Extraction, characterization of Angelica sinensis polysaccharides and modulatory effect of the polysaccharides and Tai Chi exercise on oxidative injury in middle-aged women subjects

The present study was designed to investigate the effect of Angelica sinensis polysaccharides (ASP) and Tai Chi exercise on free radical generation and lipid peroxidation and its modulatory effect on immunity activity in middle-aged women subjects at a dosage levels of 125 mg/kg. ASP was characterized by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). HPLC analysis showed that ASP was composed of eight kinds of monosaccharides, namely mannose, rhamnose, glucuronic acid, galacturonic acid, glucose, galactose, arabinose and fucose in molar ratios of 1.2:4.5:1:10.5:17.8:37.5:8.7:4.9. Antioxidant activities such as superoxide dismutase (SOD). catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and reduced glutathione (GSH) and lipid peroxidation levels in both ASP and Tai Chi exercise groups were significantly enhanced or reduced compared to the control group. In addition, immunity activities such as serum vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (s-VCAM-1), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF-alpha) levels in both ASP and Ta Chi exercise groups were significantly reduced compared to the control group. it can be concluded that ASP intake and Tai Chi exercise decrease oxidant stress induced injury and improve immunity activities in middle-aged women subjects, indicating a obvious healthy promotion effect. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.