New pectic polysaccharides from Codonopsis pilosula and C. tangshen: structural characterization and cellular antioxidant activities.

Abstract

BACKGROUND\nCodonopsis pilosula and C. tangshen are plants widely used in traditional Chinese medicine. Two pectic polysaccharides from roots of C. pilosula and C. tangshen named as CPP-1 and CTP-1 were obtained by boiling water extraction and column chromatography.\n\n\nRESULTS\nThe core structure of both CPP-1 and CTP-1 are long homogalacturonan regions (HG) region as the backbone, and the rhamnogalacturonan I (RG-I) region as the side chains. While CPP-1 has the methyl esterified galacturonic acid units and slightly lower molecular weight than CTP-1. The biological test suggested that CPP-1 and CTP-1 can protect IPEC-J2 cells against the H2 O2 -induced oxidative stress via up-regulating Nrf2 and related genes in IPEC-J2 cells. The different antioxidative activities of polysaccharides from different source of C. pilosula may be result of the difference in their structures.\n\n\nCONCLUSION\nAll results indicated that pectic polysaccharides CPP-1 and CTP-1 from different species of C. pilosula roots could be used as a potential natural antioxidant source. These findings will be valuable for further studies and new applications of pectin-containing health products. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.