title: Polysaccharides from Cymbopogon citratus with antitumor and immunomodulatory activity.
abstract: Abstract Context: Most of the present studies on the antitumor efficiency of Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) Stapf (Gramineae) are limited to its low-mass compounds, and little information about the antitumor activity of polysaccharides from this plant is available.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study focused on the potential antitumor and immunomodulatory activities of polysaccharides (CCPS) from C. citratus.
  
  
  METHODS
  CCPS was isolated using the water extraction-ethanol precipitation method. The sarcoma 180 (S180) cells-inoculated mice were intraperitoneally administrated with CCPS (30-200 mg/kg/d) for seven consecutive days. The effects of CCPS on tumor growth, thymus and spleen weights, splenocyte proliferation, and cytokine secretion in the tumor-bearing mice were measured. The cytotoxicity of CCPS (50-800 μg/mL) towards S180 cells was also studied.
  
  
  RESULTS
  CCPS significantly inhibited the growth of the transplanted S180 tumors, with the inhibition rates ranging from 14.8 to 37.8%. Simultaneously, CCPS dose-dependently improved the immunity of the tumor-bearing mice. With the highest dose of 200 mg/kg/d, the thymus and spleen indices were increased by 21.9 and 91.9%, respectively; ConA- and LSP-induced splenocyte proliferations were increased by 32.7 and 35.3%, respectively. The secretions of interleukin 2 (IL-2), interleukin 6 (IL-6), interleukin 2 (IL-12), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were increased by 103.2, 40.2, 23.6, and 26.3%, respectively. Nevertheless, almost no toxicity of CCPS towards S180 cells was observed, with the maximal inhibition rate less than 15% at the CCPS concentration of 800 μg/mL.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CCPS exhibited antitumor activity in vivo, and this activity might be achieved by immunoenhancement rather than direct cytotoxicity.
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Key Laboratory of Functional Materials Chemistry, and Research Centre of Analysis and Test, East China University of Science and Technology , Shanghai , PR China and.
authors.forename: Xiao-Li
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Bao
authors.forename: Hui-Hui
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.forename: Cheng-Zhong
authors.initials: CZ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: Min-Bo
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Lan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D031743:Cymbopogon / Q000737:chemistry*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D035261:Plant Components, Aerial / Q000737:chemistry; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012510:Sarcoma 180 / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D013154:Spleen / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D011134:Polysaccharides
keywords: Cytokines; Sarcoma 180; immune organs; splenocyte proliferation