Search

Context Global studies on Argemone mexicana L. (Papaveraceae) traditionally used against malaria in Mali are limited to its low-mass compounds activities, and little information on its bioactive polysaccharides is available. Objective This study determines the structure and the immunomodulatory activity of polysaccharides from aerial parts of A. mexicana. Materials and methods Acidic polysaccharides from this plant material named HMAmA1 and HMAmA2 were isolated from water extracts. Their monosaccharide composition was determined by gas chromatography. Glycosidic linkages were determined using GC-MS. NMR was also applied. The polymers were tested for effects on the human complement system in vitro at different doses. Results The monosaccharide composition showed that the two polysaccharides contained in different amounts the following monomers: arabinose, rhamnose, galactose, and galacturonic acid. Overall structural analysis showed the presence of a low ratio of 1,2-linked rhamnose compared to 1,4-linked galacturonic acid with arabinogalactans substituted on position 4 of rhamnose. NMR data showed the presence of galacturonans alternated by rhamnogalacturonans bearing arabinose and galactose units. α-Linkages were found for l-arabinose, l-rhamnose and d-galacturonic acid, while β-linkages were found for d-galactose. The two polysaccharides exhibited strong complement fixation activities, with HMAmA1 being the highest potent fraction. ICH50 value of HMAmA1 was 5 µg/mL, compared to the control BPII being 15.9 µg/mL. Discussion and conclusions Polysaccharides form A. mexicana presented a complement fixation effect. The complement system is an important part of the immune defense, and compounds acting on the cascade are of interest. Therefore, these polymers may be useful as immunodulatory agents.

The root of Angelica sinensis, has been commonly used in gynecology for centuries, and is normally applied divided into different parts in various clinical applications. At present, the majority of existing studies focus on the volatile oil and ferulic acid extracted from different parts of A. sinensis, but there is a dearth of scientific information on its water-soluble polysaccharides.The structures of polysaccharides from plants, have been reported contributing to multiple pharmacological activities such as anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor and liver protection. Therefore, the focus of this study was on its anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory activities in vitro, which would be based on the various polysaccharides with distinct structures obtained from different parts of the A. sinensis root.Four parts of A. sinensis root were separated according to the Chinese Pharmacopoeia: head, body, tail and whole body. Crude polysaccharides were obtained by water extraction and ethanol precipitation method, and were further fractionated by DEAE Sepharose chromatographic column and gel filtration. The comparison of ASPs from different root parts were performed, including chemical compositions determined by colorimetric analysis, monosaccharide compositions measured by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), glycosidic linkage units determined by methylation and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), organic functional groups determined by FT-IR, molecular weight (Mw) demarcated by gel permeation chromatography, and the viscosities and solubilities were measured according to method published in the previous report with minor modification. In vitro biological activities of APSs were compared on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory and oxidative stress models on IPEC-J2 cells.Four purified polysaccharides, ASP-H-AP, ASP-B-AP, ASP-T-AP and ASP-Hb-AP from the root of A. sinensis, were obtained, and consisted of various contents of protein and the polyphenol. They were possibly pectic polysaccharides with a long homogalacturonan region as the main backbone and ramified with rhamnogalacturonan I region, but they were differed by subregions and the relative contents of glycosidic units. The Mw of four pectic polysaccharides were ranged from 67.9-267.7 kDa. The infrared spectrum also showed that the four polysaccharide fractions contained the characteristic peaks of polysaccharides. Their distinct primary structure could lead to a variety of biological activities. In vitro biological assays suggested that four polysaccharide fractions can protect IPEC-J2 cells against the LPS-induced inflammation by down-regulating inflammation factors and related genes on IPEC-J2 cells. These polysaccharides also could alleviate oxidative stress on IPEC-J2 cells by up-regulating the gene and protein expressions of antioxidant enzymes. It was concluded that ASP-H-AP possessed better anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative effects, while those of ASP-T-AP was relatively poor among the four polysaccharide fractions.All results indicated that the structure of pectic polysaccharides from different root parts of A. sinensis differed, which lead to their distinct anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative activities. This may also be one of the factors why different parts of A. sinensis showed various pharmacological activities and applied independently in traditional use. In addition, it would be valuable for further studies on structure-activity relationship of polysaccharides obtained by different root parts of A. sinensis.

