Cure8 research brief
Researchers report that a polysaccharide from Radix Hedysari reduced inflammation, improved barrier proteins, and shifted gut bacteria in a mouse model of ulcerative colitis — suggesting a potential preventive candidate worth further study for IBD.
Researchers; clinicians interested in preclinical IBD therapies; researchers of microbiome and immune pathways.
A 2026 preclinical study in Frontiers in Immunology tested a purified polysaccharide (HPS-80) from Radix Hedysari in a mouse model of dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)–induced ulcerative colitis.
The abstract reports that HPS-80 reduced weight loss, hematochezia, and colon shortening, lowered a Disease Activity Index, decreased pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6), reduced markers of oxidative stress, increased tight-junction proteins (occludin, claudin-1/ZO-1), and altered the gut microbiota (increasing Firmicutes and Akkermansia, suppressing some Bacteroidota).
This is an animal (mouse) preventive model, not a clinical trial. The findings suggest biological effects relevant to intestinal inflammation and barrier function and point to microbiome modulation as a possible mechanism. These results support further preclinical work but do not demonstrate safety or efficacy in people.
Animal-model findings are preliminary and cannot be taken as evidence of benefit or safety in people. The study is focused on prevention in a DSS mouse model; clinical testing would be required before any human use.
Review the original publication for the complete reporting, methods, and context.
This Cure8 brief is based on source text from the linked article. Cure8 is informational only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
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