An oligosaccharide is a saccharide polymer containing a small number (typically three to ten[1]) of component sugars, also known as simple sugars. Monosaccharides (from Greek monos: single sacchar: sugar are the most basic unit of Carbohydrates They consist of one sugar and
They are generally found either O- or N-linked to compatible amino acid side chains in proteins or to lipid moieties (see glycans). In Chemistry, an amino acid is a Molecule containing both Amine and Carboxyl Functional groups In Biochemistry, this Proteins are large Organic compounds made of Amino acids arranged in a linear chain and joined together by Peptide bonds between the Carboxyl Lipids are broadly defined as any fat- Soluble ( lipophilic) naturally-occurring Molecule, such as fats oils waxes cholesterol sterols fat-soluble The term glycan refers to a Polysaccharide or Oligosaccharide.
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Examples
Fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS), which are found in many vegetables, consist of short chains of fructose molecules. Fructooligosaccharides ( FOS) also sometimes called oligofructose or oligofructan, is a class of Oligosaccharides used as an artificial or alternative Fructose (also levulose or laevulose) is a simple reducing Sugar ( Monosaccharide) found in many foods and is one of the three Inulin has a much higher degree of polymerization than FOS and is a polysaccharide. Inulins are a group of naturally occurring Polysaccharides (several simple sugars linked together produced by many types of plants The degree of polymerization, or DP is the number of repeat units in an average Polymer chain at time t in a Polymerization reaction. Galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS), which also occur naturally, consist of short chains of galactose molecules. Galactose (Gal (also called brain sugar) is a type of Sugar which is less sweet than Glucose. These compounds can be only partially digested by humans.
Oligosaccharides are often found as a component of glycoproteins or glycolipids and as such are often used as chemical markers, often for cell recognition. Not to be confused with Peptidoglycan. Glycoproteins are proteins that contain Oligosaccharide chains ( Glycans) covalently attached Glycolipids are Carbohydrate -attached Lipids. Their role is to provide Energy and also serve as markers for cellular recognition An example is ABO blood type specificity. A blood type (also called a blood group) is a classification of Blood based on the presence or absence of inherited Antigenic substances on the A and B blood types have two different oligosaccharide glycolipids embedded in the cell membranes of the red blood cells, AB-type blood has both, while O blood type has neither. The cell membrane (also called the plasma membrane, plasmalemma, or "phospholipid bilayer" is a Selectively permeable Lipid bilayer
Mannan-oligosaccharides (MOS) are widely used in animal feed to encourage gastrointestinal health and performance. They are normally obtained from the yeast cell walls of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a Species of Budding Yeast. It is perhaps the most useful Yeast owing to its use since ancient times Some brand names are: Bio-Mos, SAF-Mannan, Y-MOS and Celmanax.
Therapeutic effects
When oligosaccharides are consumed, the undigested portion serves as food for the intestinal microflora. Depending on the type of oligosaccharide, different bacterial groups are stimulated or suppressed.
Clinical studies have shown that administering FOS, GOS, or inulin can increase the number of these friendly bacteria in the colon while simultaneously reducing the population of harmful bacteria. The Bacteria ( singular: bacterium) are a large group of unicellular Microorganisms Typically a few Micrometres in length bacteria have
Other benefits noted with FOS, GOS, or inulin supplementation include increased production of beneficial short-chain fatty acids such as butyrate, increased absorption of calcium and magnesium, and improved elimination of toxic compounds. Calcium (ˈkælsiəm is the Chemical element with the symbol Ca and Atomic number 20 Magnesium (mægˈniːziəm is a Chemical element with the symbol Mg, Atomic number 12 Atomic weight 24
Because FOS, GOS, and inulin improve colon function and may influence the bacterial composition, one might expect these compounds would help relieve the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome. The colon is a storage tube for solid wastes The main function of the colon appears to be extraction of Water and salts from Feces. In Gastroenterology, irritable bowel syndrome ( IBS) is a Functional bowel disorder characterized by mild to severe Abdominal pain, discomfort However, a double-blind trial found no clear benefit with FOS supplementation (2 grams three times daily) in patients with this condition. The blind method is a part of the Scientific method, used to prevent research outcomes from being influenced by either the Placebo effect or the Observer
Experimental studies with FOS in animals suggest a possible benefit in lowering blood sugar levels in people with diabetes and in reducing elevated blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels[2]. Blood sugar, used in a physiological context is a misnomer and misleading Diabetes mellitus (ˌdaɪəˈbiːtiːz or /ˌdaɪəˈbiːtəs/ /məˈlaɪtəs/ or /ˈmɛlətəs/ often referred to simply as diabetes ( Ancient Greek: grc Cholesterol is a Lipid found in the Cell membranes and transported in the Blood plasma of all Animals It is an essential component of mammalian (more properly known as, TAG or triacylglyceride) is Glyceride in which the Glycerol is Esterified with three Fatty acids It is the
In a double-blind trial of middle-aged men and women with elevated cholesterol and triglyceride levels, supplementation with inulin (10 grams per day for eight weeks) significantly reduced insulin concentrations, suggesting an improvement in blood-glucose control, and significantly lowered triglyceride levels. The blind method is a part of the Scientific method, used to prevent research outcomes from being influenced by either the Placebo effect or the Observer
In a preliminary trial, administration of FOS (8 grams per day for two weeks) significantly lowered fasting blood-sugar levels and serum total-cholesterol levels in patients with type 2 (non-insulin-dependent) diabetes.
