Antioxidant activity of polysaccharides from different sources of ginseng

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Abstract

The crude polysaccharides from ginseng roots and stems were extracted by decoction method, acid polysaccharides and neutral polysaccharides were further separated. The content of ginseng polysaccharides was determined by phenol‑sulfuric acid method. The antioxidant activity of ginseng polysaccharides was determined by DPPH method. The results showed that the antioxidant activity of polysaccharides from aboveground part was higher than that from underground part. The antioxidant activity of polysaccharides in the aerial part was as follows: neutral polysaccharides > acid polysaccharides. The acid polysaccharides in underground part had little antioxidant activity.

Introduction

Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer is a ginseng plant of the pentacanthaceae family. It is a traditional Chinese medicine, known as the king of herbs, the first of the three treasures in Northeast China, containing saponins, polysaccharides, volatile oils, alkaloids, amino acids, skin and other chemical components. Ginsenoside is the main medicinal ingredient of ginseng, there are many reports at home and abroad. The ginseng pectin has been determined to have pharmacological activities [[1], [2], [3], [4]]. Panax ginseng polysaccharide is an early bioactive component of polysaccharides, but its strong effect on human body cannot be compared with ginsenoside, and its biological activity is mainly manifested in the aspect of antioxidant activity [5]. Then, in order to better develop the aboveground part of ginseng, water-soluble polysaccharides [[6], [7], [8], [9], [10]] were systematically extracted from the stems, leaves and fruits of ginseng.

As one of the main bioactive components of ginseng, ginseng polysaccharides have antioxidant, immune and anti-tumor physiological functions. Ginseng polysaccharides have become one of the focuses of Chinese herbal medicine extraction and modernization research for many years due to their good biological activities and clinical effects [11].

The contents of crude polysaccharides, acid polysaccharides and neutral polysaccharides of Panax ginseng were studied, and their antioxidant activity was compared in order to provide a basis for better application of ginseng polysaccharides in clinical medicine and health care and to maximize their effects.

Section snippets

Materials

The ginseng used as the sample was bought in the local market.

Extraction of crude polysaccharides

Ginseng root powder, ginseng stem powder were weighed 45 g, respectively, and were weighed accurately. They were extracted by

Infrared spectrum analysis of ginseng polysaccharides

As shown in Fig. 1, 3460 cm−1 was the absorption peak of single bondOH, 2930 cm−1 was the absorption peak of Csingle bondH, and 1650 cm−1 was the carbonyl absorption peak of a small amount of protein contained in the obtained polysaccharides. There was an absorption peak at 830 cm−1, which indicated that there were α-glycoside bonds in polysaccharides. The absorption peak of 910 cm−1 indicated that there were β-glycoside bonds in the polysaccharides. In conclusion, this was a typical polysaccharide structure,

Conclusion

The contents of polysaccharides in the aboveground and underground parts of Panax ginseng were as follows: The content of underground polysaccharides was higher than that of aboveground polysaccharides. The underground part was: neutral polysaccharides > acid polysaccharides. Above ground part: neutral polysaccharides > acid polysaccharides. The scavenging capacity of polysaccharides from the aerial and underground parts of Panax ginseng to DPPH free radicals was as follows: The polysaccharides

Acknowledgements

The Project Sponsored by the Scientific Research Foundation for the Returned Overseas Chinese Scholars, State Education Ministry (No. 2015-1098). The work was also supported by Chongqing Key Research Project of Basic Science & Frontier Technology (No. cstc2017jcyjBX0012), Foundation Project of Chongqing Normal University (No. 14XYY020), Chongqing General Research Program of Basic Research and Frontier Technology (No. cstc2015jcyjA10054), and Chongqing Normal University Postgraduate's Research

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