Inhibitory effect of Pulsatilla chinensis polysaccharides on glioma

Malignant glioma is a very devastating disease. Conventional surgery, radio-and chemotherapy are of limited benefit to improve the cure of patients with malignant astrocytomas. In this research, we evaluated the inhibitory effect of Pulsatilla chinensis polysaccharides (PCPS) on glioma in vivo and in vitro. PCPS had a significant anti-proliferative effect on C6 glioma in vitro assay. Meanwhile a remarkable inhibitory effect PCPS on the growth of C6 glioma and prolongation of life survival could be observed in vivo, comparable to carmustine (BCNU) administration. Moreover PCPS treatment to tumor bearing mice could not only decrease the body weight loss, but also elevate the thymus and spleen indices. In addition, PCPS administration to tumor bearing mice could relieve the liver and kidney damage with decreased levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and urea, and enhance superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) enzyme activities with lower MDA levels in the plasma of tumor bearing mice. The above data proved that PCPS had strong antitumor activity and could be considered as a possible candidate drugs for the glioma therapy.

► The crude polysaccharide (PCPS) was enriched from the root of Pulsatilla chinensis.
► PCPS had a significant inhibitory effect on C6 glioma in vitro and in vivo assays.
► PCPS treatment could improve the body weight, the life span and the thymus/spleen indices.
► PCPS could decrease the levels of AST, ALT and urea in plasma.
► PCPS could enhance serum SOD and CAT enzyme activities and decrease serum MDA level.