Isolation and antitumor activities of acidic polysaccharide from Gynostemma pentaphyllum Makino

• Published in: Carbohydrate polymers 2012-07, Vol.89 (3), p.942-947
• Main Authors: Li, Xiao-Li, Wang, Zheng-Hui, Zhao, Yong-Xi, Luo, Su-Ju, Zhang, Ding-Wei, Xiao, Sheng-Xiang, Peng, Zhen-Hui
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acidic polysaccharide; Animals; Antineoplastic agents; Antitumor; Applied sciences; Biological and medical sciences; blood serum; Cell Line, Tumor; Chemotherapy; concanavalin A; Cytokines - metabolism; Exact sciences and technology; Gynostemma - chemistry; Gynostemma pentaphyllum; Humans; interferon-gamma; interleukin-10; interleukin-12; Medical sciences; Melanoma; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; molecular weight; Natural polymers; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Physicochemistry of polymers; Plant Extracts - chemistry; Plant Extracts - isolation & purification; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; polysaccharides; Polysaccharides - chemistry; Purification; spleen; Starch and polysaccharides; tumor necrosis factor-alpha
• ISSN: 0144-8617; 1879-1344
• DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2012.04.040

► Gynostemma pentaphyllum is a well-known traditional Chinese herbal medicine. ► Two acidic polysaccharides (GP-B1 and GP-C1) were obtained from this medicinal herb. ► GP-B1 could suppress the growth of melanoma B16 in vivo and in vitro. ► GP-B1 increased serum TNF-α, IFN-γ, and IL-12 levels and reduced IL-10 production. ► The antitumor effects of GP-B1 are associated with immunostimulation. Two acidic polysaccharides (GP-B1 and GP-C1) were obtained from Gynostemma pentaphyllum. The molecular weights (Mw) of the two fractions were 79kDa for GP-B1 and 126kDa for GP-C1. GP-B1 was composed of Gal, Ara, Man, Rha, Xyl, Glc, GalA and GlcA in a molar ration of 3.5:3.2:0.6:0.9:0.3:0.5:0.6:0.4. GP-C1 consisted of Gal, Ara, Man, Rha, Glc, and GlcA in the proportions of 2.1:1.0:0.3:0.5:0.4:0.9. Among them, GP-B1 treatment had a significant inhibitory effect on the growth of melanoma B16 in vivo and in vitro. Meanwhile GP-B1 could increase the relative spleen weight and stimulate the splenocyte proliferation alone or combined with ConA. Moreover, GP-B1 treatment induced an evident increase in the level of serum TNF-α, IFN-γ, and IL-12 and a reduction for IL-10 production. These results indicate that the antitumor effects of GP-B1 are associated with immunostimulation.