Physicochemical properties and immunological activities of polysaccharides from both crude and wine-processed Polygonatum sibiricum

Polygonatum sibiricum (PS) is a traditional Chinese herb used in both food and medicine with great bioactivity. The wine-processed pieces of PS are the main form for clinical application, while research has focused on the polysaccharides of their crude form. This study evaluated the physicochemical properties and immunological activities of water-soluble polysaccharides from both crude (PSPC) and wine-processed PS (PSPW). PSPC and PSPW had significant differences in their physicochemical properties. PSPC was mainly composed of galactose, mannose, glucose, and galacturonic acid, in molar ratios of 29.63:36.10:15.09:10.20, while PSPW was mainly composed of galactose, mannose, and galacturonic acid, in molar ratios of 78.77:5.50:13.84. Both kinds of polysaccharides can enhance the cells viability, phagocytic capacity, acid phosphatase activity, and NO production of RAW264.7 cells. We found that PSPC and PSPW enhanced the immune functions of the immunosuppressive model for spleen deficient mice and reversed the decline of the secretions of IL-2, IL-6, TNF-α, and IFN-γ to a normal range. The PSPW showed more potent immunological activities than PSPC. The results of the study identify the importance of wine-processing for PS and provide application foundations for the further development of PSPW as a functional food.