Objective: To study the protective effect of polysaccharides from corn silk (PCS) against cyclophosphamide (CTX) induced host damages in mice bearing H22 tumors.
Methods: The ascitic and solid tumor bearing mice model were established to investigate the anti-tumor effects of different dose of PCS (100, 200 and 300 mg/kg). The effects of PCS alone and with combination of CTX on tumor weight, survival time, thymus and spleen index, white blood cell, nucleated cell of marrow, serum ALT and AST level were tested.
Results: The high-dose PCS (300 mg/kg) had significant inhibitory effects on tumor. After combination with CTX, the tumor inhibitory ratio was enhanced to 68.71%, the survival time of tumor-burdened ascites tumor mice was significantly prolonged to 72.07% compared with CTX group. The Q value of combination group was 0.997. Thymus and spleen index, white blood cell, nucleated cell of marrow decreased by CTX were ameliorated significantly. The level of ALT and AST increased by CTX were reduced by combination with PCS.
Conclusion: PCS has a potent inhibitory effect on the growth of implanted H22 tumors in mice and has a synergetic effect and an attenuated toxic effect in combination with CTX.