Structural and Biological Properties of Rhamnogalacturonan-I-Enriched Pectin Isolated from Cardamine tangutorum and Cardamine macrophylla

Author: mycolabadmin
7/1/2025
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Summary

Shigecai, a traditional vegetable eaten by Tibetan and Qiang communities, contains special fiber-like compounds called pectins that may be beneficial for health. Researchers found these compounds can help fight free radicals in the body, support healthy gut bacteria, and boost immune function. The study suggests these plants could be developed into health supplements and functional food ingredients.

Background

Cardamine tangutorum and Cardamine macrophylla, known as Shigecai in Chinese, are consumed as nutritious vegetables by Tibetan, Qiang, and Yi communities but have limited industrial utilization. These plants contain substantial pectic polysaccharides, yet their chemical structures and biological activities remain poorly characterized. This gap in knowledge restricts their potential industrial and pharmaceutical applications.

Objective

This study systematically analyzed the chemical characteristics and biological functions of rhamnogalacturonan-I-enriched pectin from Cardamine tangutorum and Cardamine macrophylla leaves. The research aimed to establish these plants as promising sources of functional food ingredients by determining their structural properties and biological activities.

Results

Both CTHDP and CMHDP yielded 57.63-65.21 mg/g dry weight and exhibited RG-I ratios of 60.14-63.33 mol%. Both samples demonstrated comparable antioxidant ability, antiglycation activity, prebiotic potency particularly for Bifidobacterium adolescentis, and immunoregulatory effects through TLR4/TLR2-mediated signaling pathways. These biological activities were strongly linked to bound polyphenol content, uronic acid content, and molecular weight.

Conclusion

Shigecai leaves are promising sources of RG-I-enriched pectin for industrial utilization as a functional food ingredient. The structural and biological characterization supports the development of these pectic polysaccharides for nutraceutical and pharmaceutical applications, particularly for immune modulation and gut health. Further animal studies are needed to validate these in vitro findings.

Published in:Foods,
Study Type:Experimental Research,
Source: PMID: 40647092, DOI: 10.3390/foods14132340