The effect of Astragalus polysaccharide nanoparticles on blood glucose in diabetic mice

To evaluate the hypoglycemic effect of low dispersion chitosan loaded astragalus polysaccharide nanoparticles (APS-CS/TPP) in diabetes mice. Low dispersible chitosan (CS/TPP) was prepared by enzymatic method, and low dispersion chitosan loaded astragalus polysaccharide nanoparticles (APS-CS/TPP) were prepared by ion crosslinking method. The structure of APS-CS/TPP was characterized and identified. The murine diabetes model was established and the mice were divided into six groups, including control group, model group, APS group, low dose group, medium dose group and high dose group. Each group of mice received corresponding drug intervention once a day for a total of six weeks. The hypoglycemic effect of APS-CS/TPP was verified by monitoring the level of fasting blood glucose (FPG), glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c), and body weight of each group of mice. At the end of the experiment, the effect of APS-CS/TPP on oxidative stress was studied by detecting changes in SOD, GSH-Px, and MDA levels in the pancreatic tissue. There was a characteristic peak in the infrared absorption spectrum of APS-CS/TPP which appeared at 618.3 cm−1. The average particle size and the Zeta potential of APS-CS/TPP was (124.67 ± 4.07) nm and (28.34 ± 0.41) mV respectively. The in vitro experimental results showed that APS-CS-TPP possessed good biocompatibility. In vivo experimental results showed that compared with the control group, the FPG and HbA1c of the model group significantly increased (P < 0.05), while the body weight significantly decreased. Compared with the model group, the mice treated with different doses of APS-CS/TPP showed significant weight gain, while FPG and HbA1c significantly decreased (P< 0.05). Compared with the model group, APS and APS-CS/TPP treatment could reduce the level of oxidative stress in the pancreatic tissue of diabetes mice, which showed that the levels of SOD and GSH-Px increase, while the level of MDA decreases (P < 0.05). The APS-CS/TPP we prepared possessed good dispersibility and biocompatibility, and could effectively reduce the blood glucose of diabetes mice, which was expected to provide a new method for the clinical treatment of diabetes.