ABSTRACT
Aim To investigate the protective effects of Angelica sinensis polysaccharides on bone marrow and spleen injury in SD rats induced by X-ray radiation.Methods Forty male SD rats were randomly divided into blank group,model group,low dose group of Angelica polysaccharide (63.5 mg · kg-1),Angelica polysaccharide middle dose group (127 mg · kg-1),and Angelica polysaccharide high dose group (254 mg · kg-1).The medicine group was treated daily with different concentrations of Angelica polysaccharide 2 mL gavage once,blank group and model group with an equal amount of distilled water instead.After a continuous administration of 7 d,X-ray irradiation was performed on rats except the blank group,with continuous exposure of 2 d,and the total radiation was at a dose of 6 Gy,then 3 d post the last radiation,the rats were sacrificed after anesthesia by bloodletting.The general quality of life,bone marrow nucleated cells,blood routine,spleen index,serum interferon gamma (IFN-γ)and interleukin-4 (IL-4) contents in each group of rats were detected.Pathological changes of spleen were observed under microscope.Results Compared with the blank group,the quality of life,bone marrow nucleated cells of rats in the model group,the number of white blood cells,spleen index,INF-γ and IL-4 expression significantly decreased,but the number of erythrocytes and hemoglobin increased significantly,and the difference was statistically significant (P ＜ 0.05).HE staining showed the decrease in splenic corpuscle atrophy,germinal center,white pulp and red pulp structural disorder,and the number of lymphocytes.Compared with the model group,Angelica polysaccharide group's survival quality,bone marrow nucleated cell number,the number of white blood cell,spleen index,INF-γand IL-4 expression markedly increased,but the number of erythrocytes and hemoglobin decreased significantly,and the difference was statistically significant (P ＜ 0.05).HE staining showed that pathological injury of spleen was alleviated,spleen body was visible,germinal center,red pulp and white pulp boundaries were still visible,and the number of lymphocytes increased.Conclusions Angelica sinensis polysaccharide can protect the bone marrow and spleen of SD rats induced by radiation,and the mechanism may be achieved by reducing the damage to hematopoietic cells and immune cells in the bone marrow and spleen,and replenishing blood and body fluid body.