Extraction, separation and efficacy of yam polysaccharide

Area of Science:

• Pharmacology
• Immunology
• Gastroenterology

Background:

• Yam is a traditional Chinese medicine and a dietary staple in Asia.
• Yam polysaccharides are key bioactive components with therapeutic potential.
• Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease requiring novel treatments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To isolate and characterize a yam heteropolysaccharide (CYP-3a).
• To investigate the therapeutic mechanism of CYP-3a in dextran sodium sulphate (DSS)-induced ulcerative colitis.
• To evaluate CYP-3a's effects on Caco-2 cell proliferation and inflammatory markers.

Main Methods:

• Isolation and purification of CYP-3a using ultrasonic extraction, trichloroacetic acid, DEAE cellulose-52, and Sephadex G75 chromatography.
• Cell proliferation assay (CCK-8) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to assess Caco-2 cell response and inflammatory cytokine levels (TNF-α, IL-6).
• Western blot analysis to examine the expression of endoplasmic reticulum stress and apoptosis-related proteins (GRP78, CHOP, NF-κB).

Main Results:

• CYP-3a was isolated and its composition determined (rhamnus:arabinose:galactose:mannose:galacturonic acid:glucuronic acid in a 2.25:4.17:3.30:0.09:0.13:0.26 molar ratio).
• CYP-3a promoted the proliferation of DSS-induced Caco-2 cells and significantly reduced the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-6.
• CYP-3a suppressed the endoplasmic reticulum stress-induced apoptotic pathway by down-regulating GRP78, CHOP, and NF-κB protein levels in DSS-induced UC.

Conclusions:

• Yam heteropolysaccharide CYP-3a exhibits protective effects against DSS-induced ulcerative colitis in vitro.
• CYP-3a demonstrates anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic properties by modulating endoplasmic reticulum stress pathways.
• CYP-3a holds potential as a therapeutic agent for ulcerative colitis.