Effects Of Lycium Barbarum Polysaccharides Research Articles

Effects of lycium barbarum polysaccharides on retinal pathological change and expression of VEGF in retina of diabetic rats

Background The primary pathological basis of diabetic retinopathy (DR) is new blood formation due to anoxia and inflammation,which results in breakdown of blood-retinal barrier (BRB).Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a key factor promoting neovascularization.Researches determined that lycium barbarum polysaccharides (LBP) can protect cells against oxidative damage.However,the study of LBP in ophthalmology is lack.Objective This study was to investigate the effects of LBP on the dynamic pathological change of retinal vessels and expression of VEGF in retina of diabetic rats.Methods One hundred and seventeen SPF male SD rats were randomly divided into the normal control group,the diabetic mellitus (DM) group and the LBP group according to random number table.Type 1 DM models were induced by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ,55 mg/kg) in the rats of the DM group and the LBP group,and then 250 mg/kg LBP was intragastically administered in the rats of the LBP group.The morphological change of retinal vessels was dynamically observed by retinal stretched preparation with Evans blue (EB) in 4,10 and 16 weeks after modeling.E B (45 mg/kg) was slowly injection via jugular vein,and 1％ polyoxymethylene was infused into the left ventricule.The eyeballs were extracted and retina were isolated.EB content in the retinas (mg/g) was calculated using retinal stretched preparation method at the time points mentioned above.Expressions of VEGF protein and mRNA in the retinas were detected by immunohistochemistry and real-time quantitative PCR at various time points,respectively.Results Retinal stretched preparation with EB exhibited that the abnormal degree in the shape,diameter of vessels and leakage of the retinal blood vessels were significantly slighter in the LBP group than those of the DM group in 4,10,16 weeks after modeling.At 4,10,16 weeks,EB content in the retinas was (12.17±1.55),(16.46±1.60) and (19.55±1.49) mg/g,which was significantly lower than (15.76± 1.90),(21.61 ±2.05) and (26.30±2.28) mg/g of the DM group (P＜0.05).Immunochemistry showed that the expression of VEGF protein primarily located at retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) layer.The staining intensity for VEGF protein was weaker in the LBP group than that of the DM group.The expression levels of VEGF protein (A value) in the LBP group were 0.234±0.011,0.331±0.023 and 0.536±0.031at various time points,with significant decline in comparison with 0.281±0.018,0.533±0.055 and 0.765±0.075 of the DM group (all at P＜0.05).Real-time quantitative PCR revealed that the expression levels of VEGF mRNA were 0.157±0.013,0.505 ±0.114 and 1.577±0.074 in the LBP group at various time points,which were significantly lower than 0.235±0.209,1.043±0.084 and 2.446±0.061 of the DM group (all at P＜0.05).Conclusions LBP can alleviate the DM-induced retinal vasculopathy,lessen the leakage of vessels well,and further protect the BRB. Key words: Diabetes mellitus/complication; Retina/diabetic retinopathy; Lycium barbarum polysaccharide; Vascular endothelial growth factor

Lycium barbarum Polysaccharide Prevents Focal Cerebral Ischemic Injury by Inhibiting Neuronal Apoptosis in Mice

Aims of the StudyTo investigate the neuroprotective effect of Lycium barbarum polysaccharide (LBP) on focal cerebral ischemic injury in mice and to explore its possible mechanism.Materials and MethodsMale ICR mice were used to make the model of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) after intragastric administration with LBP (10, 20 and 40 mg/kg) and Nimodipine (0.4 mg/kg) for seven successive days. After 24 h of reperfusion, neurological scores were estimated and infarct volumes were measured by 2, 3, 5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining. Morphological changes in ischemic brains were performed for hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining. The number of apoptotic neurons was detected by TUNEL staining. The Bax, Bcl-2 protein expression and CytC, Caspase-3, -9 and cleaved PARP-1 activation were investigated by immunofluorescence and western-blot analysis.ResultsLBP (10, 20 and 40 mg/kg) treatment groups significantly reduced infract volume and neurological deficit scores. LBP also relieved neuronal morphological damage and attenuated the neuronal apoptosis. LBP at the dose of 40 mg/kg significantly suppressed overexpression of Bax, CytC, Caspase-3, -9 and cleaved PARP-1, and inhibited the reduction of Bcl-2 expression.ConclusionsBased on these findings we propose that LBP protects against focal cerebral ischemic injury by attenuating the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway.

