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Glycyrrhizae Radix et rhizome/licorice is a precious herb in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). TCM's polysaccharides are medicinally active. But herbal polysaccharides pose some limitations for topical applications. Therefore, this study aimed to utilize licorice polysaccharide via mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSN) for anti-acne efficacy in topical delivery. The polysaccharide (GGP) was extracted with a 10 % NaOH solution. Chemical characterization suggested that GGP possesses an Mw of 267.9 kDa, comprised primarily of Glc (54.1 %) and Ara (19.12 %), and probably 1,4-linked Glc as a backbone. Then, MSN and amino-functionalized MSN were synthesized, GGP entrapped, and coated with polydopamine (PDA) to produce nanoparticle cargo. The resulted product exhibited 76 % entrapment efficiency and an in vitro release of 89 % at pH 5, which is usually an acne-prone skin's pH. Moreover, it significantly increased Sebocytes' cellular uptake. GGP effectively acted as an anti-acne agent and preserved its efficacy in synthesized nanoparticles. In vivo, the results showed that a 20 % gel of MSN-NH 2 -GGP@PDA could mediate an inflammatory response via inhibiting pro-inflammatory cytokines and regulating anti-inflammatory cytokines. The MSN-NH 2 -GGP@PDA inhibited TLR2-activated-MAPK and NF-κB pathway triggered by heat-killed P. acnes. In conclusion, fabricated MSN entrapped GGP for biomimetic anti-acne efficacy in topical application., 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.)

Gentiana dahurica Fisch. (G. dahurica) is one of the legitimate sources of Qinjiao in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and grows on high-altitude plateaus. Plants develop unique biochemical accumulations to resist plateau conditions, especially the strong UV irradiation. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the polysaccharide of G. dahurica (GDP), its structure and its activity against UVB irradiation. Four GDPs were isolated and two of them were subjected to structural elucidation. The results suggested that GDP-1 has 53.5 % Ara and 30.8 % GalA as its main monosaccharides, with a molecular weight (Mw) of 23 kDa; the GDP-2 has 33.9 % Ara and 48.5 % GalA, with a Mw of 82 kDa. Methylation and NMR spectroscopy analysis revealed that GDP-1 contains →5)-α-Araf-(1 → 5)-α-Araf-(1 → 3,5)-α-Araf-(1 → 3,4)-α-GalpA-(6-OMe)-(1→ as the main chain, the branches of GalA (with esterification), and the terminal Ara; the GDP-2 contains →4)-α-GalpA-(1 → 4)-α-GalpA-(6-OMe)-(1 → 5)-α-Araf-(1 → 3,5)-α-Araf-(1→ as the main chain, the branches of →5)-α-Araf-(1-5)-α-Araf, and the terminal GalA. Both GDP-1 and GDP-2 exhibited concentration-dependent antioxidant activity against DPPH, ABTS and hydroxyl radicals. Moreover, GDPs significantly attenuated the decreases in viability and proliferation of HaCaT cells after UVB irradiation. They can scavenge reactive oxygen species (ROS) and improve the activities of endogenous antioxidant enzymes, including superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH). The potential mechanism explored by flow cytometry assays of cell apoptosis and cell cycle distribution suggested that GDPs exert protective effects against UVB irradiation by reducing ROS and attenuating S phase cell arrest. In brief, the GDP-1 and GDP-2 are α-1,3- and α-1,4- arabinogalacturonan, respectively. The high content of Ara could be attributed to biochemical accumulation in resisting to the plateau environment and to prevent UVB irradiation-related damage in cells. These findings provide insight into authentic medicinal herbs and the development of GDPs in the modern pharmaceutical and cosmetics 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 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The swollen culm (also known as Jiaobai) of Zizania latifolia is formed by the smut Ustilago esculenta invades the Z. latifolia. The new tissue formed due to the symbiotic relationship has entices the attention of researchers to study its polysaccharide structure along with biological evaluation. Five fractions of polysaccharides were obtained owing to hot water extraction, alcoholic precipitation, and chromatographic purification. Bioactivity assays showed that ZLPs have good antioxidant, hypoglycemic activities and protective activity against oxidative damage. The ZLP-1 and ZLP-2 were determined to be neutral polysaccharides with high purity, exhibiting propitious bioactivity, consequently they were subjected to indispensable