However, in another trial, people with type 2 diabetes supplementing with FOS (15 grams per day) for 20 days found no effect on blood-glucose or lipid levels. Because of these conflicting results, more research is needed to determine the effect of FOS and inulin on diabetes and lipid levels. Diabetes mellitus (ˌdaɪəˈbiːtiːz or /ˌdaɪəˈbiːtəs/ /məˈlaɪtəs/ or /ˈmɛlətəs/ often referred to simply as diabetes ( Ancient Greek: grc Lipids are broadly defined as any fat- Soluble ( lipophilic) naturally-occurring Molecule, such as fats oils waxes cholesterol sterols fat-soluble
Several double-blind trials have looked at the ability of FOS or inulin to lower blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels. These trials have shown that in people with elevated total cholesterol or triglyceride levels, including people with type 2 (adult onset) diabetes, FOS or inulin (in amounts ranging from 8 to 20 grams daily) produced significant reductions in triglyceride levels. Inulins are a group of naturally occurring Polysaccharides (several simple sugars linked together produced by many types of plants However, the effect on cholesterol levels was inconsistent. In people with normal or low cholesterol or triglyceride levels, FOS or inulin produced little effect.
Sources
FOS and inulin are found naturally in Jerusalem artichoke, burdock, chicory, leeks, onions, and asparagus. The Jerusalem artichoke ( Helianthus tuberosus) also called the sunroot or sunchoke or earth apple or topinambur, is a species Burdock is any of a group of biennial Thistles in the Genus Arctium, family Asteraceae Common Chicory ( Cichorium intybus) is a bushy perennial Herb with blue lavender or occasionally white Flowers It grows The leek, Allium ampeloprasum var porrum (L also sometimes known as Allium porrum, is a vegetable which belongs along with the Onion and Organicsalsajpg||thumb|right|Onions used in salsa.]]Cooked onions in frying pan Asparagus officinalis is a flowering plant species in the genus Asparagus from which the Vegetable known as asparagus is obtained FOS products derived from chicory root contain significant quantities of inulin, a fiber widely distributed in fruits, vegetables and plants. Inulin is a significant part of the daily diet of most of the world’s population. FOS can also be synthesized by enzymes of the fungus Aspergillus niger acting on sucrose. Aspergillus niger is a Fungus and one of the most common species of the genus Aspergillus. GOS is naturally found in soybeans and can be synthesized from lactose (milk sugar). Lactose (also referred to as milk sugar) is a Sugar which is found most notably in Milk. FOS, GOS, and inulin are available as nutritional supplements in capsules, tablets, and as a powder.
Not all natural oligosaccharides occur as components of glycoproteins or glycolipids. Some, such as the raffinose series, occur as storage or transport carbohydrates in plants. Raffinose is a Trisaccharide composed of Galactose, Fructose, and Glucose. Carbohydrates (from ' Hydrates of Carbon ' or saccharides ( Greek σάκχαρον meaning " Sugar " are the most Others, such as maltodextrins or cellodextrins, result from the microbial breakdown of larger polysaccharides such as starch or cellulose. Dextrins are a group of low-molecular-weight Carbohydrates produced by the Hydrolysis of Starch. Cellodextrins are Glucose polymers of varying length (two or more glucose monomers resulting from Cellulolysis, the breakdown of Cellulose. Polysaccharides are relatively complex Carbohydrates They are Polymers made up of many Monosaccharides joined together by Glycosidic bonds Starch, CAS # 9005-25-8 Chemical formula (C6H10O5n is a Polysaccharide Cellulose is an Organic compound with the formula, a Polysaccharide consisting of a linear chain of several hundred to over ten thousand β(1→4
References
Medical Subject Headings ( MeSH) is a huge Controlled vocabulary (or metadata system for the purpose of indexing journal articles and booksDictionary
oligosaccharide
-noun
- (biochemistry) a polysaccharide of low molecular weight, being a polymer of between three and seven monosaccharide units
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