Isolation, Structural Analysis and Anti-Inflammatory Activity of a Polysaccharide from Ilex cornuta Fruits

Area of Science:

• Phytochemistry
• Immunology
• Food Science

Background:

• Ilex cornuta fruits are a potential source of bioactive compounds.
• Polysaccharides are known for diverse biological activities, including immunomodulatory effects.
• Understanding the anti-inflammatory potential of plant-derived polysaccharides is crucial for developing new functional ingredients.

Purpose of the Study:

• To isolate and characterize a polysaccharide from Ilex cornuta fruits (LCFP-3).
• To investigate the anti-inflammatory activity of LCFP-3.
• To explore the potential of LCFP-3 as a functional ingredient.

Main Methods:

• Hot water extraction and sequential chromatography (DEAE-52, Sephadex G-100) for polysaccharide isolation.
• Structural characterization using HPAEC, GC/MS, SEM, FT-IR, and NMR spectroscopy.
• In vitro anti-inflammatory assay using LPS-induced RAW264.7 macrophages to measure nitric oxide (NO) production and cell viability.

Main Results:

• LCFP-3 was isolated with a total sugar content of 90.31% and protein content of 0.246%, with an average molecular weight of 41.199 kDa.
• Monosaccharide analysis indicated a composition rich in Galactose, Arabinose, and Galacturonic acid.
• LCFP-3 demonstrated dose-dependent protection against LPS-induced toxicity and significantly inhibited NO production at 1 μg/mL.

Conclusions:

• LCFP-3 is a complex polysaccharide isolated from Ilex cornuta fruits with a defined monosaccharide composition and molecular weight.
• LCFP-3 possesses significant anti-inflammatory activity, evidenced by its ability to reduce nitric oxide production in macrophages.
• LCFP-3 holds promise as a functional ingredient for applications requiring anti-inflammatory benefits.