structural characterization. These results showed that ZLP-1 has molecular weight (Mw) of 103 kDa and glucose (Glc) (76.68 %) as the primary monosaccharide; the ZLP-2 has Mw of 122 kDa and galactose (Gal) (41.04 %) and arabinose (Ara) (27.12 %). Structural elucidation by methylation and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analysis suggested ZLP-1 is a glucan, with →3)-β-Glcp-(1→3)-β-Glcp-(1→4)-β-Glcp-(1→4)-β-Glcp-(1→3,6)-β-Galp-(1→3)-β-Glcp-(1→ as the mainchain and the terminal Araf and Glcp; the ZLP-2 is a Galactoxylan, with →3,4)-β-xylp-(1→3)-β-Galp-(1→3,6)-β-Galp-(1→3,6)-β-Galp-(1→ as the mainchain and the terminal Araf and Glcp. The structural arrangements provide a chemical basis for understanding the nutritional and pharmacological activities of polysaccharides from Zizania latifolia., 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 © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Fucoidans are complex sulfated polysaccharides extracted from brown algae. Depending on the concentration, they have been shown to stimulate and inhibit blood coagulation in vitro. Promotion of coagulation is mediated by blocking tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI). We screened fucoidan extracts from four brown algae species in vitro with respect to their potential to improve coagulation in bleeding disorders. The fucoidans' pro- and anticoagulant activities were assessed by global hemostatic and standard clotting assays. Results showed that fucoidans improved coagulation parameters. Some fucoidans also activated the contact pathway of coagulation, an undesired property reported for sulfated glycosaminoglycans. Chemical evaluation of fucoidans' complex and variable structure included molecular weight (Mw), polydispersity (polyD), structural heterogeneity, and organic and inorganic impurities. Herewith, we describe a screening strategy that facilitates the identification of crude fucoidan extracts with desired biological and structural properties for improvement of compromised coagulation like in hemophilia., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Ammonium-based alkali-catalyzed β-elimination under nonreducing conditions was investigated in detail for the stability of the released mucin-type O-glycan chains with β1,3-linked cores. In contrast to the previously studied β1,4-linkage of the N-glycan-type, which was shown to be stable under the ammonium-based alkaline conditions, the β1,3-linkage is labile toward alkaline treatment and considerable peeling was observed with both model heptasaccharides and standard glycoproteins. The former include eight reducing glucoheptasaccharides with different and commonly occurring linkages (α1,2-, β1,2-, α1,3-, β1,3-, α1,4-, β1,4-, α1,6-, and β1,6-linkages), and the latter include mucin-type bovine submaxillary mucin and bovine fetuin, which contains both O- and N-glycans. The results indicated that complete prevention of peeling under nonreducing alkali-catalyzed hydrolysis conditions remains difficult. The yields of released O- and N-glycans were also assessed by use of the two glycoproteins as models. Compared with conventional procedures, Carlson degradation for O-glycan release and PNGase F digestion for N-glycan release, the nonreducing ammonium-based alkaline hydrolysis gave lower yields. Great care has to be taken when employing such nonreducing alkaline conditions in glycomic analysis and in obtaining glycoprotein glycans for functional studies.

Acharan sulfate content from African giant snail (Achatina fulica) was compared in eggs and snails of different ages. Acharan sulfate was not found in egg. Acharan sulfate disaccharide -->4)-alpha-D-GlcNpAc (1-->4)-alpha-L-IdoAp2S(1-->, analyzed by SAX (strong-anion exchange)-HPLC was observed soon after hatching and increases as the snails grow. Monosaccharide compositional analysis showed that mole % of glucosamine, a major monosaccharide of acharan sulfate, increased with age while mole % of galactose decreased with age. These results suggest that galactans represent a major energy source during development, while acharan sulfate appearing immediately after hatching, is essential for the snail growth. The structures of neutral N-glycans released from eggs by peptide N-glycosidase F (PNGase F), were next elucidated using ESI-MS/MS, MALDI-MS/MS, enzyme digestion, and monosaccharide composition analysis. Three types of neutral N-glycan structures were observed, truncated (Hex(2-4)-HexNAc(2)), high mannose (Hex(5-9)-HexNAc(2)), and complex (Hex(3)-HexNAc(2-10)) types. None showed core fucosylation.