In this study, the

An inulin (CPPF), isolated from a traditional Chinese herbal medicine

Roots of Aconitum carmichaelii are used in Asian countries due to its content of bioactive alkaloids. In the production of root preparations, tons of leaves are usually discarded, leading to a huge waste of herbal material. The aim of this study is to investigate the polysaccharides in these unutilized leaves. A neutral polysaccharide (AL-N) appeared to be a mixture of heteromannans, and two purified acidic polysaccharides (AL-I-I and AL-I-II) were shown to be pectins containing a homogalacturonan backbone substituted with terminal β-Xylp-units. AL-I-I consisted of a type-I rhamnogalacturonan core, with arabinan and type-II arabinogalactan domains while AL-I-II was less branched. AL-N and AL-I-I were able to modulate the complement system, while AL-I-II was inactive. Interestingly, AL-N, AL-I-I and AL-I-II were shown to exert anti-inflammatory effects on porcine enterocyte IPEC-J2 cells. AL-I-I and AL-I-II were able to down-regulate the expression of toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain 1 (NOD1).

Aconitum carmichaelii, belonging to the Ranunculaceae family, is a widely used traditional herbal plant in Asian countries, especially in China. The lateral ("Fuzi") and mother ("Chuanwu") roots are the two main plant parts used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), where they are used in the treatment of acute myocardial infarction, heart failure, rheumatoid arthritis, and as analgesics.In order to further guide the research direction and application of A. carmichaelii, this study aims to give a systematic and in-depth overview on the phytochemical and pharmacological studies of non-alkaloid natural products with focus on polysaccharides and phenolic compounds.A comprehensive search in the literature was conducted based on the databases Google Scholar, SciFinder (American Chemical Society), Springer Link, PubMed Science, Science Direct and China National Knowledge Internet, Wanfang Data, in addition to books, doctoral and master's dissertations, and official website. The main keywords were: "Aconitum carmichaelii", "Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata", "Fuzi", "Chuanwu", "Aconiti Radix", "monkshood" and "Bushi".A. carmichaelii is known for the use of its different root parts, including "Fuzi" and "Chuanwu". Different types of polysaccharides, both neutral and acidic, and 39 phenolic compounds like flavonoids, phenylpropanoids, lignans, neolignans, and benzoic acid derivatives have been isolated and identified from the roots. Pharmacological studies of the isolated polysaccharides have demonstrated various biological effects such as hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic, cardiovascular, immunomodulatory, anti-tumor, and neuropharmacological activities. Studies on pharmacological effects of the phenolic compounds isolated from the roots are however limited.This review shows that polysaccharides could be one of the active components in the roots of A. carmichaelii, and they are promising for future applications due to their pharmacological properties. In addition, polysaccharides are generally non-toxic, biocompatible, and biodegradable. This review also sheds light on new research directions for A. carmichaelii. A more detailed structural characterization of polysaccharides from different root parts of A. carmichaelii, and their structure-activity relationships are required. Additionally, their pharmacological properties as immunomodulators in the intestinal system should be investigated. Further, more knowledge about the pharmacological effects and molecular mechanisms of the phenolic compounds that have been identified are needed.

Codonopsis pilosula and Codonopsis tangshen are plants widely used in traditional Chinese medicine. Two pectic polysaccharides from the roots of C. pilosula and C. tangshen named as CPP-1 and CTP-1 were obtained by boiling water extraction and column chromatography.The core structures of both CPP-1 and CTP-1 comprise the long homogalacturonan region (HG) as the backbone and the rhamnogalacturonan I (RG-I) region as the side chains. CPP-1 has methyl esterified galacturonic acid units and a slightly lower molecular weight than CTP-1. Biological testing suggested that CPP-1 and CTP-1 can protect IPEC-J2 cells against the HAll of the results indicated that pectic polysaccharides CPP-1 and CTP-1 from different species of C. pilosula roots could be used as a potential natural antioxidant source. These findings will be valuable for further studies and new applications of pectin-containing health products. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

