Study of the gastrointestinal protective effects of polysaccharides from Angelica sinensis in rats

We studied the protective effects of polysaccharides isolated from the root of Angelica sinensis (Oliv.) (Danggui) on gastrointestinal damage induced by ethanol or indomethacin in rats. Oral administration of ethanol provoked a marked hemorrhagic damage in the glandular mucosa, which was accompanied with a significant increase of myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, a marker en zyme for inflammation and neutrophil infiltration. An extract from Angelica , which mainly consisted of polysaccharides (95%) (AP), dose-dependently pr evented gastric mucosal damage. This ulcer protective effect could last at least 12 h after administration. Prostaglandin E-2 produced a similar anti- lesion effect. AP and prostaglandin E-2 also reduced mucosal MPO activity. Indomethacin-induced gastrointestinal damage, another neutrophil-dependent lesion model in the gastrointestinal tract, was also prevented by AP pretre atment. The present findings suggest that polysaccharides from Angelica pos sess an anti-inflammatory action, perhaps through the inhibitory action on neutrophil infiltration in the gastrointestinal mucosa. AP could potentiall y be useful to prevent any neutrophil-dependent mucosal injury in the gastr ointestinal tract.