Preclinical Acute Toxicity Assessment of a Crude Polysaccharide Isolated from the Stem of Solanum Nigrum: A Preliminary Analysis

The polysaccharide isolated from Solanum nigrum was proven to possess an immunomodulatory effect and able to suppress the progression of tumor cells by proxy. However, data on the toxicity profile is still limited. The present preclinical study was conducted to investigate the toxicity potential of the crude polysaccharide sample. The acute toxicity experimental design was adapted from OECD 423 guideline. Nine female BALB/c mice were randomly divided into 3 groups, 3 mice per group (n=3). Mice in group A (first-step treatment) were orally administered with a single treatment of crude polysaccharide sample at concentration 2,000 mg/kg/bw (300 µL). Mice in group B (second-step treatment) were received the single treatment after 24 hours, depending on the observation of mice in group A. Mice in group C served as control. Mortality and clinical signs associated with toxicity were observed within 24 hours of treatment session and for the subsequence 14 days for delay-death detection. Mice body weight was recorded starting at day-0 until day-14 prior to sacrificing at day-15. Blood, liver, and kidney were harvested for toxicology assessment. Within 24 hours of treatment, 1 mouse in group A was found to died, while no mortality and delay-death were observed in groups B and C. Referring to OECD 423, it was estimated that the LD50 of the treated sample was 2,500–5,000 mg/kg/bw. No significant changes (p<0.05) were detected in terms of body weight and organ weight indexes of the treated mice as compared to control. The polysaccharide treatment also revealed no significant elevation in mice serum glucose levels. The present findings indicated that the treatment of crude polysaccharide sample exerted a very mild acute toxicity effect when orally administered at 2,000 mg/kg/bw, with no delay-death.

Free Radical Scavenging Capacities and Alleviating Actions of Polysaccharides Extract of Termitomyces le-testui on Methylprednisolone-Induced Immunodepression in Rats

Background. Natural products have been said to show immunomodulatory and antioxidant activities. The research study was aimed to assess the immunomodulatory and free radical scavenging activities of crude polysaccharide from dry mushroom fruiting bodies of Termitomyces le-testui. Materials and Methods. Hot water extract of polysaccharide extract of T. le-testui was prepared and tested in white albino Wister rats for its immunomodulatory activities effect on methylprednisolone-immunosuppressed animals. In addition, the radical scavenging activity of the polysaccharide was evaluated using nitrite and hydrogen peroxide. Results. The result of the study showed that the polysaccharide T. le-testui increases the phagocytic index, energy metabolism of macrophages, spleen index, and nitric oxide in a concentration-dependent manner in immunosuppressed animals. Also, it was observed that the extract increased dose-dependent total oxidative stress and thymus index. Finally, the crude polysaccharide-rich extract showed nitrite and hydrogen peroxide scavenging activity in a concentration-dependent manner. Conclusion. Polysaccharide-rich extract possesses immunomodulatory and antioxidant properties.

Physicochemical Characteristics, Anti-Lipase and Antioxidant Activities of Polysaccharide Extracted from Astragalus spinosis Grown in the Northern Region of Saudi Arabia

Introduction: Northern border region of Saudi Arabia is one of the richest areas of traditional plants. This study was designed with an interest to work on the polysaccharide extracted from Astragalus spinosis leaves (PLAS) collected from rafha province. Methods: Polysaccharide was isolated by hot water extraction, followed by ethanol precipitation. The isolated crude polysaccharide contains 62.43% ±2.09% carbohydrate and 0.29 ± 0.07% protein. The physicochemical characteristics, such as chemical composition, humidity, foaming capacity, solubility as well as water and oil holding capacity were evaluated. The structural feature of polysaccharide was studied through Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) analysis and scanning electron microscopy. Results: Polysaccharide extracted from Astragalus spinosis leaves showed good inhibitory lipase and antioxidant activities. It was observed that the total antioxidant capacity, the 1,1- diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and the 2,2 -azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid (ATBS) radical scavenging activities were high at 2.0 mg/ml (97 µmol eq tocopherol ± 1.4, 73% ± 2.1 and 93% ± 0.9 respectively). Conclusion: the crude polysaccharide extract demonstrated good emulsion stabilizing capacities, with various hydrophobic compounds. It could be a potential source of natural antioxidants and emulsifiers.