Black soybean seed (BSS) is a traditional edible and medical food. The cotyledons of BSS are either yellow or green, but that difference's effect on functional and bioactivities are not clear. In the present study, the concentrations of the main functional components, including anthocyanins, isoflavones, fatty acids, protein, and polysaccharides, and in vitro antioxidant activities of yellow-cotyledon and green-cotyledon BSS (YBS and GBS, respectively) were compared. The anti-fatigue activities of the ethanol extract of BSS (EEB) were evaluated using mouse swimming endurance tests. Additionally, a metabolomics comparison between YBS and GBS was done using ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC/Q-TOF MS) on high doses of EEB-treated mouse plasma. The results indicated that YBS showed significantly higher contents of anthocyanin and protein, and stronger antioxidant activity and anti-fatigue activity than GBS; while GBS showed higher levels of isoflavone, stearic acid, and polysaccharide. By infusing the feed with EEB, the swimming time of mice increased in a dose-dependent manner. The metabolomics results suggested that the anti-fatigue effect of EEB correlated well with serotonin and melatonin biosynthesis in vivo. All of the above results showed that BSS has anti-fatigue potential and might be used as a potential source of functional food ingredients., This study was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 31971853) and the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (Grant No. 2014 M560724 & 2017T100707).

Ethnopharmacological relevance Biophytum umbraculum Welw. (Oxalidaceae) is a highly valued African medicinal plant used for treatment of cerebral malaria, a critical complication of falciparum malaria. Aim of the study To provide additional information about traditional use of B. umbraculum and to test plant extracts and isolated compounds for in vitro activities related to cerebral malaria. Materials and methods The traditional practitioners were questioned about indication, mode of processing/application, dosage and local name of B. umbraculum . Organic extracts and some main constituents of the plant were investigated for anti-malaria, anti-complement activity and inhibition of NO secretion in a RAW 264.7 cell line. Results Treatment of cerebral malaria was the main use of B. umbraculum (fidelity level 56%). The ethyl acetate extract showed anti-complement activity (ICH 50 5.7±1.6 μg/ml), inhibition of macrophage activation (IC 50 16.4±1.3 μg/ml) and in vitro antiplasmodial activity (IC 50 K1 5.6±0.13 μg/ml, IC 50 NF54 6.7±0.03 μg/ml). The main constituents (flavone C -glycosides) did not contribute to the activity of the extract. Conclusion Inhibition of complement activation and anti-inflammatory activity of B. umbraculum observed in this study might be possible targets for adjunctive therapy in cerebral malaria together with its antiplasmodial activity. However, clinical trials are necessary to evaluate the activity due to the complex pathogenesis of cerebral malaria.

Based on previous studies about microflora regulation and immunity enhancement activities of polysaccharides from Codonopsis pilosula Nannf. var. modesta (Nannf.) L. T. Shen (CPP), there is little study on intestinal mucosal immunity, which is a possible medium for contacting microflora and immunity. In the present study, the BALB/c mice were divided into five groups (eight mice in each group), including a normal group (Con), a model control group (Model), and model groups that were administered CPP (50, 100, 200 mg/kg/d) orally each day for seven days after intraperitoneal injection of 60 mg/kg BW/d cyclophosphamide (CP) for three days. CPP recovered the spleen index and restored the levels of IFN-γ, IL-2, IL-10, as well as serum IgG. In addition, it elevated ileum secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA), the number of Lactobacillus and acetic acid content in cecum. These results indicated that CPP plays an important role in the protection against immunosuppression, especially mucosa immune damage, and the inhibition of pathogenic bacteria colonization, which could be considered a potential natural source of immunoregulator.

The berries of Sambucus nigra have traditionally been used and are still used to treat respiratory illnesses such as cold and flu in Europe, Asia and America. The aim of this paper was to elucidate the structures and the immunomodulating properties of the pectic polymers from elderberries. All the purified fractions obtained from 50% ethanol, 50°C water and 100°C water extracts showed potent dose-dependent complement fixating activity and macrophage stimulating activity. The isolated fractions consisted of long homogalacturonan regions, in addition to arabinogalactan-I and arabinogalactan-II probably linked to a rhamnogalacturonan backbone. Reduced bioactivity was observed after reduction of Araf residues and 1→3,6 Gal by weak acid hydrolysis. The rhamnogalacturonan region in SnBe50-I-S3-I and SnBe50-I-S3-II showed higher activity compared to the native polymer, SnBe50-S3, after enzymatic treatment with endo-α-d-(1→4)-polygalacturonase. These results indicated that elderberries contained immunomodulating polysaccharides, where the ramified regions express the activities observed.

