In this study, we investigated the metabonomic profiles of Apostichopus japonicus using an LC-MS-based method in conjunction with multivariate data analysis. Based on the PLS-DA model, 85 differential metabolites (VIP value >1.0) were obtained from viscera and body wall samples. The MS/MS and NMR experiments were used for the qualitative identification of the characteristic peaks. Sphingoid-based nucleoside analogues were the main components in Chinese A. japonicus viscera. Our findings demonstrate that A. japonicus viscera contain a large number of compounds that may have applications as nutraceuticals or pharmaceuticals.
College of Chemical Enginering, Huaqiao University, Xiamen 362021, China; Engineering Technology Research Center for Comprehensive Utilization of Marine Biological Resources in Xiamen, Huaqiao University, Xiamen 361021, China.
Polysaccharides from sea cucumbers are known for their biological activities, but little is known about those from sea cucumber viscera. The present study isolated a sulfated polysaccharide (SCVP-2) from the viscera of Apostichopus japonicas, which had a molecular weight of 209.1 kDa.
Sea cucumber viscera contain various naturally occurring active substances, but they are often underutilized during sea cucumber processing. Polydeoxyribonucleotide (PDRN) is an adenosine A receptor agonist that activates the A receptor to produce various biological effects. Currently, most studies on the activity of PDRN have focused on its anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic, and tissue repair properties, yet relatively few studies have investigated its antioxidant activity.
Sea cucumbers release chemical repellents from their guts when they are in danger from predators or a hostile environment. To investigate the chemical structure of the repellent, we collected and chemically analyzed the viscera of stressed sea cucumbers (Apostichopus japonicus) in the Yellow Sea of China. Two undescribed triterpene glycosides (1 and 2), together with a known cladoloside A (3), were identified and elucidated as 3β-O-{2-O-[β-d-quinovopyranosyl]-4-O-[3-O-methyl-β-d-glucopyranosyl-(1→3)-β-d-glucopyranosyl]-β-d-xylopyranosyl}-holosta-9(11),25(26)-dien-16-one (1), 3β-O-{2-O-[β-d-glucopyranosyl]-4-O-[3-O-methyl-β-d-glucopyranosyl-(1→3)-β-d-glucopyranosyl]-β-d-xylopyranosyl}-holosta-9(11),25(26)-dien-16-one (2), 3β-O-{2-O-[3-O-methyl-β-d-glucopyranosyl-(1→3)-β-d-xylopyranosyl-(1→4)-β-d-quinovopyranosyl]-β-d-xylopyranosyl}-holosta-9(11),25(26)-dien-16-one (3) by spectroscopic analysis, including HR-ESI-MS and NMR spectra.
Sea cucumbers frequently expel their guts in response to predators and an aversive environment, a behavior perceived as releasing repellents involved in chemical defense mechanisms. To investigate the chemical nature of the repellent, the viscera of stressed sea cucumbers (Apostichopus japonicus) in the Yellow Sea of China were collected and chemically analyzed. Two novel non-holostane triterpene glycosides were isolated, and the chemical structures were elucidated as 3ꞵ-O-[ꞵ-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→2)-ꞵ-D-xylopyranosyl]-(20S)-hydroxylanosta-7,25-diene-18(16)-lactone (1) and 3ꞵ-O-[ꞵ-D-quinovopyranosyl-(1→2)-ꞵ-D-xylopyranosyl]-(20S)-hydroxylanosta-7,25-diene-18(16)-lactone (2) by spectroscopic and mass-spectrometric analyses, exemplifying a triterpene glycoside constituent of an oligosaccharide containing two sugar-units and a non-holostane aglycone.
Stichopus cf. horrens is an economically important sea cucumber species in Southeast Asia due to their presumed nutritional and medicinal benefits. However, compared to other sea cucumbers such as Apostichopus japonicus, there are no biochemical studies on which compounds contribute to the purported bioactivities of S.
