Extraction and antioxidant activity of polysaccharides from Rana chensinensis skin

The extraction process of polysaccharides from Rana chensinensis skin was optimized by using a Box-Behnken design. The optimum extraction conditions were as follows: extraction time, 4.96 h; extraction temperature, 100 °C; ratio of water to raw material, 60; and extraction frequency, 1. Under these conditions, the experimental polysaccharide yield was 2.03 ± 0.14%, which agreed with the predicted yield. The purified polysaccharide RCSP II was successfully obtained by diethylaminoethanol-Sepharose and Sepharose CL-6B column chromatography. In vitro experiments showed that RCSP II exhibited a strong scavenging activity against superoxide anion and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radicals but a weak scavenging activity against hydroxyl radicals. RCSP II also showed a strong reducing capacity. Thus, this polysaccharide can be used as a natural antioxidant in functional foods or medicines.