Research Progress On Pharmacological Effects Of Polysaccharides in Cistanche Tubulosa
Sep 20, 2022
Abstract： Cistanche Tuabulosa is a traditional Chinese medicine that contains many chemical components， among which polysaccharide is one of the main active components. Modern pharmacological studies have shown that cistanche polysaccharide has many pharmacological effects， such asregulating immune activity，anti-aging， improving learning and memory ability， protecting the nerve，anti-liver injury， anti-virus and anti-tumor， affecting intestinal flora， etc. It is widely used in clinical and health food. In addition， the composition diversity of polysaccharides in cistanche also affected its bioactivity. Therefore，the pharmacological effects of cistanche polysaccharides were reviewed in order to provide references for related research and clinical application.
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Keywords： Cistanche polysaccharide； monosaccharide composition； pharmacological effects； research progress
The occurrence rate of Cistanche occupied the first place in the traditional Chinese medicine prescriptions of tonic medicines in the past dynasties. Among them, polysaccharides, as one of the main active ingredients, have various pharmacological effects, and are widely used in clinical and health food. With the advancement of technology and related research The development and rational utilization of Cistanche polysaccharides in more fields have also attracted more and more attention.
1 Overview of Cistanche
Cistanche is a traditional tonic Chinese medicine commonly used in clinical Chinese medicine, also known as Cistanche, goblin, golden bamboo shoots, etc. It has a medicinal history of more than 2,000 years in my country, and its occurrence rate ranks first in the prescriptions of tonic Chinese medicines in the past dynasties [2], mainly distributed in 36°~37° north latitude, across Inner Mongolia, Shaanxi, Gansu, Ningxia and Xinjiang from east to west. 5 provinces and regions. According to statistics, there are about 22 species of Cistanche in the world, and there are 5 species in my country. The original plants are Cistanche desert, Cistanche tuberosa, Cistanche salina, Cistanche sand, and Cistanche salina[3]. According to the "Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China", Cistanche is the dry, scaly fleshy stem of Cistanche Cistanche, a plant of the genus Cistanche in the family Orobanchaceae. Invigorating kidney yang, nourishing essence and blood, moistening bowel and laxative. The pharmacological effects of Cistanche are mainly to improve learning and memory ability[4],
Improve sexual function, anti-aging, anti-fatigue, anti-radiation, regulate immune function, laxative, treat osteoporosis, protect liver, etc. It has also been described to have sedative and vascular relaxation effects, and is widely used in the treatment of different health problems [5].
2 Research on polysaccharides of Cistanche
Cistanche contains a variety of chemical components, mainly including phenethyl glycosides, polysaccharides, flavonoids, iridoids, lignans, oligosaccharides, galactitol, alkaloids and volatile components. There are amino acids, inorganic trace elements, etc. [6]. Among them, polysaccharide is one of its main active components, mainly composed of monosaccharides such as glucose, galactose, rhamnose, arabinose, and fructose. The commonly used content determination methods are divided into two categories, the first is to use the condensation reaction of polysaccharides and monosaccharides for determination, such as anthrone-sulfuric acid method and phenol-sulfuric acid method, and the other is to directly determine the polysaccharide itself, such as high performance capillary electrophoresis. method, high performance liquid chromatography, gas chromatography and biosensor method.
The extraction methods include traditional extraction, ultrasonic extraction, microwave extraction and enzymatic extraction. Due to the different types, origins, separation and extraction methods of Cistanche , the polysaccharides of Cistanche have huge diversity in chemical structure, composition and relative molecular weight, which have a great impact on their biological activity.
3 Pharmacological effects of Cistanche polysaccharides
3.1 Regulation of immune activity
Cistanche polysaccharide is the material basis for the immunomodulatory effect of Cistanche . It can promote the proliferation of lymphocytes, improve the immune function of the body, activate immune cells, and at the same time can significantly improve the phagocytosis and secretion function of macrophages, thereby activating macrophages and regulating immunity. effect of activity.
3.1.1 Promote the proliferation of lymphocytes
The proliferation of lymphocytes is the premise of the body's cellular immune response, reflecting the body's non-specific immune function. Interleukin-2 (interleukin-2, IL-2) is a cytokine that plays an important role in regulating the complex immune system of the body. Cistanche polysaccharide can promote the release of IL-2 and the expression of receptors in lymphocytes, and promote lymphocytes. proliferation and differentiation [16]. While interleukin-6 (interleukin-6, IL-6) is one of the pro-inflammatory factors, the increase of IL-6 expression will increase the
Severe inflammatory response, causing immune pathological damage [17]. It has been verified by experiments that the polysaccharide of Cistanche can promote the proliferation of unactivated lymphocytes, and can also promote the concanavalin AconcanavalinA, ConA) mitogen receptor-activated T lymphocytes and lipopolysaccharide.
(lipopolysaccharide, LPS) mitogen receptor-activated B lymphocytes proliferate, and the proliferation of B lymphocytes is stronger than that of T lymphocytes. Yao Jinqian et al. [19] explored the effect of Cistanche polysaccharide on the lung immune function of tracheotomy and intubation rats through experiments, and found that Cistanche polysaccharide directly enhanced immune activity by improving the imbalance of T cell subsets and stimulating the secretion of IL-2 in the body. At the same time, it can also reduce the release of the pro-inflammatory factor IL-6 and reduce the inflammatory response in the lungs of rats, which is beneficial to the repair of local immune function in the lungs. [20] a water-soluble polysaccharide extracted from Cistanche , activates dendritic cells through Toll-like receptors 4 (TLR4) signaling and induces dendritic cell maturation. Dendritic cells are Important antigen-presenting cells provide necessary signals for initiating immune responses, and fully mature dendritic cells can induce T lymphocyte proliferation. ZHAO Bin et al. [21] studied the application of Cistanche water extract as polysaccharide adjuvant for seasonal influenza vaccine, and found that the combination of Cistanche water extract and seasonal influenza vaccine can enhance the production of HI antibodies and produce a more rapid humoral immune response. , promotes the growth and differentiation of T lymphocytes, and produces more durable immunity to seasonal influenza vaccines.
