Dendrobium officinale is a widely used medicinal plant in China with numerous bio-activities. However, the main structure and anti-tumor activity of the polysaccharides from this plant have not been investigated. In this study, we elucidated the main structure of polysaccharides purified with DEAE and Sephadex G-25 from Dendrobium officinale grown under different planting conditions. In addition, the anti-tumor activity was tested via MTT assays. The results showed that the polysaccharides of Dendrobium officinale grown under different conditions were almost the same, with slight differences in the branched chain; both polysaccharide fractions consisted of (1→4)-linked mannose and (1→4)-linked glucose, with an O-acetyl group in the mannose. After degradation, the polysaccharide fractions from wild plants showed significant anti-proliferation activity in HeLa cells. The fractions F1 and F3 induced apoptosis by up-regulating the expression of ERK, JNK, and p38. We concluded that polysaccharides from Dendrobium officinale planted in the wild exhibit significant anti-tumor effects only after being degraded to smaller molecular weight species. The planting mode is a significant factor in the pharmacological activity of Dendrobium officinale. We advise that the planting conditions for Dendrobium officinale should be changed.
Keywords: Dendrobium officinale; anti-tumor activity; plantation mode; structure elucidation.