Inhibitory effect of Lycium barbarum polysaccharides on cell apoptosis and senescence is potentially mediated by the p53 signaling pathway

Lycium barbarum (L. barbarum) fruit or extract has been regarded as a superior-grade Chinese medicine, used to modulate body immunity and for anti-aging purposes. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms behind these effects remain unclear. In the present study, L. barbarum polysaccharides (LBPs), considered a major contributor of L. barbarum effects, were used to elucidate its mechanism of action by phenotypic and senescence associated-β-galactosidase (SA-β-gal) assays, evaluation of survival rates in vivo and expression profiling of genes related to the p53 signaling pathway in a zebrafish model. Zebrafish embryos were continuously exposed to various concentrations of LBPs (1.0, 2.0, 3.0 and 4.0 mg/ml) for 3 days. The results of fluorescent acridine orange and SA-β-gal staining indicated that cell apoptosis and senescence mainly occur in the head at 24 hours post fertilization (hpf) and 72 hpf. In addition, resistance to replicative senescence was observed at low doses of LBPs, especially at the 3.0 mg/ml concentration. Furthermore, the expression of genes that relate to aging, such as p53, p21 and Bax, was decreased, while that of Mdm2 and TERT genes was increased after treatment with LBPs. The results demonstrated that the effects of LBPs on cell apoptosis and aging might be mediated by the p53-mediated pathway.

Neuroprotective effect of lycium barbarum polysaccharides after cavernous nerve crush injury in a rat model

Objective To investigate the feasibility of erectile function recovery by repairing crushed cavernous nerves (CN) with lyceum barbarum polysaccharides (LBP).Methods Twenty-one male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 3 groups:sham group,LBP group,and control group.Erectile function was assessed by cavernous nerve electrostimulation at 3rd month after operation and nerve regeneration was assessed by toluidine blue staining of CN and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH)-diaphorase staining of penile tissue.Results The peak ICP/MAP ratio in LBP group (0.44 ± 0.05) was significantly higher than in control group (0.26 ± 0.03,P ＜ 0.05),but lower than in sham group (0.68-± 0.08,P ＜ 0.05).The LBP group had more myelinated axons of CNs (106.8 ± 17.9) than the control group (64.9 ± 13.9,P ＜ 0.05),but fewer than the sham group (180.9 ± 15.3,P ＜ 0.05).The LBP group had more NOS diaphorase positive nerve (164.2 ± 12.2) than the control group (85.6 ±14.7,P＜0.05),but fewer than the sham group (263.3 ± 15.0,P＜0.05).Conclusion The application of LBP after CN crush injury promotes nerve regeneration and erectile function recovery. Key words: Lyceum barbarum polysaccharide; Erectile dysfunction; Cavernous nerve

The effect of Lycium barbarum polysaccharides on erectile function recovery in a rat model of cavernous nerve injury

This study aimed to investigate the effect of Lycium barbarum polysaccharides (LBP) on erectile function recovery in a rat model of cavernous nerves (CN) injury. Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: ten rats underwent sham operation (sham group), ten underwent bilateral CN crush injury (injured control group) and the other ten underwent bilateral CN crush injury with an oral administration of LBP for 12 weeks (LBP application group). Oxidative stress was evaluated by malondialdehyde (MDA) level, super oxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activities in serum. Erectile function was assessed by CN electro-stimulation and CN regeneration was evaluated by toluidine blue staining at 12 weeks. After 12 weeks, the peak intracavernous pressure (ICP) and peak ICP per mean arterial pressure in the LBP application group were significantly higher than those in the injured control group, although lower than the sham group. The number of myelinated axons of CN in the LBP application group was more than that in the injured control group but fewer than the sham group. The results demonstrate that the application of LBP after CN crush injury promotes nerve regeneration and erectile function recovery. Key words: Erectile dysfunction, Lycium barbarum polysaccharides, oxidative stress, nerve regeneration.

