Biosynthesis and Pharmacological Activities of Flavonoids, Triterpene Saponins and Polysaccharides Derived from Astragalus membranaceus

Abstract

Astragalus membranaceus (A. membranaceus), a well-known traditional herbal medicine, has been widely used in ailments for more than 2000 years. The main bioactive compounds including flavonoids, triterpene saponins and polysaccharides obtained from A. membranaceus have shown a wide range of biological activities and pharmacological effects. These bioactive compounds have a significant role in protecting the liver, immunomodulation, anticancer, antidiabetic, antiviral, antiinflammatory, antioxidant and anti-cardiovascular activities. The flavonoids are initially synthesized through the phenylpropanoid pathway, followed by catalysis with corresponding enzymes, while the triterpenoid saponins, especially astragalosides, are synthesized through the universal upstream pathways of mevalonate (MVA) and methylerythritol phosphate (MEP), and the downstream pathway of triterpenoid skeleton formation and modification. Moreover, the Astragalus polysaccharide (APS) possesses multiple pharmacological activities. In this review, we comprehensively discussed the biosynthesis pathway of flavonoids and triterpenoid saponins, and the structural features of polysaccharides in A. membranaceus. We further systematically summarized the pharmacological effects of bioactive ingredients in A. membranaceus, which laid the foundation for the development of clinical candidate agents. Finally, we proposed potential strategies of heterologous biosynthesis to improve the industrialized production and sustainable supply of natural products with pharmacological activities from A. membranaceus, thereby providing an important guide for their future development trend.

Preliminary Investigation of Astragalus arpilobus subsp. hauarensis: LC-MS/MS Chemical Profiling, In Vitro Evaluation of Antioxidant, Anti-Inflammatory Properties, Cytotoxicity, and In Silico Analysis against COX-2

“…A. polysaccharides has been reported to have effects on the activation of B cells and macrophages, the promotion of humoral and immune responses, protection of blood vessels, and prevention of inflammation and cancer [ 48 ]. Triterpene derivatives from Astragalus have been reported to have anti-inflammatory effects [ 15 ].…”

“…Three major classes of physiologically active chemicals found in several Astragalus plants have been thoroughly examined: polysaccharides, flavonoids, and saponins [ 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 ]. In North African medicine, Astragalus arpilobus subsp.…”

Diabetes cardiomyopathy: targeted regulation of mitochondrial dysfunction and therapeutic potential of plant secondary metabolites

“…Astragalus polysaccharides are water-soluble polysaccharides extracted from the dried roots of Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch.) Bunge, which have anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti diabetes, immune regulation and other biological activities ( Dong et al, 2023 ). Studies by Sun et al have shown that astragalus polysaccharides (0.1–3.2 mg/mL, 24 h) can inhibit HG-induced H 9 C 2 cell apoptosis by up-regulating the expression of Bcl-2, down-regulating the expression of Bax, and increasing the ratio of Bcl-2/Bax in the mitochondria ( Sun et al, 2017 ).…”

Anticancer Mechanism of Astragalus Polysaccharide and Its Application in Cancer Immunotherapy

“…It consists of nine monosaccharides, including glucose, galactose, arabinose, and rhamnose, and may contain glucuronic acid and galacturonic acid [16]. Due to its water solubility and low-toxicity characteristics, APS has demonstrated significant biological activities in immune activation and antioxidant, antitumor, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-aging properties; thus, it has great potential for drug discovery in the pharmaceutical and nutraceutical fields [17][18][19][20][21][22][23]. Research indicates that APS is safe and effective for cancer treatment because it enhances the body's immune response, mitigates the side effects of chemotherapy, and activates immune defenses [24,25].…”