Zeng Qunli et al. [22] found through the thiazole blue (MTT) colorimetric in vitro observation method that the mechanism of action of Cistanche polysaccharide in regulating immune activity is that Cistanche polysaccharide can promote the release of calcium ions in mouse thymic lymphocytes and increase the concentration of intracellular calcium ions. This promotes the expression of IL-2 gene and promotes the proliferation of T lymphocytes. At the same time, it is also found that Cistanche polysaccharide can resist the effects of isoprenaline (ISO) and dexamethasone (DEX) on lymphocyte proliferation at higher concentrations. The inhibitory effect of tumor suppressor-β, and the inhibitory effect of high concentration of tumor suppressor-β on lymphocyte proliferation, synergistic with low-concentration tumor suppressor-β to promote the proliferation of lymphocytes.
3.1.2 Enhance phagocytic activity
In the immune system, phagocytes are the first line of defense of the host after the epithelial barrier and play a crucial role in immune function [23]. [24] found that polysaccharides from Cistanche could significantly promote the release of NO, IL-1 and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) from mouse peritoneal macrophages or cell line RAW264.7. In the immune system, NO synthesized and released by phagocytes can kill microorganisms, parasites, tumor cells, etc. [25]. TNF-α not only directly participates in anti-tumor effects but also regulates natural killer cells (NK), etc. The activity of immune cells, IL-1 can initiate, amplify and positively regulate the immune response of the body, and can activate lymphocytes to induce an immune response and synergistically stimulate thymocyte proliferation [26]. The study of Zhang Tao et al. [27] showed that Cistanche polysaccharide may enhance immune activity by enhancing the phagocytic ability of monocyte-macrophage and promoting the release of cytokines.
3.2 Anti-aging
Aging refers to the phenomenon of degenerative changes in the structure and function of human cells and tissues. Cistanche polysaccharides affect the body in different ways and produce anti-aging effects.
3.2.1 Antioxidant
Cistanche polysaccharide is a natural antioxidant that can scavenge various free radicals such as superoxide free radicals and hydroxyl free radicals, aiming to protect the body from excessive free radical production [28]. The theory of aging free radicals believes that the degenerative changes of human beings with age are caused by the oxidative damage of free radicals. Wang Guowei et al. [29] studied the experimental results of scavenging reactive oxygen radicals by polysaccharides from Cistanche in Xinjiang.
Phenyl-2-trinitrophenylhydrazine) · free radicals and singlet oxygen radicals have obvious scavenging effects, and the scavenging effects are positively correlated with the polysaccharide concentration. Wu Bo et al. [30] established a subacute aging model of D-galactose mice and found that the superoxide dismutase (SOD) in the blood and liver tissue of aging mice fed with polysaccharide from Cistanche was significantly higher than that in the model group, thereby eliminating the need for The increase of free radicals caused by D-galactose suggests that the polysaccharides of Cistanche have anti-oxidative effects and thus play a role in delaying aging. Mitochondria are the main oxygen-consuming sites in cells and the main place for generating free radicals. Xu Hui et al. [31] used D-galactose-induced aging model rats and found that Cistanche polysaccharides significantly increased the liver Ca2+- of aging model rats. Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) enzyme activity, liver mitochondrial membrane fluidity and
The activity of the respiratory chain complex significantly reduces the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) and the activity of phospholipase A2 in liver mitochondria, indicating that Cistanche polysaccharide can improve the antioxidant capacity of liver mitochondria, reduce lipid peroxidation products, and alleviate mitochondrial oxidative damage. Improve mitochondria
Energy metabolism to achieve the purpose of delaying aging.
3.2.2 Anti-fatigue
The weakening of anti-fatigue ability is also a typical feature of aging[32]. Serum urea, lactate, liver glycogen, and muscle glycogen are the most commonly used biochemical indicators to detect fatigue[33], and the weight-bearing swimming test is the most direct and direct method to evaluate the anti-fatigue effect of drugs. The most objective indicator [34]. Yan Lei et al. [35] studied the anti-fatigue effect of Cistanche polysaccharides on D-galactose-induced aging mice, and showed that Cistanche polysaccharides could improve the exercise endurance of aging mice, and low and high doses of Cistanche polysaccharides could reduce the serum levels of aging mice. Urea and lactic acid levels, increased liver glycogen, muscle glycogen content, enhanced resistance to free radical damage, the results showed that low and high doses of Cistanche polysaccharides have anti-D-galactose-induced fatigue in aging mice.
3.2.3 Improve the degenerative changes of the respiratory system
The degenerative changes of the respiratory system and the aging of the body are carried out simultaneously. Sun Yun et al. [36-37] found that the polysaccharide of Cistanche could significantly improve the SOD activity in the body's serum and lung, and reduce the concentration of nitric oxide in the effect of Cistanche polysaccharide on lung nitric oxide, apoptosis and lung protein content of aging mice. It obviously inhibits the apoptosis of lung tissue cells, increases collagen and reduces elastin, and has the effect of protecting and improving lung tissue cells, thereby achieving the effect of delaying aging.
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