The anti-aging effect of lycium barbarum polysaccharide on human retinal pigment epithelial cell

Background The pathogenesiof age-related maculadegeneration (AMD) iassociated with the senility of human retinal pigmenepithelium (RPE) cells.Seeking drug to arresRPE cell senility iof significance fothe prevention and treatmenof AMD.Research showed thathe lycium barbarum polysaccharide (LBP) can delay senility,buitinfluence on RPE cell aging iunclear.Objective Thistudy wato discusthe protective effecand mechanism of LBP on RPE cell aging.MethodPorcine retinal neural epithelial layewaisolated,and photoreceptooutesegmen(POS) waextracted by density gradiencentrifugation and marked by FITC.The POwathen co-cultured with RPE cellin the medium containing 0.01,0.10 and 1.00 g/L LBP fo24 hours.The areof fluorescence,representing the amounof POphagocytosed by RPE cells,wameasured undethe fluorescenmicroscope to evaluate the influence of LBP on the phagocytifunction of RPE cells.The POS-induced RPE lipofuscin-uptake cell model waestablished by co-culturing human RPE cellwith porcine POfo3 weeks.The RPE-POco-culture cell model waincubated in medium containing 0.01,0.10 o1.00 g/L LBP,and the autofluorescence caused by lipofuscin up-taken into RPE cellwadetected with flow cytometry.cell counting kiwaused to assescell proliferation and viability (value) 24,48 and 72 hourafteculturing.ResultPorcine POpresented athin rodundethe lighmicroscope and appeared abilayedisc-like structureundethe transmission electron microscope,and itFITC-labeled yellow-green autofluorescence waobserved undethe fluorescenmicroscope.No POwaup-taken into the RPE cellin the normal control group,buthe areof POphagocytosed by RPE cellwagradually enlarged with increasing doseof LBP,showing significandifference among the group(F =21.425,P =0.006).Compared with the POcontrol group,the phagocytosed areincreased avariouconcentrationof LBP+POgroup(P＜0.01).Flow cytometry showed thathe autofluorescence value in the POcontrol group wamore highethan thaof the normal control group.Athe LBP dose increased,the autofluorescence value in the RPE celldeclined gradually and iwaneathe normal value in the 1.00 g/L LBP+ POgroup.The rate of proliferation of the lipofuscin RPE cellvaried with the increase of doseof LBP with the maximal value in the normal RPE group and minimal value in the lipofuscin RPE group,and the rate of proliferation of the lipofuscin RPE cellascended with increasing doseof LBP until neathe normal value in the 1.00 g/L LBP + lipofuscin RPE cellgroup (P＞0.05).ConclusionLBP enhance the anti-aging effecof human RPE cellby strengthening the phagocytiability to POand the ability to remove lipofuscin and by heightening the proliferation of human RPE cells. Key words: Retinal pigment epithelial cell; Lycium barbarum polysaccharide; Senility; Photoreceptor

Neuroprotective effects of Lycium barbarum polysaccharides in lipopolysaccharide-induced BV2 microglial cells

Polysaccharides extracted from Lycium barbarum (LBPs) possess a wide variety of biological activities. However, their neuroprotective effects have not yet been fully elucidated. The aim of the present study was to investigate the inhibitory effects of LBPs on the production of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‑induced proinflammatory mediators in BV2 microglia. BV2 mouse microglial cells were cultured and an MTT assay was performed to determine whether LBPs had an effect on the apoptosis of LPS-stimulated BV2 cells. Our data showed that LPS induced the activation of nuclear factor‑κB (NF‑κB) and its upstream protein caspase 3, upregulated the expression of an additional apoptosis‑inducing factor, heat shock protein 60 (HSP60), in BV2 microglial cells and increased the release of TNF-α and HSP60 in the culture media. Following treatment with LBPs, the activated NF‑κB and caspase 3 were significantly suppressed. Furthermore, the enhanced expression of HSP60 was reduced and the LPS-induced release of TNF-α and HSP60 were inhibited. These results suggest that LBPs may have therapeutic potential for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases that are accompanied by microglial activation.

