We screened seaweed species from Atlantic Canada for antidiabetic activity by testing extracts for alpha-glucosidase inhibitory effect and glucose uptake stimulatory activity. An aqueous ethanolic extract of Ascophyllum nodosum was found to be active in both assays, inhibiting rat intestinal alpha-glucosidase (IC50 = 77 microg/mL) and stimulating basal glucose uptake into 3T3-L1 adipocytes duri...

This study was to investigate antiallergic effects of triterpenoids (Gt-TRE) and polysaccharide (Gt-PS) extracts from Ganoderma tsugae, using mast cell line RBL-2H3, T cell line EL4, primary T cells, and transfected RAW264.7 macrophage cells. The results showed that histamine secreted from activated RBL-2H3 mast cells was significantly suppressed by Gt-TRE but not Gt-PS. Interleukin- (IL-) 4 se...

The human pathogenic fungus Cryptococcus neoformans has a large polysaccharide (PS) capsule and releases copious amounts of PS into cultures and infected tissues. The capsular PS is a major virulence factor that can elicit protective antibody responses. PS recovered from culture supernatants has historically provided an ample and convenient source of material for structural and immunological st...

BACKGROUND A greater reduction in cancer risk associated with mushroom diet rich in fungus polysaccharides is generally accepted. Meanwhile, edible Pleurotus abalonus as a member of Abalone mushroom family is a popular nutritional supplement that purportedly prevents cancer occurrence. However, these anecdotal claims are supported by limited studies describing tumor-inhibitory responses to the ...

Abstract The effects of pure oxygen aeration on compositional characteristics soluble microbial products (SMP) and extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) the activated sludge acclimated in a sequential batch reactor (SBR) were explored mode. structure would change with different methods or rates. proportion SMP most aerated was less than 10%, while that air as high 30–40%. TB-EPS decreased fr...

BACKGROUND Khaya grandifoliola (C.D.C.) stem bark, Cymbopogon citratus (Stapf) and Cryptolepis sanguinolenta (Lindl.) Schltr leaves are used in Cameroonian traditional medicine for the treatment of inflammatory diseases. Several studies have been performed on the biological activities of secondary metabolites extracted from these plants. However, to the best of our knowledge, the anti-neuro inf...

Dewaxed bamboo culms (Neosinocalamus affinis) were sequentially extracted with distilled water and 70% ethanol at 80 oC for 3 h, 0.2 and 0.5 M NaOH, 70% ethanol containing 0.6 M NaOH, and 1.0 and 2.0 M NaOH at 50 oC for 3 h using a solid to liquid ratio of 1:25 (g/mL). The hemicellulosic fractions obtained were characterized by high performance anion exchange chromatography (HPAEC), gel permeat...

The group R streptococcal group antigen has been shown to be a polysaccharide located at the surface of the cell wall of the organism. The antigen was extracted from cell walls in 0.05 n HCl or 5% trichloracetic acid at 100 C, from whole cells at room temperature in 0.85% NaCl or 0.1 m acetate (pH 5.0), and by sonic oscillation. The antigen is largely destroyed when extracted from whole cells i...