Abstract
Pinelliae Rhizoma Praeparatum cum Alumine (PRPCA) is an important traditional processed herbal medicine mainly used for treating phlegm in China for more than 2000 years. In our previous studies, extraction optimization, characterization, and bioactivities of total polysaccharides from PRPCA were investigated. In this study, further purification of these polysaccharides was performed. Two polysaccharides named neutral fraction of total polysaccharides-II (TPN-II) and acidic fraction of total polysaccharides-II (TPA-II) were obtained by gradient ion-exchange chromatography followed by gel-permeation chromatography. Results of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis in the present study showed that TPN-II had a tight structure with a rough and uneven surface, while TPA-II had a relative homogeneous surface and a loose structure. Further studies indicated that TPN-II was a homosaccharide mainly composed by glucose with a molecular weight of 8.0 kDa. TPA-II was mainly composed of mannose, rhamnose, glucuronic acid, galacturonic acid, glucose, galactose and arabinose in a molar ratio of 2.1, 2.3, 1.7, 10.6, 2.6, 14.2, and 2.5, with a molecular weight of 1250 kDa. The nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) results indicated that α and β form glycoside bonds existed in TPN-II and TPA-II, and TPN-II was composed of α-glucopyranose. In addition, both purified polysaccharides have significant anti-inflammatory effects on mucus secretion of human airway epithelial NCI-H292 cells without cytotoxicity. Compared with TPN-II, TPA-II exhibited more significant anti-inflammatory effects on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced airway inflammation by regulating levels of interleukin-4 (IL-4) and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and inhibiting mucus secretion. The results suggest that polysaccharides from PRPCA could be explored as therapeutic agents in treating inflammation and over secretion of mucus in asthma.
Highlights
It is well known that polysaccharides are important biological macromolecules isolated from natural products [1]
The nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) results indicated that α and β form glycoside bonds existed in total polysaccharides-II (TPN-II) and total polysaccharides-II (TPA-II), and TPN-II was composed of α-glucopyranose
We focused on the purification, characterization and anti-inflammatory effects on mucus secretion of polysaccharides purification, characterization and anti-inflammatory effects on mucus secretion of polysaccharides from from Praeparatum cum Alumine (PRPCA)
Summary
It is well known that polysaccharides are important biological macromolecules isolated from natural products [1]. Polysaccharides derived from natural plant medicines are considered as drug candidates for treating various diseases because they possess a wide spectrum of therapeutic properties, relatively low toxicities and minor side effects [2,3]. Many polysaccharides have been extensively studied, and reported to exhibit various biological activities, including immunomodulatory [4], antitumor [5], antioxidant [6], and anti-inflammatory [7] effects, etc.
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