Identification of two polysaccharides from Prunella vulgaris L. and evaluation on their anti-lung adenocarcinoma activity

Molecules. 2010 Jul 27;15(8):5093-103. doi: 10.3390/molecules15085093.

Abstract

Prunella vulgaris L. (PV) has been used for tumor therapy in Traditional Chinese Medicine for centuries, however, systematic research on extracted PV polysaccharides believed to possess various biological activities, as well as their preventive and anti-tumor effects on lung cancer has not been reported. In this study, two polysaccharides (P31 and P32) were isolated from the aqueous extract of PV and purified through ethanol precipitation, followed by deproteination using DEAE-52 gel-filtration chromatography. The main monosaccharide composition of polysaccharide P32 was analyzed by GC. It was found that polysaccharide P32 consisted of rhamnose, arabinose, xylose, mannose, glucose and galactose in a molar ratio of 3.46:49.32:58.91:0.43:2.64: 3.11, respectively. In order to evaluate polysaccharide P32's anti-lung adenocarcinoma activities and immunomodulation effects, a C57BL/6 mouse-Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC) model was established and investigated. Our results showed that polysaccharides of PV had anti-lung cancer activity and could increase the thymus index and the spleen index in tumor-bearing mice, suggesting possible immunomodulation effects.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology
  • Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Chromatography, Gas
  • Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid
  • Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor
  • Lung Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Molecular Weight
  • Phytotherapy
  • Polysaccharides / chemistry
  • Polysaccharides / isolation & purification*
  • Polysaccharides / pharmacology
  • Polysaccharides / therapeutic use*
  • Prunella / chemistry*
  • Reference Standards
  • Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet
  • Spleen / drug effects
  • Spleen / pathology
  • Thymus Gland / drug effects
  • Thymus Gland / pathology
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Polysaccharides