Lijun Shao,Yue Sun,Jin Liang,Meiqing Li,Xueling Li
Different decolorization methods have different effects on the properties of polysaccharides . In this study, polysaccharides extracted from Thesium chinense Turcz ( T. chinense ) were decolorized using either hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ), which has been previously reported, or activated carbon. To begin, the conditions for decolorization by activated carbon were optimized through single factor experiments and orthogonal modeling and were predicted to be best at 0.5% (w/w) activated carbon, pH 5.0 and 40 °C in a water bath for 60 min. Following treatment by the two methods, the structures of the decolorized polysaccharides were compared. The samples treated by activated carbon (CTP) had higher molecular weight (Mw: 3.064 × 10 5 g/mol) and more sulfate groups (14.33%, w/w), whereas the samples treated by H 2 O 2 (HTP) had lower Mw (8.349 × 10 4 g/mol) and more uronic acid (35.02%, w/w). The antioxidant capacities of the two samples were analyzed by free radical scavenging (DPPH, hydroxyl and ABTS) and cell antioxidant activity (CAA). The HTP showed a better scavenging effect on free radicals and a higher CAA. Together, the results showed that various decolorization methods differentially influence the characteristics of the polysaccharides extracted from T. chinense .
Astragalin (AG), a typical flavonoid found inThesium chinenseTurcz (T. chinense), is abundant in various edible plants and possesses high nutritional value, as well as antioxidant and antibacterial effects. In this study, we initially predicted the mechanism of action of AG with two anti-aging and antioxidant-related protein targets (CD38 and IGFR) by molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation techniques. Subsequently, we examined the anti-aging effects of AG inCaenorhabditis elegans(C. elegans), the antioxidant effects in zebrafish, and verified the related molecular mechanisms. InC. elegans, AG synergistically extended the lifespan ofC. elegansby up-regulating the expression ofdaf-16through inhibiting the expression ofdaf-2/IGFRand also activating the AMPK and MAPK pathways to up-regulate the expression ofsir-2.1,sir-2.4, andskn-1. In oxidatively damaged zebrafish embryos, AG demonstrated a synergistic effect in augmenting the resistance of zebrafish embryos to oxidative stress by up-regulating the expression levels ofSIRT1andSIRT6within the zebrafish embryos system via the suppression of CD38 enzymatic activity and then inhibiting the expression ofIGFRthrough high levels ofSIRT6. These findings highlight the antioxidant and anti-aging properties of AG and indicate its potential application as a supplementary ingredient in aquaculture for enhancing fish health and growth.