Isolation, characterization and immunomodulatory activity of oligosaccharides from Codonopsis pilosula

Abstract

Codonopsis pilosula is an edible traditional Chinese medicine and has good immunomodulatory activities. Oligosaccharides were the important components of C. pilosula. This study focused on the extraction, separation, structural analysis and immunomodulatory activity of the oligosaccharides from C. pilosula (CPO). The yield of CPO was 14.3% and the sugar content was 92.7%. Structural analysis revealed that the monosaccharide composition of CPO was fructose and glucose and its average degree of polymerization (DP) was 2 (DP = 1–7). Moreover, CPO could promote the proliferation of RAW264.7 cells, enhance phagocytosis capability and increase the secretion of TNF-α, NO and IL-6 by triggering the MAPKs signaling pathway. These results showed that CPO was an important immunomodulatory component of C. pilosula and would be a potential immunopotentiator in functional foods and pharmaceuticals.