Beneficial effect of Bupleurum polysaccharides on autoimmune disease induced by Campylobacter jejuni in BALB/c mice

• Published in: Journal of ethnopharmacology 2009-07, Vol.124 (3), p.481-487
• Main Authors: Wang, Zheng, Li, Hong, Xu, Han, Yue, Xi-Ling, Cheng, Xiao-Qin, Hou, Wen-Jun, Zhang, Yun-Yi, Chen, Dao-Feng
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adjuvants; Animals; Antibodies, Bacterial - analysis; Autoantibody; Autoimmune Diseases - drug therapy; Autoimmunity; Biological and medical sciences; Body Weight - drug effects; Bupleurum; Bupleurum - chemistry; Bupleurum smithii var. parvifolium; Campylobacter Infections - immunology; Campylobacter jejuni; Campylobacter jejuni - immunology; Complement System Proteins - pharmacology; Female; General pharmacology; Hemolytic Plaque Technique; Immunoglobulin G - biosynthesis; Immunoglobulin G - immunology; Kidney - pathology; Lipopolysaccharides - pharmacology; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic - drug therapy; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic - immunology; Medical sciences; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Nitric Oxide - blood; Organ Size - drug effects; Pharmacognosy. Homeopathy. Health food; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Plant Roots - chemistry; Polysaccharides; Polysaccharides - pharmacology; Prednisone - pharmacology; Proteinuria - chemically induced; Proteinuria - urine; Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)
• ISSN: 0378-8741; 1872-7573
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2009.05.013

Radix Bupleuri, is one of the most frequently prescribed crude herbs in the prescriptions of traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of inflammatory diseases and auto-immune diseases. This study was to determine whether the crude polysaccharides (BPs) isolated from the roots of Bupleurum smithii var. parvifolium, had beneficial effects on autoimmune disease. BALB/c mice were immunized with CJ-S 131 in Freund's complete adjuvant on day 0, and then boosted on day 14. BPs 15 or 30 mg kg −1 day −1, or prednisone 5 mg kg −1 day −1 was given to BALB/c mice intragastrically from day 0 to day 34. Treatment with BPs 15 or 30 mg kg −1 day −1 for 35 days protected kidney from glomerular injury with reduced immunoglobulin deposition and lowered proteinuria. The increased production of serum autoantibodies and total immunoglobulin G (IgG) was also inhibited. BPs 30 mg kg −1 day −1 improved weight loss and spleen swelling when compared with vehicle-treated group. These findings suggested that Bupleurum polysaccharides had a beneficial effect on systemic lupus erythematosus-like syndroma induced by CJ-S 131 in BALB/c mice.