Effects of plant polysaccharide paliustran on the growth of human tumor transplants in athymic mice

Plant polysaccharide palyustran inhibited the growth of human lung carcinoma P-1 transplanted to athymic mice by 60% but failed to do so in human rhabdomyosarcoma. Treatment with palyustran was followed by a 2-fold decrease in lympho- and granulocyte levels, selective inhibition of succinate dehydrogenase and alpha-glycerophosphate dehydrogenase activity in tumor cells and--in single cases--metastatic involvement of the liver.