B‐cell proliferation activity of pectic polysaccharide from a medicinal herb, the roots of Bupleurum falcatum L. and its structural requirement

Abstract

Pectic polysaccharide fraction (BR-2) containing pharmacologically active pectic polysaccharide, bupleuran 2IIc, which was prepared from a medicinal herb, the roots of Bupleurum falcatum L., was administered orally to C3H/HeJ mice for 7 consecutive days. Proliferative responses of spleen cells were enhanced in the presence of the purified pectic polysaccharide, bupleuran 2IIc, but another B-cell mitogen, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) did not give a similar effect. In vitro studies using spleen cells showed that bupleuran 2IIc also stimulated lymphocytes, depleted of adherent cells or T cells. Bupleuran 2IIc treatment increased subpopulation of CD25+ and surface immunoglobulin M-positive (sIgM+) lymphocytes. Non-specific immunoglobulin secretion of spleen cells treated with bupleuran 2IIc was increased according to the culture time, and coexistence of interleukin-6 (IL-6) enhanced the secretion more than that of bupleuran 2IIc alone. These results suggest that bupleuran 2IIc proliferates B cells in the absence of macrophages, and the resulting activated B cells are then induced into antibody-forming cells in the presence of IL-6. Among the structural region of bupleuran 2IIc, ramified region (PG-1), which consists of rhamnogalacturonan core rich in neutral sugar chain, showed the potent mitogenic activity suggesting it to be an active site. Mitogenic activity of bupleuran 2IIc was reduced in the presence of antipolysaccharide antibody (antibupleuran 2IIc/PG-1-IgG), which recognizes the ramified region of bupleuran 2IIc as the antigenic epitope. Mitogenic activity of bupleuran 2IIc was also reduced by the addition of beta-d-GlcpA-(1-->6)-beta-d-Galp-(1-->6)-d-Galp or beta-d-GlcpA-(1-->6)-d-Galp, which are a part of the epitopes of antibupleuran 2IIc/PG-1-IgG. These results suggest that the epitopes in bupleuran 2IIc act as active sites of the polysaccharide during mitogenic activity.

The Immunopharmaceutical Effects and Mechanisms of Herb Medicine

“…The polysaccharide extracts from 2 mushrooms, Lentinus edodes and Tremella fuciformis, and an herb, Astragalus membranaceus, on cellular and humoral immune responses also show significantly higher production of specific IgA, IgM, and IgG in chickens (30). Pectic polysaccharide fraction (BR-2) containing pharmacologically active pectic polysaccharide, bupleuran 2IIc, which is prepared from a medicinal herb, the roots of Bupleurum falcatum (L.), is suggested to stimulate lymphocytes, deplete adherent cells and increase subpopulation of CD25 + and surface IgM-positive lymphocytes (31). Artemisinin (Qinghaosu) is a potent antimalarial sesquiterpene lactone isolated from the Chinese herb Artemisia annua.…”

Anti-Inflammatory Effect and Chemical Composition of Bupleurum chinense and Bupleurum kaoi

“…In traditional chinense medicine, Bupleuri Radix possesses many biological effects, such as anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, antihepatitis activity [1,2,12]. Anti-inflammatory action of saikosaponins (SSs) isolated from the root of Bupleurum falcatum L were examined using female albino rats.…”

“…In traditional chinense medicine, Bupleuri Radix possesses many biological effects, such as anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, and antihepatitis activity [1,2]. A number of factors affect the saikosaponin content of Bupleuri Radix including: local growing conditions, harvest time, root portion, plant condition, individual plant characteristics, fertilization, and cultivation methods.…”

Plant Products for Innovative Biomaterials in Dentistry

“…Different and partially opposing immunological effects of pectins have been described. Certain pectins showed some anti-inflammatory properties in vitro, a promising and favorable trait in medical device tuning [39,40]. On the other hand, some pectins promoted in vitro immunological responses [41,42].…”