Latest Research on Polysaccharides: Structure and Applications

A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Biobased and Biodegradable Polymers".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 January 2025 | Viewed by 2096

Special Issue Editor

College of Food Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
Interests: nutritional processing of cereals; structure-functionality relationship of natural polysaccharides; alterations in structure and functionality of polymers under digestion and intestinal fermentation
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Polysaccharides, comprising monosaccharide units joined by glycosidic linkages, are the most abundant macromolecular polymers essential for organism development. Recent investigations have demonstrated that polysaccharides derived from plants, microorganisms, and algae present significant biological and pharmacological activities, including antioxidant, anti-diabetic, anti-cancer, immunomodulatory, hypolipidemic, and gut microbiota modulation properties. Consequently, they are widely acknowledged as alternative candidates for disease prevention and health maintenance. The role of polysaccharides is typically evident during gastrointestinal digestion or subsequent colonic fermentation, making it necessary to elucidate their accessibility and impact on microbiota modulation.

Hence, the current Special Issue, titled “Latest Research on Polysaccharides: Structure and Applications”, is designed to assemble cutting-edge research on the innovative preparation, structural characterization, bioaccessibility, bioactivity assessment, and application of polysaccharides. Contributions that establish the correlation between the structure and functionality of polysaccharides are particularly encouraged. We invite researchers to submit original research and review articles highlighting the recent advancements in this field, as they play a crucial role in promoting the advantageous transformation of polysaccharides into functional products.

You may choose our Joint Special Issue in Polysaccharides.

Dr. Cong Wang
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • polysaccharides
  • preparation method
  • structural characterization
  • bioaccessibility
  • functionality
  • biological and pharmacological properties
  • gut microbiota modulation
  • structure and functionality relationship

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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18 pages, 5278 KiB  
Article
Exploring Rhamnus alaternus Polysaccharides: Extraction, Characterization, and Analysis of Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Properties
by Souha Chokri, Sonia Ben Younes, Ali Ellafi, Sami Mnif, Eduardo Alberto López-Maldonado and Ahmed Slaheddine Masmoudi
Polymers 2024, 16(22), 3180; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16223180 - 15 Nov 2024
Viewed by 504
Abstract
In the present study, polysaccharides were isolated from the leaves (WSPRaL) and stems (WSPRaS) of Rhamnus alaternus with yields of 3% and 3.25% for WSPRaS and WSPRaL, respectively. Crude WSPRaL was composed of proteins (260.740 ± 0.98 µg/mg), lipids (53.34 ± 2.38 µg/mg), [...] Read more.
In the present study, polysaccharides were isolated from the leaves (WSPRaL) and stems (WSPRaS) of Rhamnus alaternus with yields of 3% and 3.25% for WSPRaS and WSPRaL, respectively. Crude WSPRaL was composed of proteins (260.740 ± 0.98 µg/mg), lipids (53.34 ± 2.38 µg/mg), total sugars (482.716 ± 3.02 µg/mg), and reducing sugars (420.240 ± 1.68 µg/mg). In contrast, WSPRaS contained proteins (269.629 ± 1.48 µg/mg), lipids (13.33 ± 0.28 µg/mg), total sugars (569.135 ± 3.82 µg/mg), and reducing sugars (531.732 ± 2.59 µg/mg). FTIR, TLC, and HPLC analyses revealed that the carbohydrate fraction of WSPRaS consisted mainly of glucuronic acid, glucose, galactose, xylose, mannose, and arabinose, whereas WSPRaL consisted of galacturonic acid, sucrose, glucose, rhamnose, xylose, mannose, and arabinose. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis was used to determine the microstructure of the water-soluble polysaccharides. The physicochemical properties were evaluated using Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and ultraviolet‒visible (UV‒visible) absorption spectroscopy. The total antioxidant activities of the crude polysaccharides were evaluated using various assays: DPPH radical scavenging (IC50 WSPRaL = 615 ± 2.05 µg/mL, IC50 WSPRaS = 628 ± 2.38 µg/mL), ABTS radical scavenging (470 ± 5.78 µg/mL and 559 ± 4.32 µg/mL for WSPRaL and WSPRaS, respectively), reducing power (IC50 WSPRaS = 141.76 ± 3.16 µg/mL, IC50 WSPRaL = 203.89 ± 1.07 µg/mL), and chelating capacity (IC50 WSPRaS = 225 ± 1.75 µg/mL, IC50 WSPRaL = 219 ± 2.51 µg/mL). In addition, the antibacterial and biofilm inhibitory activities of both polysaccharides were tested against pathogenic strains, and the polysaccharides significantly inhibited plant growth. Overall, the results indicate that the crude polysaccharides extracted from R. alaternus are promising for use as functional and bioactive ingredients in the food and nutraceutical industries. These results highlight the potential of both polysaccharides as natural products in various sectors, including food, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and medicine, due to their significant biological properties. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Latest Research on Polysaccharides: Structure and Applications)
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Review

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41 pages, 2535 KiB  
Review
Investigation of Cellulose-Based Materials Applied in Life Sciences Using Laser Light Scattering Methods
by Anca-Giorgiana Grigoras
Polymers 2024, 16(8), 1170; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16081170 - 21 Apr 2024
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Abstract
This review emphasizes the practical importance of laser light scattering methods for characterizing cellulose and its derivatives. The physicochemical parameters like molecular weights, the radius of gyration, hydrodynamic radius, and conformation will be considered when the reproducibility of polymer behavior in solution is [...] Read more.
This review emphasizes the practical importance of laser light scattering methods for characterizing cellulose and its derivatives. The physicochemical parameters like molecular weights, the radius of gyration, hydrodynamic radius, and conformation will be considered when the reproducibility of polymer behavior in solution is necessary for the subsequent optimization of the property profile of a designed product. Since there are various sources of cellulose, and the methods of cellulose extraction and chemical modification have variable yields, materials with variable molecular weights, and size polydispersity will often result. Later, the molecular masses will influence other physicochemical properties of cellulosic materials, both in solution and solid state. Consequently, the most rigorous determination of these quantities is imperative. In this regard, the following are presented and discussed in this review: the theoretical foundations of the light scattering phenomenon, the evolution of the specific instrumentation and detectors, the development of the detector-coupling techniques which include a light scattering detector, and finally, the importance of the specific parameters of polymers in solution, resulting from the data analysis of light scattering signals. All these aspects are summarized according to the chemical classification of the materials: celluloses, esters of cellulose, co-esters of cellulose, alkyl esters of cellulose, ethers of cellulose, and other heterogeneous cellulose derivatives with applications in life sciences. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Latest Research on Polysaccharides: Structure and Applications)
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