soaking in sorghum wine, which was composed of fucose, galactose, glucose, fructose and 3-O-methyl-galactose. The main chain of SVL-3 was composed of →6)-α-3-MeO-Galp-(1→, →4)-α-D-Galp-(1→, →2,6)-β-D-Glcp-(1 → and →3)-α-D-Glcp-(1→, and the branched chain was composed of →4)-α-D-Xylp-(1 → and α-L-Fucp-(1→. For enhancing bioactivity of SVL-3 and stability of SeNPs, SVL-3-functionalized SeNPs (SVL-3-SeNPs) was prepared, which contained 45.31 % polysaccharide and 48.49 % selenium. SVL-3-SeNPs maintained an emphatic stability over 28 days at 4 °C and pH 6-8, and exhibited a higher cytotoxic effect on MCF-7 cells than SVL-3 and SeNPs. The inhibitory effect of SVL-3-SeNPs on the cancer cells may be associated with the mechanisms by inducing S-phase arrest, triggering apoptosis and elevating the protein levels of Cytochrome c, Caspases and cleaved caspases 3 and 9. These results indicated that SeNPs modified by S. vaninii polysaccharides can be utilized as a potential material for targeted antitumor drugs., 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., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This study explored the potential of ultrasonic-assisted three-phase partitioning (UTPP) to simultaneously extract lipids, proteins, and polysaccharides from Idesia polycarpa Maxim (IPM) cake meal, a significant byproduct of oil extraction. The impact of variables such as inorganic salt type, solid-liquid ratio, salt concentration, pH, ultrasonic time, temperature, and volume of dimethyl carbonate was examined. Based on the single-factor tests and response surface methodology (RSM), optimal conditions were identified as 30 % ammonium citrate, a 1:26 solid-liquid ratio, pH 3, 31 min of ultrasonic time, 30 °C temperature, and 15 mL of dimethyl carbonate. These conditions achieved extraction rates of 8.10 % for lipids, 5.03 % for proteins, and 10.03 % for polysaccharides, with recovery rates of 91.62 %, 83.08 %, and 93.95 % respectively. Chemical analysis showed the lipid fraction rich in linoleic acid, and the protein fraction high in glutamic acid, aspartate, and serine. The polysaccharide fraction, mainly RG-I pectin with a molecular weight of 226.58 kDa, exhibited strong thermal stability and inhibitory effects on α-glucosidase and glycation, suggesting potential for functional food and dietary supplement applications. This highlights UTPP as a sustainable method for effectively utilizing valuable compounds from IPM cake meal, outperforming traditional extraction techniques., 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 © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: The stem of Abroma augusta contains mucilaginous polysaccharides having numerous ethnomedicinal properties. The present work aimed to develop a scalable ultrasonic-assisted aqueous Abroma augusta mucilage (AAM) extraction (UAE) method and further explores its emulsifying property and toxicity concern., Results: The combination of ultrasonic power (750 W), solid-to-liquid ratio (1:15) and temperature (348 K) gave the highest extraction yield of 2.28% with a diffusivity value of 3.85 × 10 -9  m 2  s -1 , which was higher than aqueous extraction method using a kinetic model based on Fick's second law of diffusion. The extracted polysaccharide showed no toxicity as measured through 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assay on RAW cell line. Additionally, the polysaccharide over its critical micelle concentration (400, 500, 600 and 700 μg mL -1 ) offered emulsifying properties with 0.5%, 1% and 5% oil (v/v). The emulsion with a polysaccharide concentration of 600 μg mL -1 with 5% oil (v/v) provides stability against coalescence for 3 days., Conclusion: The overall findings indicated that UAE of AAM polysaccharide can be used for an efficient extraction method, and the obtained polysaccharide is nontoxic in nature and bears emulsifying properties. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.)

