Anticancer Activity of Polysaccharides from Castanea Mollissima Blume in H22 Tumor-Bearing Mice

In this study, chestnut polysaccharides (TCP) obtained through hot water extraction and purified using three-phase partitioning method were fed to H22 hepatoma-bearing mice to investigate their inhibitory effects on the solid tumors. It was shown that oral administration of TCP markedly suppressed the tumor growth and alleviated spleen enlargement and thymus atrophy. The tumor inhibition rates for the low-dose group [100 mg/(kg•d)] and the high-dose group [500 mg/(kg•d)] of TCP were 35.64% and 56.61%, respectively. TCP also remarkably enhanced the splenocyte proliferation induced by ConA or LPS in mice, notably improved the macrophage phagocytosis, and increased the percentages of CD3+, CD4+, and CD8+ T lymphocytes in peripheral blood of mice. The research verifies that TCP demonstrates anti-tumor properties by amplifying the immune defense systems of the host, showcasing significant promise for applications in medicinal and functional food sectors.