Effect of Astragalus polysaccharides on ribonucleic acid metabolism of spleen and liver cells of mice

Astragalus polysaccharides (APS) is a mixture of mainly 2 polysaccharides extracted from Astragalus mongolicus. APS 200 mg/kg ip to mice caused an increase of RNA in spleen and liver but a slowing of incorporation of [3H]UR into RNA. When splenic cells were incubated in the medium containing APS 0.5 or l.0 mg/ml, no significant changes in the RNA metabolism were observed. APS inhibited the incorporation of [3H]UR into the RNA of spleen or liver cell nuclei, plasma and liver ribosome.
It is concluded that the accumulation of RNA and the slowing of incorporation of [3H]UR into the RNA are due to a decrease in alkaline RNase activity. APS 2 is stronger than APS 1 on the effects of RNA metabolism.