Optimization and mechanism of postponing aging of polysaccharides from Chinese herbal medicine formula

To study the extraction technology of polysaccharides (AAP) from Chinese herbal medicine formula and its mechanism of delaying aging. First, L9(3)4 orthogonal test was used to optimize the optimal enzyme-assisted extraction parameters of polysaccharides. And the anti-aging effects was evaluated by detecting mitochondrial function, protein, DNA, adhesion molecules and cell cycle in aging rats. The optimal extraction process parameters were the cellulase concentration of 1.5%, the pH at 5, the enzyme temperature at 50°C and the extraction time of 180 min. The anti-aging results showed that AAP can effectively increase the activities of malate dehydrogenase, succinate dehydrogenase and superoxide dismutase. It also can decrease the activity of monoamine oxidase and methane dicarboxylic aldehyde levels in the brain tissue. Meanwhile, the polysaccharides enhanced telomerase activity while reduced p16 protein expression of the brain mitochondria. In addition, the polysaccharides continued to improve heart damage and significantly lessen mitochondrial DNA concentrations. For a certain period of time, it also enhanced the activity of superoxide dismutase, reduced glutathione, glutathione peroxidase and decreased protein carbonyl and methane dicarboxylic aldehyde content of kidney in D-galactose-induced aging rats. Furthermore, the polysaccharides restored the number of cells in the peripheral blood lines and BMNC through inhibiting the drop of the number of red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets in the peripheral blood and bone marrow mononuclear cell of the aging rats. At the same time, AAP accelerated G1 phase cell to enter S phase in cell cycle in aging rats. Our research suggests that the polysaccharides may be a potential anti-aging agent and can be further developed as a functional food or new drug to delay aging or treat aging-related diseases.