Planta Med 2019; 85(13): 1098-1106
DOI: 10.1055/a-0955-7841
Natural Product Chemistry and Analytical Studies
Original Papers
Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Structural Characterization and Anti-complementary Activities of Two Polysaccharides from Houttuynia cordata

Authors

  • Yan Lu

    School of Pharmacy, Institutes of Integrative Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
  • Juan-Juan Zhang

    School of Pharmacy, Institutes of Integrative Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
  • Jiang-Yan Huo

    School of Pharmacy, Institutes of Integrative Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
  • Dao-Feng Chen

    School of Pharmacy, Institutes of Integrative Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
Further Information

Publication History

received 27 April 2019
revised 10 June 2019

accepted 12 June 2019

Publication Date:
27 June 2019 (online)

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Abstract

In previous studies, crude Houttuynia cordata polysaccharides showed beneficial effects on acute lung injury in vivo, a syndrome in which anti-complementary activities played an important role. Anti-complementary activity-guided fractionation of H. cordata polysaccharides led to the isolation of two highly branched homogeneous polysaccharides, HC-PS1 and HC-PS3, with a molecular weight of 274 530 and 216 384 Da, respectively. The polysaccharides were purified by chromatography on DEAE-cellulose and Superdex columns. Their structural characterization was performed by IR, GC-MS, methylation, NMR, and SEM analysis. Both HC-PS1 and HC-PS3 are composed of eight types of monosaccharides, including rhamnose, arabinose, mannose, glucose, glucuronic acid, galactose, galacturonic acid, and xylose. The main linkages of the sugar residues in HC-PS1 include terminal Rhap, terminal and 1,5-linked Araf; 1,3,6-linked and 1,4,6-linked Manp; terminal, 1,4-linked, 1,3-linked, 1,3,6-linked and 1,4,6-linked and 1,3,4,6-linked Glcp; and terminal, 1,4-linked and 1,6-linked Galp. The main monosaccharide linkages in HC-PS3 are similar to that of HC-PS1, except the additional 1,3,4-linked Manp and the absence of 1,3,6-linked Glcp. HC-PS1 and HC-PS3 were found to inhibit complement activation through both the classical and alternative pathways with 50% inhibition concentrations of 0.272 – 0.318 mg/mL without interfering with the coagulation system. Preliminary mechanism studies indicated that both HC-PS1 and HC-PS3 inhibited the activation of the complement system by interacting with C2, C4, and C5. The results suggest that HC-PS1 and HC-PS3 could be valuable for the treatment of diseases associated with the excessive activation of the complement system.

Supporting Information