Anti-colon-cancer effects of polysaccharides: A mini-review of the mechanisms.

Polysaccharides are an important class of functional phytochemicals, and various studies have demonstrated the beneficial pharmacological effects of polysaccharides, including against colorectal cancer and colitis. Numerous studies have shown that natural polysaccharides display anti-colon cancer activity through a variety of mechanisms. Our research group undertook a comprehensive review of the literature to summarize the studies reported in 2012-2017, and assessed the apoptogenic mechanisms of polysaccharide-rich extracts in colon cancer tumor cells. The relevant studies were identified with electronic searches of the Web of Science and Google Scholar. In total, different types of polysaccharides from 17 kinds of natural sources have shown anti-colon cancer activity. In vivo and in vitro experiments have demonstrated the ability of polysaccharide rich extracts to provide colon-protective effects by inducing the PI3K/AKT, NF-κB, and MAPK signaling pathways, the apoptosis of tumor cells, and the regulation of gut microflora. This mini-review extends our understanding of the colon-protective effects of polysaccharides and the relevant modulation of signaling pathways. It should be useful in designing more effective agents for the management of colon diseases.