The root bark, stem bark, and leaves of Terminalia macroptera were sequentially extracted with ethanol, 50% ethanol-water, and 50°C water using an accelerated solvent extractor (ASE). Six bioactive purified pectic polysaccharide fractions were obtained from the 50°C crude water extracts after anion exchange chromatography and gel filtration. The root bark, stem bark, and leaves of T. macroptera were all good sources for fractions containing bioactive polysaccharides. The high molecular weight fraction 50WTRBH-I-I, being the most active fraction in the complement fixation test, has a highly ramified rhamnogalacturonan type I (RG-I) region with arabinogalactan type II (AG-II) side chains. The most abundant fractions from each plant part, 50WTRBH-II-I, 50WTSBH-II-I, and 50WTLH-II-I, were chosen for pectinase degradation. The degradation with pectinase revealed that the main features of these fractions are that of pectic polysaccharides, with hairy regions (RG-I regions) and homogalacturonan regions. The activity of the fractions obtained after pectinase degradation and separation by gel filtration showed that the highest molecular weight fractions, 50WTRBH-II-Ia, 50WTSBH-II-Ia, and 50WTLH-II-Ia, had higher complement fixation activity than their respective native fractions. These results suggest that the complement fixation activities of these pectins are expressed mainly by their ramified regions.

Exo-polysaccharides were purified and characterized from the fermentation broth of Hypsizigus marmoreus, a popular edible mushroom consumed in Asia. Among them, B-I-I and B-II-I exhibited potent complement fixating activity, meanwhile, B-N-I, B-I-I, B-II-I and B-II-II exhibited significant macrophage stimulating activity. Molecular weights of the four exo-polysaccharides were determined to be 6.3, 120, 150 and 11 kDa respectively. Molecular characterisation showed that B-N-I is basically an α-1 → 4 glucan, with branches on C6; B-I-I is a heavily branched α-mannan with 1 → 2 linked main chain. B-II-I and B-II-II, have a backbone of rhamno-galacturonan with 1 → 2 linked l -rhamnose interspersed with 1 → 4 linked galacturonic acid. Structure–activity relationship analysis indicated that monosaccharide compositions, molecular weight, certain structural units (rhamno-galacturonan type I and arabinogalactan type II) are the principal factors responsible for potent complement fixating and macrophage-stimulating activities. Their immunomodulating activities may, at least partly, explain the health benefits of the mushroom.

Ethnopharmacological relevance Sutherlandia frutescens (syn. Lessertia frutescens) is an indigenous plant in Southern Africa and has been extensively studied from the ethnobotanical point of view. Amongst the various traditional uses, several illnesses involving the immune system have been reported. Due to some of the therapeutic effects observed, in relation to the traditional uses reported by the “khoi san” and “nama” people on cancer related illnesses, the plant has been given the local name kankerbos (cancerbush). Recently the plant has also been used amongst HIV/AIDS patients to stimulate the immune system. Materials and methods Leaves of Sutherlandia frutescens were extracted sequentially with ethanol, 50% ethanol/water, and water at 50 and 100 °C. The polysaccharides were extracted with water and fractionated by ion exchange chromatography and gel filtration to obtain enriched polysaccharide fractions. The bioactivities of the fractions were tested in the complement assay. Some of the fractions were treated with the enzyme pectinase, and the fragments thus produced were separated by gel filtration and their activities tested. Monosaccharide compositions and linkage analyses were determined for the relevant fractions. Results The leaves of Sutherlandia frutescens contain polysaccharides of the pectin type. Fractions from both the water extracts of 50 and 100 °C were bioactive. Fractions chosen for further studies showed that the fragment with the highest MW after the pectinase treatment had a substantially higher biological effect than the parent molecules. Based on a comparison of the different fractions it was concluded that galactose-rich regions were important for the bioactivity, these being of the AGII and AGI type, with the latter probably being more important than the former. Fragments rich in xylose also gave higher activity than those without it. Conclusions Our theory that the polysaccharides present in the leaves of Sutherlandia frutescens could be of importance as immunomodulating agents was confirmed. It was also shown that certain types of polysaccharides had a higher effect in the complement system than others. Thus both the water extracts obtained at 50 and 100 °C contain interesting biologically active polysaccharides.

To study the physicochemical properties of rhizosphere soil and their influence on appearance characters of semi-natural cultivated Codonopsis pilosula root.The comprehensive methods by combining outdoor investigating with indoor analyzing were applied. Rhizosphere soil samples and plant materials were collected from 35 collection points, the physicochemical properties of soil and the appearance characters of plant materials were investigated.The physical property of rhizosphere soil under semi-natural cultivated condition was good, the soil texture was coarse powder of loam, slightly alkaline. The cultivated layer contained abundant nutrient components, the average organic matter content of 35 soil samples was 60.66 g/kg,and 2.99 g/kg for total nitrogen, 115.46 mg/g for available nitrogen, 0.8 g/kg for total phosphorus, 6.43 mg/kg for available phosphorus, 23.69 g/kg for total potassium and 124.48 mg/kg for available potassium, respectively. The result of correlation analysis indicated that the physicochemical properties of rhizosphere soil had significant influence on the appearance characters of Codonopsis pilosula root.The semi-natural cultivated model can maintain the structure of soil and hold nutrient components, it is conducive to the growth of Codonopsis pilosula and the standardized production base establishment. To increase the yield of Codonopsis pilosula root, it is recommended to increase the application of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer.

