Abstract:

Subcutaneous injection of D-galactose was used to artificially induce aging in mice and the aged mice were randomly divided into 4 groups to investigate the in vivo antioxidant and immunomodulatory effects of polysaccharide from rapeseed meal (PRM) by evaluating oxygen free radical metabolism and immunomodulatory activities. The results showed that PRM at 400 and 200 mg/kg bw obviously reduced the higher MDA contents and unregulated the lower SOD activities in liver and kidney of D-galactose-induced aged mice. Also, PRM not only increased the thymus index as well as lower ConA proliferation response of spleen lymphocytes and IL-2 production, but also reduced the proliferation response of macrophages and the generation of IL-1 and NO in D-galactose-induced aged mice. These investigations demonstrate that PRM is able to improves protective immune response and inhibit destructive immune response. Therefore, PRM has remarkable antioxidant and immunomodulatory effects in D-galactose-induced aged mice.

Key words: polysaccharide from rapeseed meal (PRM), D-galactose, aging, SOD, MDA, immune response