In vitro macrophage nitric oxide production by Pterospartum tridentatum (L.) Willk. inflorescence polysaccharides

Abstract

Pterospartum tridentatum (L.) Willk. decoctions of dried inflorescences are used in Portugal due to their claimed beneficial properties for various health disorders. To disclose the potential contribution of its polysaccharides to health benefits, in this work, hot water extracts from P. tridentatum inflorescences were prepared and fractionated by ethanol precipitation and anion exchange chromatography. The fraction rich in acetylated galactomannans evidenced an increase in nitric oxide (NO) production by macrophages. This activity decreased 60–75% after saponification, confirming that acetylation is an important structural feature for this biological property. In addition, the treatment of pectic polysaccharides with endo-polygalacturonase showed that type-I and type-II arabinogalactans, as well as low molecular weight galacturonans and xyloglucans, may also contribute to macrophage NO production. Thus, the polysaccharides present in P. tridentatum dried inflorescences may contribute to the health beneficial properties frequently attributed to the decoctions of this plant. ; Thanks are due to Fundac¸ ão para a Ciência e a Tecnologia(FCT, Portugal), European Union, QREN, FEDER, and COMPETEfor funding the QOPNA (Project PEst-C/QUI/UI0062/2013; FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER-037296), CNC (Project UID/NEU/04539/2013), andCIMO Research Units, and RNEM (REDE/1504/REM/2005 thatconcerns the Portuguese Mass Spectrometry Network). Thanksare also due to FCT for the PhD Grant of Vitor Martins(SFRH/PROTEC/49249/2008) and to Dr. Ana Maria Carvalho, fromCIMO, for the identification of the plant material. ; info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion