EVALUATION OF ANTI-TUMOR EFFECT OF SAPOSHNIKOVIA POLYSACCHARIDE BEFORE AND AFTER SULFATION

GONG LI-HONG, CAI YU-TING, LIU YI

Department of Pharmacy, Mudanjiang Medical University. Mudanjiang, Heilongjiang, China,157011

Objective: This study was conceived and designed in order to evaluate the inhibitory effect of ultrasonic Saposhnikovia poly- saccharide (USPS) on the proliferation of K562 leukemia cells in vitro, and also to examine its antioxidant activity.

Methods: USPS was sulfated by chlorosulfonic acid-pyridine method to obtain the sulfated USPS derivative (S-USPS), and MTT assay was used to determine their inhibitory effects on the growth of K562 cells at various doses (25 ug/ml, 50 ug/ml, 100 ug/ml, 200 ug/ml, 400 ug/ml, 800 ug/ml). Total reducing power of USPS and S-USPS and their scavenging capacity on hydroxyl radi- cal (.OH) and superoxide anion (O2-.) were determined.

Results: Results from MTT assay showed that USPS and S-USPS inhibited the proliferation of K562 cells in vitro in a time- and dose-dependent manner; 800 ug/ml S-USPS / USPS mixture controlled the growth of K562 cells at 72 h, but S-USPS had higher inhibitory effect than USPS. In addition, the total reducing power, as well as superoxide anion and hydroxyl radical scavenging capacities of S-USPS were significantly higher than the corresponding values for USPS (p <0.05).

Conclusion: Sulfated Saposhnikovia polysaccharide possesses in vitro anti-tumor and anti-oxidant activities. Thus, research on modification of Saposhnikovia polysaccharide may be useful in cancer therapy.