Mitochondrial Protection and Anti-aging Activity of Astragalus Polysaccharides and Their Potential Mechanism

International Journal of Molecular Sciences

Xing-Tai Li²  Ya-Kui Zhang¹  Hai-Xue Kuang³  Feng-Xin Jin¹  De-Wen Liu¹  Ming-Bo Gao²  Ze Liu² 

[1] Daxing’anling Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Jiagedaqi 165000, China; E-Mails:;College of Life Science, Dalian Nationalities University, No.18 Liaohe West Road, Dalian Economic & Technical Development Zone, Dalian 116600, China; E-Mails:;College of Pharmacy, Heilongjiang University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Harbin 150040, China; E-Mail:

关键词: Astragalus polysaccharides;    mitochondria;    anti-aging;    antioxidant;    reactive oxygen species;    mitochondrial permeability transition;   

DOI  :  10.3390/ijms13021747

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

The current study was performed to investigate mitochondrial protection and anti-aging activity of Astragalus polysaccharides (APS) and the potential underlying mechanism. Lipid peroxidation of liver and brain mitochondria was induced by Fe²⁺–Vit C in vitro. Thiobarbituric acid (TBA) colorimetry was used to measure the content of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS). Mouse liver mitochondrial permeability transition (PT) was induced by calcium overload in vitro and spectrophotometry was used to measure it. The scavenging activities of APS on superoxide anion (O₂^•−) and hydroxyl radical (•OH), which were produced by reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH)—N-Methylphenazonium methyl sulfate (PMS) and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂)–Fe²⁺ system respectively, were measured by 4-nitrobluetetrazolium chloride (NBT) reduction and Fenton reaction colorimetry respectively. The Na₂S₂O₃ titration method was used to measure the scavenging activities of APS on H₂O₂. APS could inhibit TBARS production, protect mitochondria from PT, and scavenge O₂^•−, •OH and H₂O₂ significantly in a concentration-dependent manner respectively. The back of the neck of mice was injected subcutaneously with D-galactose to induce aging at a dose of 100 mg/kg/d for seven weeks. Moreover, the activities of catalase (CAT), surperoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and anti-hydroxyl radical which were assayed by using commercial monitoring kits were increased significantly in vivo by APS. According to this research, APS protects mitochondria by scavenging reactive oxygen species (ROS), inhibiting mitochondrial PT and increasing the activities of antioxidases. Therefore, APS has the effect of promoting health.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2012 by the authors; licensee Molecular Diversity Preservation International, Basel, Switzerland.