Abstract: The antioxidant and immunomodulatory effects of water-soluble polysaccharide from jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam.) pulp (JFP-Ps) were investigated. The effect of JFP-Ps on the proliferation of normal mouse spleen lymphocytes, antioxidant capacity (total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activity) and malonic dialdehyde (MDA) contents, as well as the secretion of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) were detected by culturing mouse spleen lymphocytes in vitro in the presence of different concentrations of JFP-Ps. The results showed that JFP-Ps at 80 and 160 μg/mL significantly (P < 0.05) increased lymphocyte proliferation, and it at 40 μg/mL and above enhanced T-AOC, GSH-Px, SOD and CAT activities and reduced MDA content. Moreover, JFP-Ps at 40, 80 and 160 μg/mL significantly increased the secretion of TNF-α, IFN-γ and IL-1β in spleen lymphocytes (P < 0.05). These results indicate that JFP-Ps exerts immunomodulatory effect likely by inducing lymphocyte proliferation, enhancing antioxidant activity and increasing the secretion of TNF-α, IFN-γ and IL-1β.

Key words: polysaccharide from jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam.), spleen lymphocyte, antioxidant activity, cytokines, immune modulation