Effects of Solid Fermentation on Polygonatum cyrtonema Polysaccharides: Isolation, Characterization and Bioactivities

Abstract

Polygonati Rhizoma is a widely used traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) with complex pre-processing steps. Fermentation is a common method for processing TCM to reduce herb toxicity and enhance their properties and/or produce new effects. Here, in this study, using Bacillus subtilis and Saccharomyces cerevisiae, we aimed to evaluate the potential application of solid fermentation in isolating different functional polysaccharides from Polygonatum cyrtonema Hua. With hot water extraction, ethanol precipitation, DEAE anion exchange chromatography and gel filtration, multiple neutral and acidic polysaccharides were obtained, showing different yields, content, compositions and functional groups after fermentation. Combining in vitro experiments and in vivo aging and immunosuppressed mouse models, we further compared the antioxidant and immunomodulating bioactivities of these polysaccharides and found a prominent role of a natural polysaccharide (BNP) from fermented P. cyrtonema via Bacillus subtilis in regulating intestinal antioxidant defense and immune function, which may be a consequence of the ability of BNP to modulate the homeostasis of gut microbiota. Thus, this work provides evidence for the further development and utilization of P. cyrtonema with fermentation, and reveals the potential values of BNP in the treatment of intestinal disorders.

Quality analysis and function prediction of soil microbial communities of Polygonatum cyrtonema in two indigenous-origins

“…Leaves are one of the most crucial organs during plant growth, while rhizomes are intuitive manifestations of the quality of certain medicinal plants. Phenotypic traits and the size of rhizomes reflect their adaptability to the ecological environment, serving as essential reference standards (Cheng et al, 2023). According to the SPSS weight analysis, plant height, leaf width, and rhizome diameter have high weight proportions in the morphological characteristics of PCH (as shown in Figure 5).…”

Bioactive phytochemicals and associated multifunctional health-promoting effects of Polygonati Rhizoma

“…The three PCPs extracted from raw materials without fermentation, Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation and Bacillus subtilis fermentation, showed effective SOD1 activity in IPEC-J2 cells [70]. However, only polysaccharide from fermented P. cyrtonema via B. subtilis showed prominent role in regulating intestinal antioxidant defense in vivo aging and immunosuppressed mouse models [70].…”

“…In immunosuppressed mice, the six sun-drying of Polygonatum polysaccharides could significantly increase the abundance of Bacteroides, Alistipes and norank_f__Lachnospiraceae [86]. The natural polysaccharide from fermented P. cyrtonema via B. subtilis could also modulate the homeostasis of gut microbiota in aging and immunosuppressed mouse models [70].…”