Structural characterization and anti-inflammatory activity of a pectin polysaccharide HBHP-3 from Houttuynia cordata

In this study, a hot buffer soluble Houttuynia cordata polysaccharide (HBHP-3) with a molecular weight of 397.4 kDa was isolated from H. cordata. HBHP-3 was composed of rhamnose, arabinose, glucose, galactose and galacturonic acid with molar ratio of 16.0:12.6:4.6:18.1:15.6. Structural analysis showed that the main chain of HBHP-3 was composed of -> 2)-alpha-L-Rhap-(1 ->, -> 4)-alpha-D-GalpA-(1 -> and -> 4)-beta-D-Galp-(1 ->. There were branched chains of alpha-L-Araf-(1 ->, -> 5)-alpha-L-Araf-(1 ->, -> 4)-alpha-D-Glcp-(1 ->, -> 6)-beta-D-Galp-(1 ->, beta-D-Galp-(1 -> connected to the O-4 positions of -> 2)-alpha-L-Rhap-(1 ->. HBHP-3 effectively inhibited the secretion of NO and the mRNA expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines in a dose-dependent manner in macrophages. HBHP-3 inhibited the phosphorylation of p65 and I Kappa B alpha proteins as well, illustrating that HBHP-3 exerted its anti-inflammatory activity by inhibiting the activation of NF-Kappa B pathway.

Automated summary

In this study, a hot buffer soluble Houttuynia cordata polysaccharide (HBHP-3) with a molecular weight of 397.4 kDa was isolated. HBHP-3 effectively inhibited NO secretion and the mRNA expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines in macrophages in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, HBHP-3 inhibited the activation of the NF-Kappa B pathway.