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Highlights • Fermentation affected the monosaccharide composition, Mw, and viscosity of MCP. • Fermentation improved serum glucose, insulin, and lipids in MCP-treated diabetes. • Fermentation enhanced the regulatory effect of MCP on oxidative stress in diabetes. • Fermentation improved the composition of gut microbiota in MCP-treated diabetes. • Fermentation increased colonic SCFAs in MCP-treated diabetic rats. Abstract The influence of Lactobacillus plantarum -fermentation on the structure and anti-diabetic effects of Momordica charantia polysaccharides were evaluated. High-fat diet and streptozotocin-induced type 2 diabetic rats were administrated with polysaccharides from fermented and non-fermented Momordica charantia (FP and NFP) for 4 weeks. Fermentation affected the physicochemical characterization, monosaccharide composition, molecular weight, and viscosity of Momordica charantia polysaccharides. Treatment with FP significantly ameliorated hyperglycemia, hyperinsulinemia, hyperlipidemia, and oxidative stress in diabetic rats compared with NFP. Moreover, the diversity and abundance of gut microbiota (Lactococcus laudensis and Prevotella loescheii) in diabetic rats were notably increased by treatment with FP in comparison to NFP. Meanwhile, FP-treated diabetic rats exhibited more colonic short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and lower pH values than that in NFP-treated rats. Overall, Lactobacillus plantarum- fermentation could enhance the anti-diabetes effects of Momordica charantia polysaccharides in rats by modifying the structure of polysaccharides to optimize gut microbiota and heighten the production of SCFAs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ganopoly is an aqueous polysaccharide fraction extracted from G. lucidum by patented biochemical technique and has been marketed as an over-the-counter product for chronic diseases including cancer and hepatopathy in many Asian countries. This study was undertaken to explore the anti-tumour effect and the underlying mechanisms of Ganopoly in mice and human tumor cell lines. The maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of Ganopoly in mice was estimated to be 100 mg/kg from a pilot study. Treatment of mice with oral Ganopoly for 10 days significantly reduced the tumour weight of sarcoma-180 in a dose-dependent manner, with inhibition rates of 32.3, 48.2 and 84.9% and growth delays of 1.5, 3.5, and 13.1 days at 20, 50, and 100 mg/kg, respectively. Incubation of Ganopoly at 0.05-1.0 mg/ml for 48 hours showed little or negligible cytotoxicity against human tumor CaSki, SiHa, Hep3B, HepG2, HCT116, HT29, and MCF7 cells in vitro. In contrast, 10 mg/ml of Ganopoly caused significant cytotoxicity in all tumour cells tested except MCF7, with marked apoptotic effects observed in CaSki, HepG2, and HCT116 cells, as indicated by nuclear staining and DNA fragmentation. In addition, Ganopoly enhanced concanavalin A-stimulated proliferation of murine splenocytes by 35.3% at 10 mg/ml, and stimulated the production of nitric oxide in thioglycollate-primed murine peritoneal macrophages in a concentration-dependent manner over 0.05-10 mg/ml. Addition of Ganopoly at 1 mg/ ml to murine peritoneal macrophages also potentiated lipopolysaccharide-induced nitric oxide production by 64.2%. Treatment of healthy mice or mice bearing sarsoma- 180 with oral Ganopoly over 20-100 mg/kg for 7 day significantly increased the expression of both TNF-α and IFN-γ (at both mRNA and protein levels) in splenocytes in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, treatment of Ganopoly over 20-100 mg/kg significantly increased cytotoxic T lymphocyte cytotoxicity and NK activity in mice. The overall findings indicated that Ganopoly had antitumor activity with a broad spectrum of immuno-modulating activities and may represent a novel promising immunotherapeutic agent in cancer treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Medicinal plants represent one approach in the management of liver injuries due to various factors such as injection, toxification, and immune damage in Oriental society. One of these plants, Ganoderma (Ling Zhi, Reishi mushroom; Aphyllophoromycetideae), has been widely med for the treatment of hepatopathy of various etiologies. This article highlights the hepatoprotective activity of Ganoderma mushroom, with an emphasis on the possible biochemical mechanisms. Preclinical studies demonstrated that Ganoderma extracts, which mainly contain polysaccharides or triterpenoids, protected the liver against injury caused by exposure to toxic chemicals (e.g., CCI4) or Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) plus lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Interestingly, Ganoderma extracts showed antihepatitis B virus (HBV) in a duckling model. A randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial by our group showed that treatment with Ganoderma polysaccharides for 12 weeks significantly decreased hepatitis B e antigen (HbeAg) and HBV DNA levels in 25% (13/52) patients with HB. The underlying mechanisms for the hepatoprotective effects of Ganoderma are largely unclear, but several potential biochemical pathways have been