Aspects of the invention provide compositions for use in the treatment galectin-dependent diseases. In particular, compositions comprising a selectively depolymerized, branched galactoarabino-rhamnogalacturonate whose backbone is predominantly comprised of 1,4-linked galacturonic acid (GalA) moieties, with a lesser backbone composition of alternating 1,4-linked GalA and 1,2-linked rhamnose (Rha), which in-turn is linked to any number of side chains, including predominantly 1,4-b-D-galactose (Gal) and 1,5-a-L-arabinose (Ara) residues.

The invention relates to a process for reducing the reactivity of pectin extracted from a raw material containing a high proportion of calcium-sensitive pectin, the process comprising subjecting the extracted pectin to enzymatic depolymerization.

The present invention relates to functionalized hydrogel networks grafted with at least one moiety for use in numerous fields, from cosmetics to surgery and medicine.

This document provides hemp fiber biocomposites and methods and materials for making and using hemp fiber biocomposites. For example, hemp fiber biocomposites that can be used as a hydroponic growth medium are provided. Methods for making hemp fiber biocomposites also are provided.

A composite includes a polymer network including pectin or a pectin derivative; a low-molecular compound having a hydrophilic group in the polymer network; and a polyvalent metal ion coordinated with an anion present in the polymer chain of the polymer network.

Methods for producing an activated pectin-containing biomass composition are provided. These methods include A) mixing a starting pectin-containing biomass material comprising an insoluble fiber component and an insoluble protopectin component with an aqueous solution of an alcohol to form a mixture; B) activating the starting pectin-containing biomass material to form an activated pectin-containing biomass material comprising the insoluble fiber component and a soluble pectin component by subjecting the starting pectin-containing biomass material to (i) an activating solution formed by adding hydrochloric acid and/or sulfuric acid to the mixture to adjust the pH of the mixture within the range from at or about 0.5 to at or about 2.5 and (ii) heat to a temperature greater than at or about 40 degrees Celsius; C) applying mechanical energy either (i) to the mixture of step A), (ii) during the activating of step B), or (iii) to the mixture of step A) and during the activating of step B); and (D) separating the activated pectin-containing biomass material from the mixture. Alcohol is generally present in the mixture at an amount of greater than about 35 weight percent based on the total weight of the mixture. Activated pectin-containing biomass compositions are also provided.

The disclosure relates to a pectin-adriamycin conjugate, and discloses a preparation method and use of the conjugate above. The pectin-adriamycin conjugate of the disclosure has a completely new chemical structure and can be accumulated in a malignant tumor tissue for a long time with a high concentration in a targeting manner so as to achieve the purposes of enhancing effects and reducing toxicity, and the indications are chemotherapies of various solid malignant tumors.

The present disclosure discloses an ultrasonic-assisted method of extracting a pectin rich in RG-I. The method includes: (1) dispersing citrus peel powders in an alkaline solution containing sodium borohydride; (2) placing a solution obtained in step (1) in a water bath of 25 to 40° C., and performing an ultrasonic treatment on the solution obtained in step (1); (3) centrifuging the solution subjected to step (2) at a speed of 6000-8000 rpm to remove residues, retaining a supernatant, and precipitating a pectic polysaccharide with absolute ethanol; and (4) adding water to the pectic polysaccharide precipitant subjected to step (3) to obtain a redissolved solution, transferring the solution to a dialysis bag with a molecular weight cut-off of 3000 to 3500 Da, dialyzing for 48 hours, and freeze-drying in a vacuum freezer to obtain the pectin rich in RG-I.

Compositions comprising metal ions or clusters such as ferrous and/or ferric iron compounds or magnesium, zinc, lanthanum and other metal ion compounds and fiber components such as gum Arabic in a complex, methods for preparing such compositions of matter, and the use thereof for treatment of adsorbing certain accessible targets in the gastrointestinal tract and in an extracorporeal system, are provided herein.

A surfactant produced by reacting naturally occurring polysaccharides that are not water soluble with a hydrophilic substituent on a carboxylic portion of the polysaccharide. In a second reaction, the surfactant is further substituted on a hydroxylic portion with a hydrophobic or lipophilic substituent, so as to make the reaction product both water soluble and capable of attracting oily material that is hydrophobic to be removed from a substrate by cleaning in water. Methods of making the surfactant and the follow-on reaction product are described.