[Experimental studies on antioxidative effect of tongcao and xiao-tongcao polysaccharides].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the antioxidative effect of four kinds of Tongcao and Xiao-Tongcao polysaccharides. METHOD: Aged mice (nine months) were abdominal administrated with four kinds of polysaccharides (Tongtuomu, Ximashanjingjiehua, Xinanxiuqiu, Ditanghua) at dosages of 160 mg/kg and 80 mg/kg for 45 days. RESULT: Four kinds of polysaccharides could obviously decrease the content of serum and liver lipoperoxide(LPO) as well as the content of lipofuscin(LF) in brain and cardiac muscle of aged mice, and also increase the activity of superoxide dismutase(SOD) of red cells in aged mice. CONCLUSION: The polysaccharide components of Tongtuomu and three kinds of Xiao-Tongcao have antioxidative effect, suggesting that these substances have antiageing function.