Effects of Acidic Polysaccharides from Gastrodia Rhizome on Systolic Blood Pressure and Serum Lipid Concentrations in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats Fed a High-Fat Diet

Abstract

The effects of acidic polysaccharides purified from Gastrodia rhizome on blood pressure and serum lipid levels in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) fed a high-fat diet were investigated. Acidic polysaccharides were purified from crude polysaccharides by DEAE-Sepharose CL-6B. Thirty-six male SHR were randomly divided into three groups: Gastrodia rhizome crude polysaccharide (A), acidic polysaccharide (B) groups, and a control group (C). A 5-week oral administration of all treatment groups was performed daily in 3- to 8-week-old SHRs with a dose of 6 mg/kg of body weight/day. After 5 weeks of treatment, total cholesterol in the acidic polysaccharide group, at 69.7 ± 10.6 mg/dL, was lower than in the crude polysaccharide group (75.0 ± 6.0 mg/dL) and the control group (89.2 ± 7.4 mg/dL). In addition, triglyceride and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels in the acidic polysaccharide group were lower than in the crude polysaccharide and control groups. The atherogenic index of the acidic polysaccharide group was 46.3% lower than in the control group. Initial blood pressure after the initial three weeks on the high-fat diet averaged 195.9 ± 3.3 mmHg among all rats. Compared with the initial blood pressure, the final blood pressure in the control group was increased by 22.8 mmHg, whereas it decreased in the acidic polysaccharide group by 14.9 mmHg. These results indicate that acidic polysaccharides from Gastrodia rhizome reduce hypertension and improve serum lipid levels.

Trends in the Treatment of Hypertension from the Perspective of Traditional Chinese Medicine

“…With continuous enrichment of achievements in herbal pharmacology, the effective components and pharmacological effects of many Chinese herbs and formulas have been illustrated [63], which provides evidence for the treatment of modern diseases [64]. Chinese herbs such as Tianma (Gastrodia) [65], Gouteng (Uncaria) [66], Shijueming (Abalone Shell), Zhenzhumu (Nacre or mother of pearl), Daizheshi (Ruddle), Cishi (Magnetite), Juhua (Chrysanthemum) [67], Juemingzi (Cassia seed), Xixiancao (Herba Siegesbeckiae) [68], Baijili ( Tribulus Terrestris L.) [69], Xiakucao ( Prunella vulgaris L.), Luobuma ( Apocynum venetum L.), Duzhong ( Eucommia ulmoides ) [70–72], Niuxi ( Achyranthes root), Sangjisheng ( Loranthus ) [73, 74], Huangqi ( Astragalus membranaceus ) [75–77], Shengdihuang ( Radix rehmanniae ), Chuanxiong ( Ligusticum Chuanxiong Hort) [78], Gegen ( Kudzu root) [79, 80], Chishao (red peony root), Danshen ( Salvia miltiorrhiza ) [81], Yimucao ( Leonurus japonicus ), Shenghuaihua ( Sophora flower), Chongweizi ( Leonurus artemisia (lour.) S.Y.…”

Relative bioavailability of gastrodin and parishin from extract and powder of Gastrodiae rhizoma in rat

“…Phytochemical studies on GR have revealed the presence of gastrol, phenolic compounds [7], polysaccharides [8], amino acids, nucleosides [9], adenosines [10], vanillyl alcohol [11], gastrodin [10,12,13] and parishins [13,14]. Gastrodin is one of the earliest compounds found in GR and is specified as a marker for quality assessment on the herb in CP (edition 2010).…”

Relative tissue distribution and excretion studies of gastrodin and parishin from powder and extract of Gastrodiae Rhizoma in rat by UHPLC‐ESI‐MS/MS

“…and is one of the most commonly used Chinese medicines for the treatment of febrile convulsion, epileptoid convulsion, tetanus, headache or dizziness and paralysis or numbness of the limbs (Committee of the Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China, ). Recently, pharmacological and clinical studies showed that GR possesses various biological properties, such as anti‐asthmatic (Jang, Lee, & Kim, ), anti‐diabetic (Yang et al, ), anti‐hypertensive (Lee, Kim, Han, Kim, & Hong, ), anti‐inflammatory (Ng et al, ) and anti‐parkinsonian (Li, Zhang, Liu, & Lu, ) activities. In particular, the phenolic compounds isolated from water extracts of GR have potent antidepressant‐like (Chen, Lai et al, 2016; Lin et al, ) effects in mouse models.…”