Pectic polysaccharides have long been a challenging subject of research in the field of macromolecular science, given their complex structures and wide range of biological effects. However, the extensive exploration of pectic polysaccharides has been limited due to the intricacy of their structures. In this comprehensive review, we aim to provide a thorough summary of the existing knowledge on pectic polysaccharides, with a particular focus on aspects such as classification, extraction methodologies, structural analysis, elucidation of biological activities, and exploration of target molecules and signaling pathways. By conducting a comprehensive analysis of existing literature and research achievements, we strive to establish a comprehensive and systematic framework that can serve as a reference and guide for further investigations into pectic polysaccharides. Furthermore, this review delves into the applications of pectic polysaccharides beyond their fundamental attributes and characteristics, exploring their potential in fields such as materials, food, and pharmaceuticals. We pay special attention to the promising opportunities for pectic polysaccharides in the pharmaceutical domain and provide an overview of related drug development research. The aim of this review is to facilitate a holistic understanding of pectic polysaccharides by incorporating multifaceted research, providing valuable insights for further in-depth investigations into this significant polymer., 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 © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Porphyra yezoensis, an important medicinal seaweed extensively cultivated and consumed in China, Japan, and South Korea, is traditionally considered a precious healthy food and food additive. Published studies showed that the polysaccharides are major bioactive macromolecules from P. yezoensis with great potential for the development of nutraceuticals and functional foods. As an important component of P. yezoensis, P. yezoensis polysaccharide (PYP) is mainly extracted by hot water extraction, ultrasonic-assisted extraction, and microwave-assisted extraction methods. Subsequently obtained by decolorization, deproteinization, removal of other small molecules, and separation on various chromatographic columns. The main structural components of PYP were (1 → 3)-linked β-D-galactose and (1 → 4)-linked 3,6-anhydro-α-L-galactose. Accumulating evidence has revealed that PYP has diverse biological activities, such as antioxidant, suppressing kidney stones, immunomodulatory, etc. This review systematically summarizes the recent preparation progress, chemical structures, bioactivities, and the underlying mechanisms of PYP. Information from this review provides insights into the further development of PYP as therapeutic agents and functional foods. Although there have been extensive studies on PYP, there are gaps in establishing quality standard, toxicological research, clinical application and other aspects. To enhance the utility of P. yezoensis, it is necessary to strengthen the research on these aspects., 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 © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Fucoidans, a group of high molecular weight polysaccharides derived mainly from brown algae, are characterized by their high fucose content, degree of sulfation (DS), and intra- and interspecific structural variation. Fucoidans are increasingly recognized due to various reported bioactivities, potentially beneficial for human health. To unlock their potential use within biomedical applications, a better understanding of their structure-functional relationship is needed. To achieve this, systematic bioactivity studies based on well-defined, pure fucoidans, and the establishment of standardized, satisfactory purification protocols are required. We performed a comprehensive compositional and structural characterization of crude and ultra-purified fucoidans from three kelps: Saccharina latissima (SL), Alaria esculenta (AE) and Laminaria hyperborea (LH). Further, the complement-inhibiting activity of the purified fucoidans was assessed in a human whole blood model. The purification process led to fucoidans with higher DS and fucose and lower concentrations of other monosaccharides. Fucoidans from SL and LH resembles homofucans, while AE is a heterofucan rich in galactose with comparably lower DS. Fucoidans from SL and LH showed complement-inhibiting activity in blood and blood plasma, while no inhibition was observed for AE under the same conditions. The results emphasize the importance of high DS and possibly fucose content for fucoidans' bioactive properties., 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 © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Lentinula edodes polysaccharides are natural immunomodulators. SeLe30, analyzed in this study, is a new mixture of selenium-enriched linear 1,4-α-glucans and 1,3-β- and 1,6-β-glucans isolated from L. edodes mycelium. In the present study, we evaluated its immunomodulatory properties in human T cells. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and T cells were isolated from healthy donors' buffy coats. The effects of SeLe30 on CD25, CD366, and CD279 expression, the subsets of CD8+ T cells, and IFN-γ, IL-6, and TNF-α production were analyzed. SeLe30 downregulated CD25, CD279, and CD366 expression on T cells stimulated by the anti-CD3 antibody (Ab) and upregulated in unstimulated and anti-CD3/CD28-Abs-stimulated T cells. It increased the percentage of central memory CD8+ T cells in unstimulated PBMCs and naïve and central memory T cells in anti-CD3-Ab-stimulated PBMCs. SeLe30 decreased the number of central memory and naïve CD8+ T cells in anti-CD3/CD28-stimulated T cells, whereas, in PBMCs, it reduced the percentage of effector memory CD8+ T cells. Moreover, SeLe30 upregulated cytokine production. SeLe30 exhibits context-dependent effects on T cells. It acts on unstimulated T cells, affecting their activation while increasing the expression of immune checkpoints, which sensitizes them to inhibitory signals that can silence this activation. In the case of a lack of costimulation, SeLe30 exhibits an inhibitory effect, reducing T-cell activation. In cells stimulated by dual signals, its effect is further enhanced, again increasing the "safety brake" of CD366 and CD279. However, the final SeLe30 effect is mediated by its indirect impacts by altering interactions with other immune cells.