Elderflowers have traditionally been used and are still used for its anti-inflammatory property. Traditionally elderflowers were used as remedies against cold, flu and diuretic. The aim of this study was to relate the structure of pectic-polysaccharides from elderflowers to immunomodulating properties. Purified fractions obtained by gelfiltration and ion exchange chromatography of 50% ethanol, 50°C water and 100°C water extracts exhibited strong complement fixating activity and macrophage stimulating activity. Reduced bioactivity was observed after removal of arabinose and 1,3,6-Gal linkages by weak acid hydrolysis. Enhanced bioactivity was observed after removal of estergroups by NaOH. Relating linkage analysis to the results of the bioactivity tests, led to the assumption that the branched moieties of the arabinogalactans linked to rhamnogalacturonan region, is important for the immunomodulating activity seen in elderflowers. No cytotoxity was observed.

The paper is aimed to study the difference in yield and quality at different harvest time and determine the optimum harvest of planting Gentiana in Ludian traditional harvest period. The authors analyzed the variation in fresh weight, dry weight, dry discount rate, length, diameter, volume and the content of gentiopicroside, loganin acid, alcohol-soluble extract and total ash and made a comprehensive appraisal of yield, appearance quality and intrinsic quality by gray relational distance ideal Comprehensive Evaluation method. The results showed that there is a big difference in yield and quality both 2-year-old and 3-year-old Gentiana harvested in traditional harvest period and the comprehensive evaluation more better when harvested more later. It can be seen, Gentiana harvested the later had a better yield and quality in Ludian traditional harvest period. The harvest of Gentiana can be appropriate delayed depending on the particular circumstances of production.

Two pectic polysaccharides, 50WCP-II-I and 100WCP-II-I, were obtained from 50 and 100 °C water extracts of Codonopsis pilosula roots by ion exchange chromatography and gel filtration. The study of the sub-fractions obtained after pectinase degradation showed that the complement fixation activities of these pectins are expressed mainly by their ramified regions. The structure studies of native and sub-fractions showed the 50WCP-II-I is a pectic polysaccharide, with long homogalacturonan regions (some of the galacturonic acid units were methyl esterified), interrupted by one short rhamnogalacturonan I (RG-I) region. The side chains of the RG-I region are arabinogalactan type I (AG-I) and type II (AG-II) attached on position 4 of rhamnose. The 100WCP-II-I has two main ramified regions, one is galacturonan region with AG-I side chain on position 2 of GalA, and the other one is RG-I region with AG-II side chain on position 4 of Rha.

The root bark, stem bark and leaves of Terminalia macroptera were sequentially extracted with ethanol, 50% ethanol-water, and 50 °C and 100 °C water using an accelerated solvent extractor. Ten bioactive purified polysaccharide fractions were obtained from those crude extracts after anion exchange chromatography and gel filtration. The polysaccharides and their native extracts were characterized with respect to molecular weight, chemical compositions and effects in the complement assay. The chemical compositions showed that the polysaccharides are of pectic nature. The results indicated that there was no great difference of the complement fixation activities in the crude extracts from the different plant parts when extracting with the accelerated solvent extraction system. The purified polysaccharide fractions 100WTSBH-I-I and 100WTRBH-I-I isolated from the 100 °C water extracts of stem and root bark respectively, showed the highest complement fixation activities. These two fractions have rhamnogalacturonan type I backbone, but only 100WTSBH-I-I contains side chains of both arabinogalactan type I and II. Based on the yield and activities of the fractions studied those from the root bark gave highest results, followed by those from leaves and stem bark. But in total, all plant materials are good sources for fractions containing bioactive polysaccharides.

