Structural characteristics of steamed Polygonatum cyrtonema polysaccharide and its bioactivity on colitis via improving the intestinal barrier and modifying the gut microbiota

Carbohydr Polym. 2024 Mar 1:327:121669. doi: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2023.121669. Epub 2023 Dec 7.

Abstract

Steamed Polygonatum cyrtonema has been commonly used clinically for its gaining effect, whose main active ingredient is a polysaccharide. A water-soluble polysaccharide named PSP-W-1 was isolated from steamed Polygonatum cyrtonema. PSP-W-1 was characterized as a galactan having a backbone consisting predominately of 1,4-β-linked Galp branched at the C-6 position by T-β-linked Galp with a molecular weight of 14.4 kDa. PSP-W-1 could inhibit the overproduction of inflammatory factors and inflammatory mediators (iNOS, IL-6, COX-2) in dextran sodium sulfate-induced colitis mice. Oral administration of PSP-W-1 dramatically alleviated colonic pathological damage, repaired the intestinal barrier (occludin and ZO-1) and regulated the intestinal microbiota by increasing the abundance of norank_f_Muribaculaceae, Lactobacillus and norank_f_norank_o_Clostridia UCG-014, while decreasing the abundance of Bacteroides and Escherichia-Shigella to alleviate colitis symptoms. Overall, our findings suggest that PSP-W-1 might be a therapeutic option for both the prevention and treatment of colitis.

Keywords: Anti-inflammatory activity; Colitis; Intestinal microbiota; Polysaccharide; Steamed Polygonatum cyrtonema.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Colitis* / chemically induced
  • Colitis* / drug therapy
  • Colon
  • Dextran Sulfate
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Gastrointestinal Microbiome*
  • Intestines
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Polygonatum*
  • Polysaccharides / pharmacology
  • Polysaccharides / therapeutic use
  • Steam

Substances

  • Steam
  • Polysaccharides
  • Dextran Sulfate