Abstract:Objective To observe the antitumor activity of Bletilla striata polysaccharide-loaded nanoparticles on liver cancer in mice. Methods Sixty healthy female ICR mice were selected to establish the solid tumor models of liver cancer in mice. They were randomly divided into groups A, B and C, with 20 mice in each group. The mice in the group A were injected with normal saline, the mice in the group B were injected with Paclitaxel solution and those in the group C were injected with Bletilla striata polysaccharide-carried Paclitaxel nanoparticles. After 2 weeks of continuous administration, the mice were killed and the mass of liver cancer was dissected. The tumor weight, tumor volume, tumor suppressor rate, liver index, spleen index, thymus index and other antitumor activity indexes were compared among the groups. Results Compared with the group A, tumor weight and tumor volume of the group B and the group C decreased, while those in the group C decreased more significantly (P < 0.05). Taking the group A as a reference, the inhibition rate was 16.86% in the group B and 45.84% in the group C, indicating that Paclitaxel nanoparticles in Bletilla striata polysaccharide carrier had higher antitumor activity. Compared with the group A, the liver index of the groups B and C decreased, and that in the group C decreased more (P < 0.05), the spleen index and the thymus index increased, and the increases in the group C were greater than those in the group B (P < 0.05). Conclusions The Paclitaxel nanoparticles prepared with Bletilla striata polysaccharide have strong antitumor activity in mice with liver cancer. It can reduce the tumor weight and tumor volume, increase the tumor suppressor rate, and improve the liver index, spleen index and thymus index of the mice. It indicates that Bletilla striata polysaccharide can be used as insoluble drug carrier and has high clinical application value.