Ethnopharmacological relevance The root bark, stem bark and leaves of Terminalia macroptera have been traditionally used against a variety of ailments such as wounds, hepatitis, malaria, fever, cough, and diarrhea as well as tuberculosis and skin diseases in African folk medicine. Boiling water extracts of Terminalia macroptera , administered orally, are the most common preparations of this plant used by the traditional healers in Mali. This study aimed to investigate the inhibition of the activities of α-glucosidase, 15-lipoxygenase and xanthine oxidase, DPPH scavenging activity, complement fixation activity and brine shrimp toxicity of different extracts obtained by boiling water extraction (BWE) and by ASE (accelerated solvent extraction) with ethanol, ethanol–water and water as extractants from different plant parts of Terminalia macroptera . Materials and methods 27 different crude extracts were obtained by BWE and ASE from root bark, stem bark and leaves of Terminalia macroptera . The total phenolic and carbohydrate contents, enzyme inhibition activities (α-glucosidase, 15-lipoxygenase and xanthine oxidase), DPPH scavenging activity, complement fixation activity and brine shrimp toxicity of these extracts were evaluated. Principal component analysis (PCA) was applied for total biological activities evaluation. Results Several of the extracts from root bark, stem bark and leaves of Terminalia macroptera obtained by BWE and ASE showed potent enzyme inhibition activities, radical-scavenging properties and complement fixation activities. None of the extracts are toxic against brine shrimp larvae in the test concentration. Based on the results from PCA, the ASE ethanol extracts of root bark and stem bark and the low molecular weight fraction of the 50% ethanol–water extract of leaves showed the highest total biological activities. The boiling water extracts were less active, but the bark extracts showed activity as α-glucosidase inhibitors and radical scavengers, the leaf extract being less active. Conclusion The observed enzyme inhibition activities, radical scavenging properties and complement fixation activities may explain some of the traditional uses of this medicinal tree, such as in wound healing and against diabetes.

Many species of genus Bupleurum L. have been pharmaceutically used mainly in Asia and Europe for thousand years. Their roots are the most popular ingredients in Chinese materia medica prescriptions for the treatment of inflammatory diseases and auto-immune diseases. A plenty of chemical constituents have been isolated and identified from the species in Bupleurum L., such as saikosaponins, polysaccharides, volatile oils, flavonoids, polyacetylenes, lignins, and coumarins, most of which possess a variety of biological activities, especially for the hepatoprotective effect, antitumor activity, immunoregulation, and febrifuge efficacy. Therefore, the species in genus Bupleurum L. could be potential herbs of immunomodulator, antineoplastic, anti-oxidant, etc. Meanwhile, as potential toxicities have been discovered in some constituents, it is urgent to establish a comprehensive quality evaluation system to ensure the safety and efficiency of herbs. This paper reviews on the phytochemical and pharmacological studies, especially for the toxicology and quality control of the species in Bupleurum L., which is a reference for the species in this genus for safe usage and further development.

The bark of Parkia biglobosa is used in traditional medicine to cure a wide range of illnesses. Polysaccharides were extracted from the bark with 50% ethanol–water, 50 °C and 100 °C water, and seven active fractions obtained by anion exchange chromatography and gel filtration. The complement fixation and macrophage stimulating activities of the different fractions were determined. The acidic fractions PBEII-I and PBEII-IV were the most active in the complement fixation assay, but the other fractions were also potent compared to the positive control BPII from Biophytum petersianum . Fractions PBEII-I and PBEII-IV were also the most potent fractions in stimulating macrophages to release nitric oxide. Structural studies showed that PBEII-I and PBEII-IV were pectic type polysaccharides, containing arabinogalactan type II structures. The observed differences in biological activities among the seven purified polysaccharide sub-fractions are probably due to differences in monosaccharide compositions, linkage types and molecular sizes.

Three new minor compounds, 18-oleanene (1), lupine (2), and 12-oleanene (3) type triterpenoid saponins, along with four major known triterpenoid saponins were isolated from the buds of Lonicera macranthoides. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic and chemical analyses. 18-oleanene and lupine-type triterpenoid saponins were first isolated from this plant. The isolated compounds were evaluated for their cytotoxic activities against HSC-2 cells.

Bupleurum chinense is a commonly used Chinese medicinal material, which has been used medicinally in China for over 2000 years, the development of it is of great value. There have been great advances of studies on its embryology and seed biology in recent years. In this paper, we make a review of the growth of its embryo and fruit, the characteristics of dormancy and storage and the germination of its seed. Besides, we summarize the reasons of its low germination rate and the achievements in improving the situation, for the purpose of providing reference in research on seed physiology of B. chinense.