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Turkish Journal of Biology

Abstract

Background/aim: Inflammatory bowel disease is a chronic inflammatory disorder characterized by excessive immune activation, primarily mediated by nitric oxide and proinflammatory cytokines. This condition encompasses ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease, both of which significantly impair patients’ quality of life and pose persistent challenges in clinical management. Pectin, a complex carbohydrate found in plant cell walls, has shown promise in reducing inflammation. Materials and methods: In this study, pectin was extracted from red dragon fruit peel using two methods: ultrasound-assisted extraction and ultrasound-assisted enzymatic extraction. The structural characteristics and antiinflammatory effects of the extracted pectin were evaluated in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages. Results: Ultrasound-assisted enzymatic extraction produced pectin with a higher yield (19.38%), a lower degree of esterification (46.51%), a reduced molecular weight (94.67 kDa), and a greater galacturonic acid content (67.51%) compared with ultrasound extraction alone. Both pectin preparations were noncytotoxic to RAW 264.7 macrophages and significantly reduced nitric oxide production and the expression of key inflammatory mediators. Structural analysis confirmed the integrity of the pectin molecules. Conclusion: These findings suggest that ultrasound-assisted enzymatic extraction enhances the physicochemical properties and antiinflammatory activity of pectin, thereby supporting its potential application in future studies targeting inflammatory bowel disease.

Author ORCID Identifier

BAO LE: 0000-0001-6037-0546

SEUNG YANG: 0000-0003-0603-2209

HOANG DANG KHOA TA: 0000-0001-8809-239X

DOI

10.55730/1300-0152.2797

Keywords

Antiinflammatory activity, degree of esterification, galacturonic acid, red dragon fruit peel, structural characterization

First Page

146

Last Page

157

Publisher

The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye (TÜBİTAK)

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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