EFFECTS OF POLYSACCHARIDES PURIFIED FROM SALVIAE-MILTIORRHIZAE RADIX ON EXPERIMENTAL NEPHROSIS IN RATS

A polysaccharide active fraction (AF) obtained from a hot-water extrac t of Salviae miltiorrhizae radix was found to reduce urinary protein e xcretion in rats with aminonucleoside-induced experimental nephrosis. Its composition was determined as 20% neutral sugars and 80% uronic ac ids. Oral or intramuscular administration of AF to the rats with amino nucleoside-induced nephrosis resulted in a significant decrease of uri nary protein excretion and an improvement in the levels of serum album in, cholesterol and lipid peroxide. Further, electron microscopical an alysis revealed that the extent and the severity of lesions of the epi thelial cells in glomerulus were significantly less in the rats treate d with AF.