title: Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharide fractions accelerate healing of acetic acid-induced ulcers in rats.
abstract: The polysaccharide (PS) fractions from several medicinal herbs have been reported to have anti-ulcer effects against experimental ulcers in the rat. The water-soluble PS fractions from Ganoderma lucidum (Reishi mushroom) have been shown to inhibit indomethacin-induced gastric mucosal lesions in rats. This study aimed to investigate the effect of the PS fraction from G. lucidum on the healing of gastric ulcers induced by acetic acid in the rat and to elucidate the underlying mechanisms involved. The abdomen of rats was incised, and the stomach was treated with 10 M acetic acid (100 microL) for 1 minute, and then treated with G. lucidum PS (0.1, 0.5, or 1.0 g/kg) intragastrically, once a day for 14 consecutive days. The results indicated that the oral administration of G. lucidum PS at 0.5 and 1.0 g/kg for 2 weeks caused a significant acceleration of ulcer healing by 40.1% and 55.9%, respectively. In the mechanistic studies, additional rats were treated with 10 M acetic acid to induce acute ulcers, and then treated with G. lucidum PS (1.0 g/kg) for 3, 7, 10, or 14 days. Exposure of the rat stomach to acetic acid led to decreased mucus and increased prostaglandin levels. Treatment with G. lucidum PS at 1.0 g/kg significantly (P < .05) suppressed or restored the decreased gastric mucus levels and increased gastric prostaglandin concentrations compared with the control group. These results indicates that G. lucidum PS is an active component with healing efficacy on acetic acid-induced ulcers in the rat, which may represent a useful herbal preparation for the prevention and treatment of peptic ulcers.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Food, Nutrition and Human Health, Massey University, Auckland, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Yihuai
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Wenbo
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: He
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Eli
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lan
authors.forename: Shufeng
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhou
mesh_terms: D019342:Acetic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D020940:Reishi / Q000737:chemistry*; D013276:Stomach Ulcer / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D011134:Polysaccharides; D019342:Acetic Acid