Polysaccharide Extracted from Rheum Tanguticum Prevents Irradiation-induced Immune Damage in Mice

Aim: To investigate the protective effect of purified fraction 1 polysaccharide extracted from Rheum tanguticumRTP1 on irradiation-induced immune damage in mice.
Methods: Kunming mice were randomly divided into fivegroups: normal group (NC), irradiation control group (IC), RTP1 low dose (200 mg/kg), middle dose (400 mg/kg)and high dose (800 mg/kg) groups. RTP1 was adminstered by the gastric route for 14 d, mice in the NC and ICgroups being given by 0.9% sodium chloride solution in the same way. The mice in all groups except NC groupwere irradiated with 2.0 Gy 60Co γ-ray on the fourteenth day. Immune indives of non-specific immune function,cellular immunity and humoral immunity were assessed at the 24th hour after radiation.
Results: Comparedwith the IC group, the spleen index, thymus index, rate of carbon clearance, phagocytic function of macrophages,lymphocyte proliferation, hemolysin value of blood serum and NK activity were increased markedly (P < 0.05or P < 0.05).
Conclusion: RTP1 has an obvious protective effects on damage in γ-ray radiated mice.