PubMed · 2026-05-15
Scientists extracted and precisely mapped a complex sugar molecule (glucomannan) from the underground tubers of Bletilla striata, a traditional Chinese medicinal orchid, and showed it significantly reduced gut inflammation in mice — offering a molecularly characterized candidate for treating ulcerative colitis.
The glucomannan BSPN constitutes ~80% of total polysaccharide in Bletilla striata tubers, with a mannose-to-glucose ratio of 4:1 and molecular weight of 178 kDa — now fully structurally characterized for the first time.
BSPN significantly alleviated ulcerative colitis in mice in a dose-dependent manner, improving colon tissue integrity and upregulating gut enzyme genes (GH1/GH2).
Treatment boosted valeric acid levels by 69% and enriched beneficial gut bacteria including Faecalibaculum, Bacteroides, and Bifidobacterium species.