Protective Effects of Lycium barbarum Polysaccharides on Testis Spermatogenic Injury Induced by Bisphenol A in Mice.

To observe the effects of Lycium barbarum polysaccharides (LBP) on testis spermatogenic injuries induced by Bisphenol A (BPA) in mice. BPA was subcutaneously injected into mice at a dose of 20 mg/kg body weight (BW) for 7 consecutive days. LBP was administered simultaneously with BPA by gavage daily at the dose of 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg BW for 7 days. After treatment, the weight and the histopathology changes of testis and epididymis were examined; the contents of T, LH, GnRH, antioxidant enzyme, and malondialdehyde (MDA) in serum were detected; proapoptotic protein Bax and antiapoptotic protein Bcl-2 were also detected by immunohistochemical method. Results showed that the weights of testis and epididymis were all increased after supplement with different dosages of LBP compared with BPA group, and the activities of SOD and GSH-Px were significantly increased in LBP groups, while MDA contents were gradually decreased. Moreover, the levels of T, LH, and GnRH were significantly elevated in serum treated with 100 mg/kg LBP. LBP also shows significant positive effects on the expression of Bcl-2/Bax in BPA treated mice. It is concluded that LBP may be one of the potential ingredients protecting the adult male animals from BPA induced reproductive damage.

Protection of retinal ganglion cells and retinal vasculature by Lycium barbarum polysaccharides in a mouse model of acute ocular hypertension.

Acute ocular hypertension (AOH) is a condition found in acute glaucoma. The purpose of this study is to investigate the protective effect of Lycium barbarum polysaccharides (LBP) and its protective mechanisms in the AOH insult. LBP has been shown to exhibit neuroprotective effect in the chronic ocular hypertension (COH) experiments. AOH mouse model was induced in unilateral eye for one hour by introducing 90 mmHg ocular pressure. The animal was fed with LBP solution (1 mg/kg) or vehicle daily from 7 days before the AOH insult till sacrifice at either day 4 or day 7 post insult. The neuroprotective effects of LBP on retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) and blood-retinal-barrier (BRB) were evaluated. In control AOH retina, loss of RGCs, thinning of IRL thickness, increased IgG leakage, broken tight junctions, and decreased density of retinal blood vessels were observed. However, in LBP-treated AOH retina, there was less loss of RGCs with thinning of IRL thickness, IgG leakage, more continued structure of tight junctions associated with higher level of occludin protein and the recovery of the blood vessel density when compared with vehicle-treated AOH retina. Moreover, we found that LBP provides neuroprotection by down-regulating RAGE, ET-1, Aβ and AGE in the retina, as well as their related signaling pathways, which was related to inhibiting vascular damages and the neuronal degeneration in AOH insults. The present study suggests that LBP could prevent damage to RGCs from AOH-induced ischemic injury; furthermore, through its effects on blood vessel protection, LBP would also be a potential treatment for vascular-related retinopathy.

Lycium barbarum polysaccharide stimulates proliferation of MCF-7 cells by the ERK pathway

AimsThe aim of this study was to investigate the anti-proliferative effect of Lycium barbarum polysaccharide (LBP) on MCF-7cells. Main methodsMCF-7 cells were treated with 0, 10, 30, 100, and 300μg/ml LBP for 24h. The cell cycle distribution was analyzed by flow cytometry. MEK inhibitor, U1206 also was added in MCF-7 cells to deal with LBP (300μg/ml) for different times (0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 16, 24h). Western blotting was used to indicate changes in the levels of ERK (extracellular signal‐regulated protein kinase) and phosphorylation-ERK (p-ERK) to compare the relationship between ERK activity and LBP. The expressions of p53, p-p53 and p21 were observed by western blotting to analyze the relationship between p53 and ERK which was under the treatment of LBP. Key findingsThe MCF-7 cell cycle was arrested in S phase with the treatment of LBP. The LBP can also activate ERK, which may be associated with p53 pathway. There was a dose-dependent increase in the relation between the degree of ERK activation and LBP. SignificanceLBP induces the anti-proliferation of MCF-7 cells by activating ERK.