Licorice is known as "Gan-Cao" in traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), belonging to the genus Glycyrrhiza (Family: Fabaceae/Leguminosae). It has a long medicinal history and wide applications in China. Polysaccharides of licorice (LPs) are one of the key bioactive components. As herbal polysaccharides attracted increasing interest in the past several decades, their extraction, isolation, structural characterization, pharmacological activities, and medicinal application have been explored extensively. It is worth heeding that the method of extraction and purification effects LPs, apart from specie and origin specificity. This review evaluates the method of extraction and purification and demonstrates its performance in gaining specific composition and its structure-activity relationship, which might lead the readers to a fresh horizon for developing advanced treatment strategies. It is recently reported that the conformation of LPs plays a vital role as biopolymers, such as selenized modification, microencapsulation, nanocomposite, liposome formulation, drug/hydrogel combinations, biosensor device, and synergistic effect with a vaccine. In addition, LPs showed a good thermodynamics profile, as these properties enable them to interact with additional supramolecular interaction by chemical modifications or copolymerization. Functional polymers that are responsive to various external stimuli, such as physical, chemical, and biological signals, are a promising study topic. Thus, LPs are emerging as a new biomaterial that can enhance intended formulation along exerting its inherent medicinal effects. It is hoped that this review will provide a basis for the utilization and further developments of licorice polysaccharides in the vast medium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, certain lots of heparin have been associated with an acute, rapid onset of serious side effects indicative of an allergic-type reaction. To identify potential causes for this sudden rise in side effects, we examined lots of heparin that correlated with adverse events using orthogonal high-resolution analytical techniques. Through detailed structural analysis, the contaminant was found to contain a disaccharide repeat unit of glucuronic acid linked β1→3 to a β-N-acetylgalactosamine. The disaccharide unit has an unusual sulfation pattern and is sulfated at the 2-O and 3-O positions of the glucuronic acid as well as at the 4-O and 6-O positions of the galactosamine. Given the nature of this contaminant, traditional screening tests cannot differentiate between affected and unaffected lots. Our analysis suggests effective screening methods that can be used to determine whether or not heparin lots contain the contaminant reported here. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Traditional chromatographic quantification methods for heparosan produced from the Escherichia coli K5 strain rely on extensive purification requiring laborious sample preparation. These methods are time-consuming, often resulting in sample loss during purification, and thus might not accurately reflect the amount of heparosan in the original mixture. A simple, sensitive 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) quantification method that directly quantifies heparosan K5 polysaccharide present in E. coli fermentation supernatant is described. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The dried root of Pueraria mirifica (P. mirifica) is an edible foodstuff widely used in Asian countries. P. mirifica is known for its high starch content. The isolation of polysaccharides from high-starch plant parts is challenging due to the interference of starch. Therefore, this study aimed to develop a technique for isolating and investigating the structure and activity of non-glucan polysaccharides from P. mirifica (PMP). An effective starch removal process was developed using α-amylase hydrolysis and thorough membrane dialysis. Four non-glucan polysaccharides were isolated, and PMP-2 was subjected to structural elucidation. The results indicated that PMP-2 has a molecular weight of 124.4 kDa and that arabinose and galactose are the main components, accounting for 27.8 % and 58.5 %, respectively. Methylation and NMR analysis suggested that PMP-2 is an Arabinogalactan composed of 1,6-linked Gal p and 1,4-linked Gal p as the main chain, with arabinan and rhamnose as side chains. Furthermore, PMP-C and PMP-2 exhibited concentration-dependent antioxidant activities against DPPH, ABTS, and hydroxyl radicals and certain immunomodulatory activities related to the release of NO, TNF-α and IL-6. These findings suggest that PMP-2 has potential therapeutically active ingredient in functional foods. The developed method successfully removed starch and isolated non-glucan polysaccharides from the high-starch content plant P. mirifica and can be applied to other high-starch plants. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The common food additive carrageenan (CGN) predictably induces intestinal inflammation in animal models. Mechanisms of CGN-induced nuclear factor κB and interleukin-8 (IL-8) stimulation include an immune-mediated pathway involving toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and B-cell lymphoma/leukemia 10 (BCL10) and a reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated pathway. To determine how the structure of CGN contributes to its initiation of inflammation through these two distinct mechanisms, we treated CGNs with galactosidases and carrageenases (CGNases) and determined the impact on IL-8 secretion and BCL10 production. Hydrolysis of CGN by the enzyme α-1→(3,6)-galactosidase significantly reduced increases in IL-8 and BCL10, but other galactosidases tested, including α-1→6-galactosidase, β-1→4-galactosidase and β-1→3,6-galactosidase, had no effect. In contrast, specific κ-CGNases or ι-CGNases, which hydrolyze β-1,4-galactosidic bonds, produced increases in IL-8 and BCL10 attributable to increased exposure of the immunogenic α-1→3-galactosidic epitope of CGN to TLR4. These results were consistent with induction of innate immune response by an interaction of TLR4 with the unusual α-d-Gal-(1→3)-d-Gal epitope present in CGN. Activation of the ROS-mediated pathway was unaffected by treatment of κ-CGN with either κ-CGNase (3 