[Study on the immunocompetence of polysaccharide extracted from root of Salvia miltiorrhiza].

Objective: To study the immune activity of polysaccharide extracted from root of Salvia miltiorrhiza.

Methods: Investigated the effects of polysaccharide extracted from root of Salvia miltiorrhiza on lymphocyte proliferation response of mouse induced by LPS (the lipopolysaccharide LPS), phagocytosis of the peritoneal macrophage of mice to chick erythrocytes and the mouse models of delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) response induced by DNFB.

Results: Lymphocyte proliferation and phagocytosis of the peritoneal macrophage of mice could be promoted by the polysaccharide, which could inhibit ear edema and capillary permeability increase induced by DNFB and enlarged the thymus and splenic index in mice.

Mechanistic studies on the antidiabetic activity of a polysaccharide-rich extract of Radix Ophiopogonis.

To study the hypoglycemic mechanisms of a polysaccharide-rich extract of Radix Ophiopogonis, the influences of the extract on activity of NIT-1 insulinoma cells damaged by streptozotocin (STZ), activity of α-glucosidase, glucose absorption into intestinal brush border membrane vesicles, gluconeogenesis by H4IIE hepatoma cells and glucose uptake by 3T3-L1 adipocytes were investigated. The results show that the extract improved the activity of NIT-1 cells damaged by STZ, inhibited glucose absorption into intestinal brush border membrane vesicles and reduced the activity of α-glucosidase. However, gluconeogenesis in H4IIE cells and glucose uptake in 3T3-L1 adipocytes did not change significantly in the presence of the extract.