Accumulating evidence has reported that the gut microbiota could play important roles in the occurrence and progression of colorectal cancer. The nondigestible plant polysaccharides have always been fermented by the intestinal microbiota. Polysaccharides, the predominant functional composition found in jujube fruit, has been shown to inhibit carcinogenesis in animal models. However, the molecular mechanisms involved in polysaccharides preventing carcinogenesis are still uncharacterized. The aim of this study was to investigate the modulatory effects of jujube polysaccharides (JP) on intestinal microbiota, and the influence of JP on the gut flora structure was then analyzed using an AOM/DSS-induced colitis cancer mouse model, using high-throughput sequencing. Contrasted with control group, the addition of JP could ward off colon cancer by ameliorating colitis cancer-induced gut dysbiosis. In addition, there was a significant decrease in Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes post JP treatment. What's more, KEGG pathways of metabolic pathways, ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters and two-component system enriched the most differentially expressed genes after JP intervention for 13 weeks. These results suggested that JP showed prebiotic-like activities by positively modulating intestinal microbiota and affecting certain metabolic pathways contributing to host health. In conclusion, our results demonstrated an appreciable capability of JP to restore the gut microbiota profile altered by AOM/DSS, indicating the potential of jujube polysaccharides as promising prebiotic candidates for the prevention and treatment of colorectal cancer.

A novel metal-free intramolecular oxidative decarboxylative coupling of primary α-amino acids with 2-aminobenzoketones under mild and neutral conditions was developed. Different quinazolines can be selectively obtained by various oxidants.

The pumpkin has been used frequently as functional foods. Phytochemical and pharmacological investigations have shown that polysaccharides derived from pumpkins, have antioxidant, anti-tumor, immunoregulatory, hypoglycemic and hepatoprotective activities. This article reviewed the structural analysis, extraction/purification, pharmacological activities, and structure-activity relationships of pumpkin polysaccharides. Those pumpkin polysaccharides rich in uronic acid, with lower molecular weights tended to have increased biological effects, whereas (1→3) and (1→4)-Glcp glycosidic linkages in main chains were indispensable for hypoglycemic effects. This paper reviewed the production, investigation, and application of pumpkin polysaccharides in functional foods and therapeutic agents.