mg/L), α-1→(3,6)-galactosidase (20 mU/ml) or these enzymes in combination, indicating that changes in IL-8 production were attributable to the effects of induction of inflammation on the TLR4–BCL10-mediated innate immune pathway. These findings provide new information about the specificity of carbohydrate–protein interaction between CGN and TLR4 and may help to devise treatments that modify the immune reactivity induced by carbohydrate antigens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxidized starch (oxStarch) is a major derivative of starch. In present study, 4-acetamide-TEMPO system was firstly applied to prepare specifically oxidized starch, homogeneous 1,4-linked α-D-glucuronan. The impact of oxidant amount, 4-acetamide-TEMPO amount and reaction temperature on the properties of products were investigated. The product structures were characterized with 1H NMR for degree of oxidation (DO), SEC-MALS for MW, MS for analysis of oxidized oligosaccharides, and in-source fragmented MS for analysis of oxidized polysaccharides. The results showed that the DO of oxStarches increased, but their MWs decreased with the raise of oxidant amount; higher 4-acetamide-TEMPO amount provided higher efficiency of specific oxidation of starch, in which the product has higher DO and MW; no significant difference have been observed between the oxStarches oxidized at 4 and 25 °C, but significant degradation was observed at 50 °C. In each product, having a MW distribution, the portion with smaller size has higher DO. While some unspecific oxidation was still observed observed on the second hydroxyl groups of sugar ring in the following order of priority, position 3 > 2 > 1 > 0. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lotus (Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn.) is the largest aquatic vegetable in Asia. The lotus seedpod (LS) is an inedible part of the mature flower receptacle of the lotus plant. However, the polysaccharide isolated from the receptacle has been less studied. The purification of LS resulted in two polysaccharides (LSP-1 and LSP-2). Both polysaccharides were found to be medium-sized HG pectin, with a Mw of 74 kDa. Their structures were elucidated via GC–MS and NMR spectrum and proposed as the repeating sugar units of GalA connected via α-1,4-glycosidic linkage, with LSP-1 having a higher degree of esterification. They have certain content of antioxidant and immunomodulatory activities. The esterification of HG pectin would have an adverse effect on these activities. Furthermore, the degradation pattern and kinetics of LSPs by pectinase conformed to the Michaelis-Menten model. There is a large amount of LS, resulting from the by-product of locus seed production, and thus a promising source for the isolation of the polysaccharide. The findings of the structure, bioactivities, and degradation property provide the chemical basis for their applications in the food and pharmaceutical industries. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • 1H-NMR of heparins from different animals show distinct clusters in PCA and k means analysis. • Disaccharides components of heparins from different animals show distinct clusters in PCA and k means. • Tetrasaccharides components of heparins from different animals show distinct clusters in PCA and k means. • Chemometric analysis could help predict the heparin animal source and detect blending. Abstract Heparin is a polysaccharide anticoagulant drug isolated from animal tissues. There have been concerns on the safety and security of the heparin supply chain since 2007-8 when a contamination crisis led to its disruption. The current study applies a suite of modern analytical techniques to porcine, bovine and ovine intestinal mucosal heparins. These techniques include structural analysis by nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry, disaccharide compositional analysis, bottom-up analysis of tetrasaccharides corresponding to heparin's antithrombin III binding site. Chemometric analysis was then applied to understand how these structural differences to predict the animal/tissue source of heparin and to help detect blending of heparins from various sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyguluronic acid (PG) is a type of polysaccharide found in edible brown seaweeds. This study synthesized a new sulfated saccharide (SOGA) by sulfating PG-derived unsaturated oligoguluronic acid (OGA). The molecular weight and degree of sulfate-group substitution of SOGA were 1.6 kDa and 1.03, respectively. The structures of PG, OGA, and SOGA were elucidated using FT-IR and NMR spectroscopy. Furthermore, the immunomodulatory effects of PG, OGA, and SOGA on LPS-triggered RAW264.7 and BV2 cells were evaluated. SOGA, but not PG or OGA, significantly reduced the LPS-stimulated overproduction of proinflammatory mediators and suppressed the activation of corresponding signalling pathways. Also, SOGA could actively regulate immune balance by inhibiting apoptosis and pyroapoptosis. These results suggested that SOGA is a potential therapeutic agent for the prevention of diseases associated with immune disorders owing to its remarkable immunomodulatory effects, and that sulfate groups in the carbohydrate chain play a crucial role for its bioactivities. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alginate is a linear and acidic polysaccharide, composed of (1 → 4) linked β- d -mannuronic acid (ManA) and α- l -guluronic acid (GulA). The ratio of ManA to GulA ( M / G ) is one of the most important factors for the application of alginate and its derivatives in various areas. In this work, a robust and accurate method was developed to analyze M / G using high-performance anion-exchange chromatography with pulsed amperometric detection (HPAEC-PAD). The impact of hydrolysis conditions on the release patterns of ManA and GulA from alginate and its derivatives was investigated. The release patterns of ManA and GulA need to be considered separately to obtain an accurate M / G . Several hydrolysis conditions were established that released ManA and GulA completely and maintained these saccharide residues intact. The proper M / G of alginates from different sources and its derivatives could then be calculated by integration of the corresponding ManA and GulA peaks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]