Protective effects of Lycium barbarum polysaccharide on neonatal rat primary cultured hippocampal neurons injured by oxygen-glucose deprivation and reperfusion

This study investigated the protective effects of Lycium barbarum polysaccharide (LBP) on alleviating injury from oxygen-glucose deprivation/reperfusion (OGD/RP) in primary cultured rat hippocampal neurons. Cultured hippocampal neurons were exposed to oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) for 2 h followed by a 24 h re-oxygenation. The MTT assay and the lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release were used to determine the neuron viability. Superoxide dismutase (SOD), Glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX), malondialdehyde (MDA) were determined by spectrophotometry using commercial kits. Mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and the intracellular free calcium concentration ([Ca(2+)](i)) in hippocampal neurons were measured using the confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM). Treatment with LBP (10-40 mg/l) significantly attenuated neuronal damage and inhibited LDH release in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, LBP enhanced activities of SOD and GSH-PX but it decreased their MDA content, inhibited [Ca(2+)](i) elevation and decrease of MMP in ischemia-reperfusion treated hippocampal neurons. These findings suggested that LBP may be a potential neuroprotective agent for cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Polysaccharides from wolfberry prevents corticosterone-induced inhibition of sexual behavior and increases neurogenesis.

Lycium barbarum, commonly known as wolfberry, has been used as a traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of infertility and sexual dysfunction. However, there is still a scarcity of experimental evidence to support the pro-sexual effect of wolfberry. The aim of this study is to determine the effect of Lycium barbarum polysaccharides (LBP) on male sexual behavior of rats. Here we report that oral feeding of LBP for 21 days significantly improved the male copulatory performance including increase of copulatory efficiency, increase of ejaculation frequency and shortening of ejaculation latency. Furthermore, sexual inhibition caused by chronic corticosterone was prevented by LBP. Simultaneously, corticosterone suppressed neurogenesis in subventricular zone and hippocampus in adult rats, which could be reversed by LBP. The neurogenic effect of LBP was also shown in vitro. Significant correlation was found between neurogenesis and sexual performance, suggesting that the newborn neurons are associated with reproductive successfulness. Blocking neurogenesis in male rats abolished the pro-sexual effect of LBP. Taken together, these results demonstrate the pro-sexual effect of LBP on normal and sexually-inhibited rats, and LBP may modulate sexual behavior by regulating neurogenesis.

Effect of Lycium barbarum Polysaccharides on the expression of endothelin-1 and its receptors in an ocular hypertension model of rat glaucoma.

Lycium barbarum, a traditional Chinese anti-aging herb, has been shown to protect retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) in a rat chronic ocular hypertension (COH) model. Here, we investigated the expression of endothelin-1 (ET-1), a strong vasoconstrictor, and its receptors, ETA and ETB, in the COH model and assessed the effects of Lycium barbarum on the ET-1 axis. Elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) was induced in the right eye of SD rats using argon laser photocoagulation. (1) The expression of ET-1, ETA and ETB in normal and COH retinas was studied. (2) Some COH rats were fed daily with Lycium barbarum Polysaccharides (LBP) using 1 mg/kg or phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) for 3 weeks (started 1 week before photocoagulation). The effects of LBP on the expression of ET-1 and its receptors, ETA and ETB, in COH retina were evaluated. A semi-quantitative analysis of staining intensity was used to evaluate the expression levels of ET-1, ETA and ETB in retinal vasculature. We found that (1) Under COH condition, the immunoreactivity of ET-1 was increased in retina associated with an increase of ETB receptor immunoreactivity and a decrease of ETA receptor immunoreactivity. (2) After feeding COH rats with LBP, the expression of ET-1 was decreased with an increase of ETA expression and a decrease of ETB expression in the retina, especially in RGCs. (3) By comparing the staining intensity in the vasculature of COH retina in LBP-fed group with PBS-fed group, there was a decrease in the expression of ET-1 and ETA and an increase in ETB. In summary, ET-1 expression was up-regulated in the retina in COH model. LBP could decrease the expression of ET-1 and modulate the expression of its receptors, ETA and ETB, under the condition of COH. The neuroprotective effect of LBP on RGCs might be related to its ability to regulate the ET-1-mediated biological effects on RGCs and retinal vasculature.

