2. Academic Validation
  3. Bioactive glycyrrhizic acid-astragalus polysaccharide hydrogel facilitates gastric ulcer healing via ROS scavenging and anti-apoptotic effects

Bioactive glycyrrhizic acid-astragalus polysaccharide hydrogel facilitates gastric ulcer healing via ROS scavenging and anti-apoptotic effects

  • Carbohydr Polym. 2025 Aug 15:362:123685. doi: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2025.123685.
Haocheng Zheng 1,  Shan Gao 2,  Yunze Liu 3,  Tieshan Wang 4,  Jiena Chen 3,  Junzhe Zhang 5,  Chengze Li 6,  Dianchun Liu 6,  Yixiao Gu 6,  Haimin Lei 7,  Yuan Li 8,  Yicong Li 9,  Xia Ding 10
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 102488, China; School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 102488, China.
  • 2 Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100193, China; School of Chinese Pharmacy, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 102488, China.
  • 3 Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 102488, China.
  • 4 Beijing Research Institute of Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 102488, China.
  • 5 Artemisinin Research Center, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China.
  • 6 School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 102488, China.
  • 7 School of Chinese Pharmacy, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 102488, China.
  • 8 National Institute of TCM Constitution and Preventive Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, China.
  • 9 Dong Fang Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100078, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 10 Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 102488, China; School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 102488, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
PMID: 40409809 DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2025.123685
Abstract

Gastric ulcers are refractory wounds that pose a significant clinical challenge, underscoring the urgent need for effective and affordable therapeutic strategies. In this study, we purified a novel homogeneous astragalus polysaccharide (APS13) and elucidated its structure, which consists of a →4)-α-1,4-Glc(1→ backbone with glucose branches at the 6-position, as determined by 2D-NMR and glycosyl residue analysis. To enhance its tissue adhesion and drug release profile, APS13 was co-assembled with glycyrrhizic acid (GA) into a GA-APS hydrogel. The resulting hydrogel exhibited strong adhesion and prolonged gastric retention under acidic conditions. In vivo and in vitro studies demonstrated that the GA-APS hydrogel reduced ulcer area, improved mucosal integrity, and decreased apoptosis-related protein expression in a rat model of acute gastric ulcer. Comparative analyses showed enhanced therapeutic outcomes relative to treatment with GA or APS13 alone. Proteomic and cellular experiments further indicated that the hydrogel's protective effect is associated with attenuation of ROS-induced Apoptosis. These findings highlight the therapeutic potential of APS13-based hydrogels and offer a natural-material strategy for addressing oxidative stress-related gastric injury.

Keywords

Apoptosis; Astragalus polysaccharide; Gastric ulcer; Hydrogel; Reactive oxygen species; Wound healing.

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