implicated. For example, the hepatoprotective effect of Ganoderma has been ascribed to its antioxidant and radical-scavenging activity, inhibition of β-glucuronidase, modulation of nitric oxide production, modulation of hepatic phase I and II enzymes, antifibrotic and antiviral activity, maintenance of hepatocellular calcium homeostasis, and immunomodulating effect. Given that Ganoderma has shown promising efficacy and was well tolerated for the management of various hepatic injuries, further studies are needed to explore the kinetics and mechanisms of action of Ganoderma constituents with hepatoprotective activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Type 2 diabetes is a complex metabolic and endocrine disorder worldwide, which causes severe health and economic problems. The effects of polysaccharide from Plantago asiatica L. (PLP) on high-fat diet and streptozotocin-induced type 2 diabetic rats were examined. Administration of PLP caused significant decreases in the concentrations of blood glucose, insulin, total cholesterol, triglyceride, non-esterified fatty acid and maleic dialdehyde, and significant increases in the levels of high density lipoprotein-cholesterol and the activities of antioxidant enzymes compared with diabetic rats after 4 weeks’ treatment. The concentrations of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) were significantly higher in the feces of diabetic rats after treatment with PLP. Moreover, colon bacterial diversity and abundance of bacteria, including Bacteroides vulgatus, Lactobacillus fermentum , Prevotella loescheii and Bacteroides vulgates were significantly increased by PLP treatment. These results indicated that the anti-diabetic effect of PLP in type 2 diabetic rats may be associated with regulation of gut microbiota and increased levels of SCFA. Graphical abstract Image Highlights • PLP attenuated hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia in Type 2 diabetic rats. • PLP administration suppressed oxidative stress in Type 2 diabetic rats. • SCFA was significantly increased after PLP intake in Type 2 diabetic rats. • PLP improved structure of colon microbiota in Type 2 diabetic rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past century, a number of synthetic antimicrobial agents have been discovered and developed, but drug resistance and toxicity are still the major hindrances to gaining successful therapeutic outcomes in many instances. Herbal medicines may represent a safe and useful supplement to existing chemotherapeutic therapies for the management of infectious diseases. Ganoderma has traditionally been used to treat chronic infectious diseases, such as chronic hepatitis and bronchitis in Asia, when it is administered alone or more often in combination with chemotherapeutic agents. Preclinical (in vitro and in vivo animal) studies indicate that Ganoderma exhibits a broad spectrum of antibacterial and antiviral activities, whereas data in human beings are scanty. Polysaccharides or triterpenoids from Ganoderma showed activities against Herpes simple virus, Hepatitis B virus, HIV, and Epstein-Barr virus in vitro or in animal models. Ganoderma species also contain antibacterial constituents inhibiting gram-positive and/or gram-negative bacteria in vitro . However, it is difficult to extrapolate these findings to humans, as most of these preclinical studies were conducted under optimized conditions with the use of high doses of Ganoderma components. A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical study indicated that treatment of hepatitis B patients with G. lucidum polysaccharides at 5400 mg/day for 12 weeks resulted in significantly decreased serum HBV DNA and hepatitis B e antigen (HbeAg) levels. The mechanisms for the antimicrobial and antiviral activities of Ganoderma are largely undefined. Currently available data do not support the use of Ganoderma as an antibiotic, but it may play an adjunct role for the management of bacterial and viral infection. Further studies are needed in humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polysaccharides MP-A, MP-U and MP-C were extracted from Mesona chinensis Benth by hot-alkali extraction (HAE), ultrasonic-assisted extraction (UAE) and cellulose-enzyme assisted extraction (CAE), respectively. The yields, physicochemical properties and antioxidant of polysaccharides were investigated. Results showed that the yields of MP-A (11.14%), MP-U (10.62%) and MP-C (9.70%) were similar, and they were all heteropolysaccharides with average molecular weights of 1.9 × 10 5 Da, 1.5 × 10 5 Da, 1.4 × 10 5 Da. Glucose, galactose, and galacturonic acid were the main monosaccharides in MP-A, MP-U and MP-C with molar ratios of 1.00:1.34:0.25, 1.00:2.49:0.19 and 1.00:2.95:0.84, respectively. MP-C extracted by CAE exhibited higher antioxidant activities in FRAP, DPPH, hydroxyl radical assays and the H 2 O 2 -induced injury cell model. The three extraction methods had only slight effects on chemical composition, while MP-C extracted by CAE exhibited the highest antioxidant activity, which could potentially be used for an addition ingredient as it was previously shown to have good gelling property in food products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]