Abstract
Lotus is an edible and medicinal plant, and the extracts from its different parts exhibit various bioactivities. In the present study, the hot water–soluble polysaccharides from lotus seeds (LSPS) were evaluated for their cancer cell cytotoxicity, immunomodulatory and antitumor activities. LSPS showed significant inhibitory effects on the mouse gastric cancer MFC cells, human liver cancer HuH-7 cells and mouse hepatocarcinoma H22 cells. The animal studies showed that LSPS inhibited tumor growth in H22 tumor-bearing mice with the highest inhibition rate of 45.36%, which is comparable to that induced by cyclophosphamide (30 mg/kg) treatment (50.79%). The concentrations of white blood cells were significantly reduced in cyclophosphamide-treated groups (p < 0.01), while LSPS showed much fewer side effects according to the hematology analysis. LSPS improved the immune response in H22 tumor-bearing mice by enhancing the spleen and thymus indexes, and increasing the levels of serum cytokines including tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-2. Moreover, LSPS also showed in vivo antioxidant activity by increasing superoxide dismutase activity, thus reducing the malondialdehyde level in the liver tissue. These results suggested that LSPS can be used as an antitumor and immunomodulatory agent.
Highlights
Cancer is a malignant disease characterized by an abnormal cell growth and proliferation with the potential to invade surrounding tissues and metastasize to other tissues in the body [1]
The effect of lotus seeds polysaccharides (LSPS) on immune organs did not strictly follow the the dose-dependency trend, and the low dose of LSPS showed a more pronounced effect on the dose-dependency trend, and the low dose of LSPS showed a more pronounced effect on the thymus thymus index than the medium dose. These results suggest that the antitumor activity of LSPS might index than the medium dose. These results suggest that the antitumor activity of LSPS might be related be related to the activation of the immune responses in the host, whereas its side effects are lower to the activation of the immune responses in the host, whereas its side effects are lower than those than those induced by CTX-treated group (CTX) [32]
MDA level level was was still still lower lower than that of the negative control group. These results suggest that activity, than that of the negative control group. These results suggest that LSPS improved SOD activity, leading to a decrease in oxidative DNA and tissue damage; both effects
Summary
Cancer is a malignant disease characterized by an abnormal cell growth and proliferation with the potential to invade surrounding tissues and metastasize to other tissues in the body [1]. Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn.), an aquatic perennial plant of economic importance, has been cultivated in China for about 3000 years. Being both an edible and medicinal plant, all the parts of the lotus are used, especially the rhizomes and seeds [4]. Lotus seeds (Figure 1), called ‘Lian Zi’ in Chinese, Molecules 2016, 21, 1465; doi:10.3390/molecules21111465 www.mdpi.com/journal/molecules the lotus are used, especially the rhizomes and seeds [4]. Lotus seeds (Figure 1), called ‘Lian Zi’ in Chinese, aresources valuable sources of proteins, starch, and fatty unsaturated fattyhave acids, which have aamino wellare valuable of proteins, starch, and unsaturated acids, which a well-balanced balanced amino acid as wellofassugar, low levels of sugar, sodium and[5,6]
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