Proximate composition of the edible part of purple passion fruit and santol and in vitro prebiotic activity of crude polysaccharide extracts

This study aimed to evaluate the functional and prebiotic properties of the edible portions of certain tropical fruits in Thailand, passion fruit and santol. The proximate composition of passion fruit and santol were analysed which total carbohydrate was the major component in both samples. Total dietary fibre of passion fruit and santol was 44.81 and 26.82% (w/w), respectively, with the majority of insoluble dietary fibre. Soluble dietary fibre of both fruits was extracted by hot water and water-extractable polysaccharide was yielded at 16.47% and 25.24% (w/w) for passion fruit and santol, respectively. The functional properties of fruit fibre were informed, with the satisfactory oil holding capacity of santol polysaccharide. The effect of both fruit polysaccharides on proliferation number at 24 hrs was not different from inulin. Prebiotic activity score of fruit polysaccharide was calculated from the growth of Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium longum compared with the growth of the enteric pathogen, Escherichia coli corresponding to -0.25 and -0.23 for passion fruit and 0.10 and -0.01 for santol, respectively. In conclusion, both passion fruit and santol polysaccharide showed a distinct effect on the supportive growth of probiotic bacteria which may be potential candidate ingredient incorporated in probiotic food. From this evidence, the development of fruitbased synbiotics from passion fruit and santol migh be affordable.

Protective effect of crude polysaccharide from Pao-TianXiong derived from monkshood, against chronic renal failure in mice

Purpose: To investigate the effect of crude polysaccharide isolated from pao-tian-xiong on chronic renal failure in mice, and its monosaccharide composition. Methods: Male Kunming mice were orally treated with adenine (211.5 mg/kg/day) for 7 days, followed by either crude polysaccharides (125, 250 or 500 mg/kg), or positive drug solution (jinguishenqi pill, 2000 mg/kg) for another 7 days (each group had 15 mice). Mice in normal and negative control groups were given saline. Mental and physical states, blood urine nitrogen (BUN) and serum creatinine (SCr), kidney morphological changes and organ indices were determined. Histopathological examination of spleen and kidney tissues was also performed. The monosaccharide composition of crude polysaccharide was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Results: Compared with negative control group, serum BUN (6.71 mmol/L vs. 8.61 mmol/L) and Cr (107.74 vs. 113.39 μmol/L) were significantly decreased by the crude polysaccharide isolate (p < 0.05), whereas epididymis index (0.2556 vs. 0.2135 %) and seminal vesicle index (0.5547 vs. 0.3945 %) were increased (p < 0.05). Histopathological examination showed that injuries to kidney, spleen, testis and epididymis decreased significantly. The crude polysaccharides contained mainly glucose, rhamnose, arabinose, galactose, mannose, galacturonic acid, glucuronic acid and xylose, and their contents ranged from 0.7 to 65 %. Conclusion: These results suggest that the crude polysaccharides of Pao-tian-xiong ameliorates CRF symptoms in mice, thereby providing experimental evidence in support of its use as an anti-CRF drug.

Inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 Virus Entry by the Crude Polysaccharides of Seaweeds and Abalone Viscera In Vitro

Much attention is being devoted to the potential of marine sulfated polysaccharides as antiviral agents in preventing COVID-19. In this study, sulfated fucoidan and crude polysaccharides, extracted from six seaweed species (Undaria pinnatifida sporophyll, Laminaria japonica, Hizikia fusiforme, Sargassum horneri, Codium fragile, Porphyra tenera) and Haliotis discus hannai (abalone viscera), were screened for their inhibitory activity against SARS-CoV-2 virus entry. Most of them showed significant antiviral activities at an IC50 of 12~289 μg/mL against SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus in HEK293/ACE2, except for P. tenera (IC50 > 1000 μg/mL). The crude polysaccharide of S. horneri showed the strongest antiviral activity, with an IC50 of 12 μg/mL, to prevent COVID-19 entry, and abalone viscera and H. fusiforme could also inhibit SARS-CoV-2 infection with an IC50 of 33 μg/mL and 47 μg/mL, respectively. The common properties of these crude polysaccharides, which have strong antiviral activity, are high molecular weight (>800 kDa), high total carbohydrate (62.7~99.1%), high fucose content (37.3~66.2%), and highly branched polysaccharides. These results indicated that the crude polysaccharides from seaweeds and abalone viscera can effectively inhibit SARS-CoV-2 entry.

