POLYSACCHARIDES

Mucinous polysaccharides - MPS

Monosaccharides and polysaccharides: acemannan, arabinose, galactose, glucose, mannose, rhamnose, xylose, hexuronic acid, glucuronic acid, galacturonic acid, cellulose.

These are “complex” sugars which are divided into 4 groups according to the length of their molecular chain.

Prof. Dr. Ivan Danhof from the University of Texas explained the health effects of each group:

Group 1 – anti-inflammatory and blood sugar-normalizing mucin polysaccharides (MPS). These are short (50 – 600 molecules containing MPS) chains that reduce the inflammatory reaction that accompanies diseases such as ulcerative colitis, arthritis and the gastric reflex, popularly known as heartburn. They help lower blood sugar in type I and type II diabetes.

Group 2 are the so-called free radical scavengers. They are made up of medium (up to 1500 MPS molecules) chains. They are very effective intracellular antioxidants and free radical scavengers, which is very important in the prevention and treatment of arteriosclerosis, heart disease and Parkinson’s disease.

Group 3 are antipathogenic mucopolysaccharides. They are referred to as long (containing up to 5000 MPS molecules) chains. They have a direct antibacterial, antiviral, antifungicidal (antifungal) and antiamoebic (against protozoa) effect.

Group 4 are immune stimulants (IS). They are very long (up to 9000 MPS molecules) chains. Immunomodulatory, that is, they positively influence the function of the immune system. When IS activity is low, they boost it, and when it is unfavorably high for the organism, they dampen it. Thanks to immunomodulation, MPS have a significant healing effect in the fight against AIDS, chronic fatigue syndrome, various chronic infectious diseases, cancer, heart disease, autoimmune disease and many other immune-related diseases.

And by what mechanism does MPS do this?
For example, MPS molecules have been shown to activate macrophages (called “This produces a cascade of healing effects: phagocytosis (ingestion) of infected or damaged cells is increased, the levels of interleukins and interferons in the body are increased (these protein-like substances are used to communicate between individual immune cells and their populations), which increases the number and response of t-lymphocytes and monocytes, and wound healing occurs by increasing the activity of fibroblasts. MPS stimulate the production of the so-called tumour necrosis factor TNF, which destroys tumours by blocking the formation of blood vessels. This group of very long polysaccharides can be broken down into smaller molecules by various influences (e.g. heat, enzymes) and thus lose their immunomodulatory function. Therefore, it is important to have a first-class and gently processed product if I want to take advantage of the health effects of these substances.