Lycium barbarum Polysaccharides Attenuate Cisplatin-Induced Hair Cell Loss in Rat Cochlear Organotypic Cultures

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of Lycium barbarum polysaccharides (LBP) on cisplatin-induced hair cell damage in the organ of Corti explant. The neonatal (P2–3) rat organ of Corti explant was exposed to cisplatin (20 μM; 48 h) with or without LBP pretreatment (150 and 600 μg/mL; 24 h). Hair cell loss was indicated by FITC-labeled phalloidin staining. The level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and alteration of mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) in hair cells were analyzed using fluorescent probes 2′,7′-dichlorofluorescein diacetate and JC-1, respectively. The results showed that LBP significantly attenuated hair cell loss (p < 0.01). Hair cells pretreated with LBP showed significant reduction in ROS production and the decline of ΔΨm compared with cisplatin alone group (p < 0.01), indicating the protective effect of LBP on cisplatin-induced hair cell loss. Taken together, these results indicate that LBP was effective in attenuating cisplatin-induced hair cell loss by reducing the production of ROS and maintaining mitochondrial ΔΨm.

Protective effect of Lycium barbarum polysaccharide on retinal ganglion cells in vitro.

To observe the effect of Lycium barbarum polysaccharide (LBP) on rat retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) in vitro. Retinal cells of neonatal Sprague-Dawley rats were collected 1 to 3 days after birth, and co-cultured with different concentrations of LBP for 24 hours. Absorbance values (OD) were recorded using MTT assay for calculating survival rates. All the test groups had protective effects on RGCs. The group with 10mg/mL concentration of LBP had the most significantly difference of OD value compared with that in control group (P<0.01). LBP can increase the survival rate and promote the growth of mixed cultured rat RGCs.

The Protective Effects of Lycium Barbarum Polysaccharides on Transient Retinal Ischemia

Retinal ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury leads to irreversible neuronal death, glial activation, retinal swelling and oxidative stress. It is a common feature in various ocular diseases, such as glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy and amaurosis fugax. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the effects of Lycium Barbarum Polysaccharides (LBP) in a murine retinal I/R model. Mice were orally treated with either vehicle (PBS) or LBP (1mg/kg) daily for 1 week before induction of retinal ischemia. Retinae were collected after 2 hours ischemia and 22 hours reperfusion. Paraffin-embedded sections were prepared for immunohistochemical analyses. Significantly fewer viable cells were found in vehicle-treated retinae comparing to LBP group. This finding was further confirmed by TUNEL assay where significantly fewer apoptotic cells were identified in LBP-treated retinae. Additionally, retinal swelling induced by retinal I/R injury in the vehicle-treated group was not observed in LBP-treated group. Moreover, intense GFAP immunoreactivity and IgG extravasation were observed in vehicle-treated group but not in LBP treated group. The results showed that pre-treatment with LBP was protective in retinal I/R injury via reducing neuronal death, apoptosis, retinal swelling, GFAP activation and blood vessel leakage. LBP may be used as a preventive agent for retinal ischemia diseases.

The Effect of Lycium Barbarum Polysaccharide on Alcohol-Induced Oxidative Stress in Rats

