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Brown seaweed polysaccharides (BSPs) are one of the primary active components from brown seaweed that has a range of pharmaceutical and biomedical applications. However, the quality control of BSPs is a challenge due to their complicated structure and macromolecule. In this study, saccharide mapping based on high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), multi-angle laser light scattering, viscometer, and refractive index detector (HPSEC-MALLS-Vis-RID), and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) were used to discriminate the polysaccharides from nine different species of brown algae (BA1-9). The results showed that BSPs were composed of β-D-glucans and β-1,3−1,4-glucan linkages. The molecular weight, radius of gyration, and intrinsic viscosity of BSPs were ranging from 1.718 × 105 Da to 6.630 × 105 Da, 30.2 nm to 51.5 nm, and 360.99 mL/g to 865.52 mL/g, respectively. Moreover, α values of BSPs were in the range of 0.635 to 0.971, which indicated a rigid rod chain conformation. The antioxidant activities of BSPs exhibited substantial radical scavenging activities against DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) and ABTS (2, 2’-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) radicals, which indicated that the use of BSPs might be a potential approach for antioxidant supplements. Thus, this study gives insights about the structure-function relationship of BSPs, which will be beneficial to improve the quality of polysaccharides derived from marine algae.

Cancer is the high leading cause of cancer temporality worldwide. Treatment of cancer has always been a challenge for primary care and the development of appropriate medicine against colon and lung cancers is a major focus for budding researchers in the field. The mushroom lectin has, a few studies explored relating to the biological activity such as antibacterial, antifungal, anticancer activity and others. The mushroom lectin has attained considerable attention recently. The present study was undertaken to evaluate Pleurotus flabellatus lectin (PFL-L) induced cell death on human pathogenic fungal cells. Fungal cell viability was estimated at different intervals, moreover Aspergillus niger has the lowest cell viability (11%) compared to the others. Additionally, PFL-L was examined on human colorectal carcinoma cancer (HT29) cells and lung carcinoma cancer (A549) cells. The apoptotic changes were detected by apoptosis assay on HT29 cells and A549 cells. Further, PFL-L was demonstrated to the HT29 cells were disturbed against the presence of PFL-L at 100 µg/mL and the cell viability range is 25.90 ± 1.52%, whereas the A549 cells range is low. Then, the PFL-L initiates that DNA damage within cancer cells and the effects of cancer-related proteins were examined.

Incorporation of coconut kernel fiber to the myofibrillar protein (MP) gel may enhance its properties with better uniqueness. Therefore, this study investigated the effects of coconut fiber on the water state, texture, rheological behavior and microstructural properties of the MP gel system. An increase in gel strength was induced by increasing the concentrations of coconut fiber compared to control (P

The potential of multifunctional wound heal biomaterial relies on the optimal content of therapeutic constituents as well as the desirable physical, chemical, and biological properties to accelerate the healing process. Formulating biomaterials such as amnion or collagen based scaffolds with natural products offer an affordable strategy to develop dressing material with high efficiency in healing wounds. Using image based phenotyping and quantification, we screened natural product derived bioactive compounds for modulators of types I and III collagen production from human foreskin derived fibroblast cells. The identified hit was then formulated with amnion to develop a biomaterial, and its biophysical properties, in vitro and in vivo effects were characterized. In addition, we performed functional profiling analyses by PCR array to understand the effect of individual components of these materials on various genes such as inflammatory mediators including chemokines and cytokines, growth factors, fibroblast stimulating markers for collagen secretion, matrix metalloproteinases, etc., associated with wound healing. FACS based cell cycle analyses were carried out to evaluate the potential of biomaterials for induction of proliferation of fibroblasts. Western blot analyses was done to examine the effect of biomaterial on collagen synthesis by cells and compared to cells grown in the presence of growth factors. This work demonstrated an uncomplicated way of identifying components that synergistically promote healing. Besides, we demonstrated that modulating local wound environment using biomaterials with bioactive compounds could enhance healing. This study finds that the developed biomaterials offer immense scope for healing wounds by means of their skin regenerative features such as anti-inflammatory, fibroblast stimulation for collagen secretion as well as inhibition of enzymes and markers impeding the healing, hydrodynamic properties complemented with other features including non-toxicity, biocompatibility, and safety.

Objective To evaluate the antioxidant and anticancer potential of different fractions of bark of Costus pictus using various in vitro antioxidant assay systems. Methods In this study, assay like DPPH radical, superoxide anion radical scavenging activity, nitric oxide scavenging activity, hydrogen peroxide scavenging activity, metal chelating activity and reducing power were used. The concentrations of total phenolic and flavonoids were also calculated for the extracts. Result The present study elucidated for the first time the antioxidant property of bark of C. pictus . This study suggested that, among the three fractions, the chloroform fraction possesses high antioxidant activity which might be helpful in preventing or slowing the progress of various oxidative stress related disorders. Moreover, all fractions possess potent anticancer properties against colon cancer cells of HT29 and lung carcinoma cells of A549. Conclusions It can be concluded that the extract of the bark of C. pictus has potential natural antioxidant and this can be used in food industries. There are few reports on the antioxidant capacity of bark of C. pictus and the mechanism of different fractions of bark of C. pictus as antioxidative agents is still not fully understood. Hence further research is underway to analyse and isolate the active compounds responsible for the antioxidant and anticancer activity of different fractions of the bark of C. pictus .

Essential oils of Cymbopogon citratus were already reported to have wide ranging medical and industrial applications. However, information on polysaccharides from the plant and their anticancer activities are limited. In the present study, polysaccharides from C. citratus were extracted and fractionated by anion exchange and gel filtration chromatography. Two different polysaccharide fractions such as F1 and F2 were obtained, and these fractions were found to have distinct acidic polysaccharides as characterized by their molecular weight and sugar content. NMR spectral analysis revealed the presence of (1?4) linked b-d-Xylofuranose moiety in these polysaccharides. Using these polysaccharide fractions F1 and F2, anti-inflammatory and anticancer activities were evaluated against cancer cells in vitro and the mechanism of action of the polysaccharides in inducing apoptosis in cancer cells via intrinsic pathway was also proposed. Two different reproductive cancer cells such as Siha and LNCap were employed for in vitro studies on cytotoxicity, induction of apoptosis and apoptotic DNA fragmentation, changes in mitochondrial membrane potential, and profiles of gene and protein expression in response to treatment of cells by the polysaccharide fractions. These polysaccharide fractions exhibited potential cytotoxic and apoptotic effects on carcinoma cells, and they induced apoptosis in these cells through the events of up-regulation of caspase 3, down-regulation of bcl-2 family genes followed by cytochrome c release. � 2014 Elsevier Ltd.