Zijun Tao,Jian Zhang,Fuge Niu,Huien Zhang,Zhongfa Chen,Shanfu Wang,Yuli Zhang,Jie Li,Peng Liu
This study investigated the conditions for polygonati rhizoma (PR) fermentation by Monascus ruber and the lipid-lowering activity of the resulting product. Monascus ruber was used for the solid-state fermentation of PR, and the response surface method was used to optimize the fermentation culture medium parameters. The optimal fermentation system yielded a maximum monacolin K concentration of 21.82 ± 0.34 mg/g. The fermentation conditions were as follows: 12.5 mmol/kg of L-glutamic acid, 0.64 mmol/kg of cyclic adenosine monophosphate , 3.0 wt% of yeast extract powder, a fermentation period of 15 days, and a fermentation temperature of 30 ℃. The binding capacities of unfermented PR, “Nine-Steam-Nine-Bask” processed Polygonati rhizoma (NPR), and Monascus ruber solid-state fermented polygonati rhizoma (MPR) to sodium cholate, sodium taurocholate , and sodium glycolate were determined. MPR showed a stronger bile acid-binding capacity than unfermented PR. In addition, MPR exhibited the highest cholesterol inhibitory capacity of 51.43±1.41 %. Thus, MPR can be used as a potential antilipemic agent with potent hypolipidemic effects.
The traditional “nine steaming and nine basking” method for processing Polygonati Rhizoma has been practiced in China for over two millennia. However, research on its impact on glycans, particularly low molecular weight fructans, is limited. Therefore, dynamic changes in glycans were analyzed based on the two common species, Polygonatum filipes and Polygonatum cyrtonema . Results revealed the significant degradation of low molecular weight fructans within the first three processing cycles, with complete degradation by the seventh cycle, suggesting that the traditional technique may be excessive. Molecular weight analysis indicated the aggregation, degradation, and reaggregation of polysaccharides, with a notable decrease in fructose and an increase in galactose. This suggested that fructans were the primary constituents before processing, while galactans prevailed afterward. No significant differences in carbohydrate changes were found between the two species. This study enhances our understanding of the traditional processing mechanisms and promotes the efficient utilization of Polygonati Rhizoma.
Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by progressive dopaminergic neuron loss compounded by oxidative stress and neuroinflammation within a self‐perpetuating pathological brain microenvironment. Here, we report a bioactive injectable self‐healing hydrogel (COPRP) constructed by crosslinking oxidized Polygonati rhizoma polysaccharide (OPRP) with carboxymethyl chitosan via dynamic Schiff base linkages. OPRP is structurally identified as an inulin neoseries‐type fructan with relevance to TGF‐β/Smad pathway regulation. Without levodopa loading, COPRP reduced ROS accumulation and M1‐associated inflammatory markers in LPS‐stimulated microglia. It also improved cell viability, preserved mitochondrial membrane potential, and maintained TH expression in 6‐OHDA‐challenged SH‐SY5Y cells, supporting the intrinsic bioactivity of the hydrogel matrix. In a 6‐OHDA rat PD model, COPRP significantly ameliorated motor deficits and preserved TH‐positive neurons. Incorporating levodopa into COPRP creates a dual‐mechanism platform combining active microenvironmental remodeling with passive dopaminergic supplementation. Proteomic analysis, corroborated by western blotting, identified the TGF‐β/Smad signaling axis as the principal mechanistic mediator. Pharmacological intervention with pirfenidone attenuated TGF‐β2/Smad2/3 activation and partially reduced the behavioral and neuroprotective effects associated with COPRP, supporting the functional involvement of this pathway. This work delineates how a defined polysaccharide structure modulates the intracranial pathological microenvironment, offering insights for the rational design of bioactive biomaterials targeting neurodegenerative disease. An injectable, self‐healing COPRP hydrogel integrates structurally defined oxidized Polygonati rhizoma polysaccharide with carboxymethyl chitosan through dynamic Schiff‐base crosslinking. The bioactive matrix scavenges reactive oxygen species, suppresses neuroinflammation, protects dopaminergic neurons, and supports sustained levodopa release. Its therapeutic effects involve functional activation of TGF‐β2/Smad2/3 signaling within the Parkinsonian brain microenvironment. This design couples intrinsic biomaterial activity with complementary dopaminergic supplementation.