Neutral Polysaccharide from Panax notoginseng enhanced cyclophosphamide antitumor efficacy in hepatoma H22-bearing mice

Background: Our previous studies demonstrated that the administration of crude Polysaccharide from Panax notoginseng (CPPN) can effectively prolong the lifespan of tumor-bearing mice via boosting the host immune system as well as weak cytotoxicity against hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In the present study, Neutral Polysaccharide (NPPN) were further purified from crude polysaccharide isolated from panax notoginseng. The effects of NPPN on the immune function and hematopoietic function of mice with low immunity and myelosuppression induced by cyclophosphamide (CTX) were investigated. The effect of NPPN combined with CTX on the tumor inhibition rate of the H22 tumor-bearing mice and the impact of NPPN on the proliferation of H22 liver cancer cells in vitro were investigated.Methods: CPPN was obtained by water extraction and alcohol precipitation method, and further purified by DEAE Sepharose Fast Flow ion exchange resin column. NPPN was added to the immunosuppressed with myelosuppression mice induced by CTX. Thymus index, spleen index, lymphocyte proliferation stimulation index by adding of concanavalin A, determination of serum hemolysin, NK cell activity assay, mice carbon clearance experiment, blood count tests were detected. The tumor inhibition rate of the H22 tumor-bearing mice treated with NPPN combined with CTX was recorded.Results: NPPN and 4 kinds of acid polysaccharide from Panax notoginseng (APPN) were successfully isolated from the CPPN by DEAE Sepharose Fast Flow ion exchange resin column. NPPN inhibited the growth of H22 cells and significantly increase the tumor inhibition rate of the H22 tumor-bearing mice combined with CTX. The elevation of the cellular and humoral immunity levels as well as a variety of blood count tests indicators of immunosuppressive with myelosuppression mice may contribute to the antitumor activity of NPPN.Conclusion: NPPN has a potential antitumor activity for the treatment of liver cancer combined with cyclophosphamide.

Neutral polysaccharide from Panax notoginseng enhanced cyclophosphamide antitumor efficacy in hepatoma H22-bearing mice

Background Our previous studies demonstrated that the administration of crude Polysaccharide from Panax notoginseng (CPPN) can effectively prolong the lifespan of tumor-bearing mice via boosting the host immune system as well as weak cytotoxicity against hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In the present study, Neutral Polysaccharide (NPPN) were further purified from crude polysaccharide isolated from panax notoginseng. The effects of NPPN on the immune function and hematopoietic function of mice with low immunity and myelosuppression induced by cyclophosphamide (CTX) were investigated. The effect of NPPN combined with CTX on the tumor inhibition rate of the H22 tumor-bearing mice and the impact of NPPN on the proliferation of H22 liver cancer cells in vitro were investigated. Methods CPPN was obtained by water extraction and alcohol precipitation method, and further purified by DEAE Sepharose Fast Flow ion exchange resin column. NPPN was added to the immunosuppressed with myelosuppression mice induced by CTX. Thymus index, spleen index, lymphocyte proliferation stimulation index by adding of concanavalin A, determination of serum hemolysin, NK cell activity assay, mice carbon clearance experiment, blood count tests were detected. The tumor inhibition rate of the H22 tumor-bearing mice treated with NPPN combined with CTX was recorded. Results NPPN and 4 kinds of acid polysaccharide from Panax notoginseng (APPN) were successfully isolated from the CPPN by DEAE Sepharose Fast Flow ion exchange resin column. NPPN inhibited the growth of H22 cells and significantly increase the tumor inhibition rate of the H22 tumor-bearing mice combined with CTX. The elevation of the cellular and humoral immunity levels as well as a variety of blood count tests indicators of immunosuppressive with myelosuppression mice may contribute to the antitumor activity of NPPN. Conclusion NPPN has a potential antitumor activity for the treatment of liver cancer combined with cyclophosphamide.