Antioxidant and hepatoprotective activities of polysaccharides from Anoectochilus roxburghii

The physicochemical properties (molecular weights and monosaccharide compositions), antioxidant and hepatoprotective activities of polysaccharides (ARPPs: ARPP30, ARPP60 and ARPP80) isolated from Anoectochilus roxburghii were investigated. ARPP80 exhibited relatively strong antioxidant activities in a concentration-dependent manner. In mice subjected to carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatotoxicity, ARPP80 pretreatment significantly (p < 0.01) reduced the levels of aspartate and alanine amino transferases and malonyldialdehyde, prominently (p < 0.01) restored the levels of superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase and reduced glutathione in serum or liver homogenate. These hepatoprotective effects were comparable to those of the standard drug silymarin at the same dose (200 mg/kg). The study clearly demonstrated that ARPPs, especially ARPP80, might be suitable as functional foods or hepatoprotective drugs.