Attenuating effects of Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides on myocardial collagen cross-linking relates to advanced glycation end product and antioxidant enzymes in high-fat-diet and streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

In the present study, polysaccharides were isolated from Ganoderma lucidum and their effects on myocardial collagen cross-linking were discussed in high-fat-diet/streptozotocin diabetic rats to investigate whether collagen-linked advanced glycation end products (AGE) and antioxidant enzymes were involved in the progress. Rats were grouped into the normal control, diabetic control and polysaccharides-treated groups. Blood glucose, insulin, blood fat, antioxidant enzymes activities, myocardial collagen and AGE were measured. After polysaccharides treatment, blood glucose and fat decreased, while insulin increased. It was also found that G. lucidum polysaccharides attenuated myocardial collagen cross-linking in diabetic rats, which was related to the decreased level of AGE and augmented activities of antioxidant enzymes. The results provided a possible use of G. lucidum polysaccharides in the treatment of myocardial fibrosis of diabetes. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.