دانلود رایگان مقاله پلی ساکارید و اجزای وزن مولکولی کم اپونیتا فیکوس ایندیکا

ABSTRACT

The Opuntia ficus-indica multiple properties are reflected in the increasing interest of chemists in the identification of its natural components having pharmaceutical and/or cosmetical applications. Here we report the structural elucidation of Opuntia ficus-indica mucilage that highlighted the presence of components differing for their chemical nature and the molecular weight distribution. The high molecular weight components were identified as a linear galactan polymer and a highly branched xyloarabinan. The low molecular weight components were identified as lactic acid, D-mannitol, piscidic, eucomic and 2- hydroxy-4-(4 -hydroxyphenyl)-butanoic acids. A wound healing assay was performed in order to test the cicatrizing properties of the various components, highlighting the ability of these latter to fasten dermal regeneration using a simplified in vitro cellular model based on a scratched keratinocytes monolayer. The results showed that the whole Opuntia mucilage and the low molecular weight components are active in the wound repair.

4. Conclusions

Here we reported the complete structural characterization of the Opuntia mucilage constituents whose capability in repairing dermal tissue was also tested. The presence in mucilage of two main components differing in molecular weight distribution was highlighted by several steps of purifications. The high molecular weight component revealed to be composed of two polysaccharide entities: a linear -(1→4)-galactose polymer and a highly branched xyloarabinan. On the other hand, a further purification step ofthe low molecular weight component revealed the presence of lactic acid, d-mannitol and three different phenolic compounds, two of which, the piscidic and the eucomic acids, are commonly detected in Opuntia plants; the third phenolic compound was identified as 2-hydroxy-4-(4 -hydroxyphenyl)butanoic acid that was never found in Opuntia plants. The effects on repairing dermal tissue of each Opuntia mucilage component was assessed through an in vitro scratched assay that resulted to be helpful in comparative assessing of the biorevitalizing effects of novel molecules or extracts. The results revealed that no particular capabilities in wound repairing is possessed by Opuntia cladodes polysaccharides. On the contrary, it is possible to conclude that a concerted action of the whole Opuntia mucilage, that is both the polysaccharide and the non-polysaccharide components, is responsible for the benefi- cial effects on dermal damages, with the main activity exerted by the non-polysaccharide constituents. Thus, when topically applied, the Opuntia mucilage can produce a physical barrier on the cutis, protecting against stress factors, deeply hydrating skin and then favoring cutaneous reparative processes. Whether these properties are historically known, with the farmers of arid regions using the Opuntia cladodes juice as a natural gel to moisturize and heal cutis, on the other hand this is the first report of the clear elucidation of the structure and the related wound-healing properties of each Opuntia mucilage constituent. This represents an intriguing finding prompting to the future identification of the main component possessing the best repairing properties in a perspective of formulation of new bioinspired cosmetic products such as anti-aging and wound-healing products for face and body.