Effects of Sulfation Modification on Anti-inflammatory Activity of Polysaccharides from Scrophulariae Radix

OBJECTIVE To comparative study on the changes and mechanisms of anti-inflammatory activity of polysaccharide from Scrophulariae Radix before and after sulfation modification. METHODS The systemic inflammatory model was established by intraperitoneal injection of lipopolysaccharide(LPS) in male ICR mice. Then polysaccharides from Scrophulariae Radix and sulphated polysaccharides from Scrophulariae Radix were used for drug intervention and aspirin was used as a positive control. Real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) was used to detect the mRNA expression of interleukin-6(IL-6), interleukin-1β(IL-1β), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1(MCP-1) and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α) in liver tissue. The protein expression of IL-6, IL-1β, MCP-1 and TNF-α in serum was detected by ELISA. The level of nuclear factor-kappaB(NF-κB) and phospho-NF-κB in liver tissue was detected by Western blotting. RESULTS The results showed that both sulphated polysacharides from Scrophulariae Radix and polysacharides from Scrophulariae Radix significantly inhibited LPS-induced over-expression of IL-6 IL-1β, MCP-1 and TNF-α in both mRNA and protein levels. After sulfation modification, polysacharides from Scrophulariae Radix exerted more significant anti-inflammatory activities and the mechanism might be associated with activation of NF-κB signaling pathway. CONCLUSION Sulfation modification of polysacharides from Scrophulariae Radix can stronger anti-inflammatory efficacy and has better application prospects, which provides a theoretical basis for the development and application of Scrophulariae Radix.