Excessive lipid intake is a major contributor to obesity, and inhibiting intestinal lipid absorption is considered an effective strategy to mitigate this condition. In this study, a pectic polysaccharide designated as RCP-2-3 was obtained from Rubus chingii Hu. unripe fruits and its potential inhibitory effect on intestinal lipid absorption in vivo was investigated. Structural studies revealed that RCP-2-3 (8.54 kDa) is a homogeneous pectic polysaccharide composed of homogalacturonan (HG) and rhamnogalacturonan II (RG-II) domains in a 4.4:4.1 mass ratio. Treatment with RCP-2-3 for 7 days effectively reduced postprandial serum triglyceride (TG) accumulation and lipid absorption in BODIPY-labeled soybean oil-fed mice, accompanied by increased lipid excretion. Specifically, RCP-2-3 increased the excretion of long-chain fatty acids in dietary lipids, such as linoleic acid, oleic acid, palmitic acid, and stearic acid. A 28-day administration of RCP-2-3 reduced weight gain and improved dyslipidemia, and promoted lipid excretion in mice subjected to a high-fat diet and high-fat emulsion. In conclusion, RCP-2-3, a natural pectic polysaccharide consisting of HG and RG-II domains, effectively inhibited intestinal lipid absorption and reduced obesity-related parameters. These findings highlight the potential of RCP-2-3 for application in both the food and pharmaceutical industries.

Plant-derived polysaccharides have demonstrated promising anti-cancer effects via immune-regulatory activity. The aim of the current study was to compare the chemical property and the anticancer effects of polysaccharides extracted from the sporoderm-removed spores of the medicinal mushroom Ganoderma lucidum (RSGLP), which removed the sporoderm completely, with polysaccharides extracted from the sporoderm-broken spores of G. lucidum (BSGLP). We found that RSGLP has a higher extraction yield than BSGLP. HPGPC and GC-MS results revealed that both RSGLP and BSGLP are heteropolysaccharides, but RSGLP had a higher molecular weight and a different ratio of monosaccharide composition than BSGLP. MTT and flow cytometry results demonstrated that RSGLP exhibited much higher dose-efficacy in inhibiting cell viability and inducing apoptosis than BSGLP in 8 cancer cell lines representing colon (HCT116 and HT29), liver (HepG2 and Huh-7), breast (MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7), and lung cancers (NCI-H460 and A549). Furthermore, RSGLP is more effective in inhibiting HCT116 and NCI-H460 xenograft tumor growth and inhibiting tumor-induced splenomegaly than BSGLP in nude mice, suggesting a better effect on regulating immunity of RSGLP. Next, we found that RSGLP is more potent in inhibiting the level of serum inflammatory cytokines in nude mice, and in inhibiting the activation of macrophage RAW264.7 and the expression of the inflammatory mediators IL-1β, TNF-α, iNOS, and COX-2 in vitro. This is the first study to compare the chemical properties, anti-cancer, and immune-regulatory effects of RSGLP and BSGLP using multiple cancer cell lines. Our results revealed that the sporoderm-removed spores of G. lucidum (RSGL) and RSGLP may serve as new anticancer agents for their promising immune-regulatory activity.

Processed and polyherbal formulations (compatibility) are widely used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). However, processing and compatibility may alter the efficacy and safety of herbal medicines, and therefore, evaluating the herbal medicines changes after processing and compatibility is important for their safety. Since Corydalis yanhusuo (Y.H.Chou & Chun C.Hsu) W.T.Wang ex Z.Y.Su & C.Y.Wu (Family: Papaveraceae and Genera: Corydalis), a traditional medicinal plant in China, Japan, Korea, and other Asian countries, has been used for treating a wide range of medical conditions, it is an ideal representative of studying the effects of processing and compatibility on efficacy and toxicity. In this paper, information was obtained by searching electronic databases, classic books, PhD and MSc dissertations, local conference papers, and unpublished materials prior to July 2021. We provide a summary of the phytochemistry, pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, quality control, and safety of C. yanhusuo under various processing or compatibility conditions. Based on our findings, vinegar processing is probably the best C. yanhusuo processing method, which could increase the absorption rate of tetrahydropalmatine (THP) in the heart, liver, spleen, lung, and brain tissues and alleviate mice muscle tremors and liver damage caused by C. yanhusuo. These results indicate that processing and compatibility can reduce toxicity and increase the efficacy of C. yanhusuo. The information provides an expanded understanding of the efficacy and toxicity mechanisms of TCM compounds, which is valuable for industrial production quality control and future drug research.