title: Ganoderma atrum polysaccharide attenuates oxidative stress induced by d-galactose in mouse brain.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Ganoderma atrum polysaccharide (PSG-1), the main constituent of G. atrum, has been reported to attenuate oxidative stress in vitro. The aim of this study was to investigate whether PSG-1 has a protective effect on the brain against oxidative stress induced by D-galactose (D-gal) in vivo.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mice were intraperitoneally (i.p.) injected with D-gal (100 mg/kg body weight) once daily for 10 weeks. From the seventh week, D-gal-treated mice received PSG-1 (50, 100, or 150 mg/kg body weight) once daily for the last 4 weeks. The activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathione reductase (GSH-Rd), and the contents of glutathione (GSH), glutathione disulfide (GSSG) and malondialdehyde (MDA) in the brain were measured using different biochemical methods to evaluate the changes of the antioxidant ability in the PSG-1 treated mice. Apoptosis, reactive oxygen species (ROS) and calcium levels were determined by flow cytometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Administration of PSG-1 significantly reduced apoptosis in the mouse brain in a dose-dependent manner. PSG-1-evoked reduction of apoptosis was associated with the decrease of MDA and GSSG contents, and the increase of SOD, CAT, GPx and GSH-Rd activities, and GSH contents. PSG-1 treatment was also found to attenuate ROS production and calcium accumulation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PSG-1 has a potential to be used as a novel therapeutic agent for the protection of aging brain tissue against oxidative damage by modifying the redox system and maintaining calcium homeostasis.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330047, China.
authors.forename: Wen-Juan
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Shao-Ping
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Nie
authors.forename: Ming-Yong
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Qiang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: He
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005690:Galactose / Q000633:toxicity; D032902:Ganoderma / Q000737:chemistry*; D051379:Mice; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction / Q000187:drug effects; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D010936:Plant Extracts; D011134:Polysaccharides; D002118:Calcium; D005690:Galactose