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of Lycium barbarum Polysaccharide (LBP) on alcohol-induced liver damage in rats. A total of 36 rats were divided into control, ethanol and ethanol + LBP groups. Rats in the ethanol group were fed 7 g ethanol/kg body weight by gastric infusion, three times a day, for 30 consecutive days, while rats in the control group received the same volume of physiological saline instead of ethanol, and rats in ethanol + LBP group were fed both ethanol (7 g/kg body weight) and LBP (300 mg/Kg body weight/day). Alcoholic liver injury was examined by serum ALT and AST activities, alcoholic fatty liver was assessed by lipid levels, and oxidative stress was evaluated by SOD, CAT, GSH-Px, GSH and MDA assays. In the ethanol group, a significant elevation of enzymes and lipid in serum, increased MDA level and depletion of SOD, CAT, GSH-Px and GSH in liver were observed. LBP administration significantly ameliorated liver injury, prevented the progression of alcohol-induced fatty liver, and improved the antioxidant functions when compared with the ethanol group. Histopathological examination of rat liver revealed that LBP administration protected liver cells from the damage induced by ethanol. The results suggest that LBP is a promising agent to protect the liver from hepatotoxicity and fatty liver induced by ethanol intake.

Lycium barbarum Polysaccharides Reduce Exercise-Induced Oxidative Stress

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of Lycium barbarum polysaccharides (LBP) on exercise-induced oxidative stress in rats. Rats were divided into four groups, i.e., one control group and three LBP treated groups. The animals received an oral administration of physiological saline or LBP (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg body weight) for 28 days. On the day of the exercise test, rats were required to run to exhaustion on the treadmill. Body weight, endurance time, malondialdehyde (MDA), super oxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) level of rats were measured. The results showed that the body weight of rats in LBP treated groups were not significantly different from that in the normal control group before and after the experiment (P > 0.05). After exhaustive exercise, the mean endurance time of treadmill running to exhaustion of rats in LBP treated groups were significantly prolonged compared with that in the normal control group. MDA levels of rats in LBP treated groups were significantly decreased compared with that in the normal control group (P < 0.05). SOD and GPX levels of rats in LBP treated groups were significantly increased compared with that in the normal control group (P < 0.05). Together, these results indicate that LBP was effective in preventing oxidative stress after exhaustive exercise.

Anticancer effect of Lycium barbarum polysaccharides on colon cancer cells involves G0/G1 phase arrest

Colorectal cancer is one of the most common cancers worldwide. The anticancer effect of Wolfberry (Lycium barbarum) polysaccharide (LBP) on colon cancer cells is largely unknown. To investigate the growth effect of LBP on human colon cancer cell and its possible mechanisms, human colon cancer SW480 and Caco-2 cells were treated with 100-1,000 mg/l LBP for 1-8 days. Cell growth was measured by MTT assay and crystal violet assay. Distribution of the cell cycle was analyzed by flow cytometry. Western blotting was used to indicate changes in the level of cyclins and cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs). LBP treatment inhibited both colon cancer cell lines in a dose-dependent manner. At concentrations from 400 to 1,000 mg/l, LBP significantly inhibited the growth of SW480 cells (400 mg/l, P < 0.01; 800 and 1,000 mg/l, P < 0.001); while at concentrations from 200 to 1,000 mg/l, LBP significantly inhibited the growth of Caco-2 cells (200 mg/l, P < 0.05; 400-1,000 mg/l, P < 0.001). Crystal violet assay showed that LBP had a long-term anti-proliferative effect. More importantly, cells were arrested at the G0/G1 phase. The changes in cell-cycle-associated protein, cyclins, and CDKs were consistent with the changes in cell-cycle distribution. This is one of the first studies to focus on LBP-induced interruption of the cell cycle in human colon carcinoma cells. The results suggest that LBP is a candidate anticancer agent.

Protective effect of Lycium barbarum polysaccharides on oxidative damage in skeletal muscle of exhaustive exercise rats

The aim of this study was to determine the modulatory effect of Lycium barbarum polysaccharides (LBP) on the oxidative stress induced by an exhaustive exercise. 32 male Wistar rats were taken in the study. The experiment was a 30-day exhaustive exercise program. We determined the lipid peroxidation, glycogen levels, and anti-oxidant enzyme activities in skeletal muscle. The results demonstrated that L. barbarum polysaccharides administration significantly increases glycogen level and anti-oxidant enzyme activities, and decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) level and creatine kinase activities. In conclusion, L. barbarum polysaccharides administration can significantly decrease the oxidative stress induced by the exhaustive exercise.