Isolation, characterization, and radiation protection of Sipunculus nudus L. polysaccharide.

Sipunculus nudus Linnaeus polysaccharide (SNP) was purified from S. nudus L. via NaOH extraction, trichloroacetic acid deproteination, DEAE-cellulose 52 and Sephacryl S-300 chromatography. The monosaccharide analysis and molecular weight was detected with HPLC. FT-IR, 1H spectrum and 13C NMR spectrum were performed to detect the chemical characteristics. The antioxidant activity was assayed in vitro. The radiation protection effects were detected on mice. The results showed that SNP was composed of mannose, rhamnose, galacturonic acid, glucose, arabinose and fucose, and the average molecular weight was 680 kDa. Above the concentration of 10 mg/mL, SNP showed powerful scavenging activity on hydroxyl radical. In the animals irradiated with a 7.5 Gy γ-rays, the 90 mg/kg and the 270 mg/kg SNP groups survived significantly longer than the radiation control group. In the animals irradiated with a 4.0 Gy γ-rays, SNP showed significant protection effect. The contents of DNA in bone marrow cells were significantly increased by SNP treatment, and the micronucleus rates of 30 mg/kg and 270 mg/kg SNP groups were decrease significantly compared to the radiation control group. These findings suggest that SNP possesses marked antioxidant and bone marrow damage protection capacity which play important roles in the prevention of radiation damage.