## 3 Results
### Micronucleus Test on Bone Marrow Cells  
Bone marrow cells collected and smeared on the final day following euthanasia in the CPA control group showed a significant (\(p<0.01\)) increase in the number of MNPCE and a decrease in the number and ratio of PCE compared to those in the normal mounted control group. However, a significant (\(p<0.01\)) decrease in the number of MN and an increase in the number and ratio of PCE were confirmed in all test substance administered groups, including the AR\({}_{200}\) group, compared to the CPA control group. In particular, AR groups caused a dose-dependent decrease in MNPCE and an increase in the number and ratio of PCE. In addition, AR (100 mg/kg) showed an inhibitory effect on the increase in CPA-induced MNPCE and a decrease in the number and ratio of PCE compared to EAP (200 mg/kg; Table 2, Figure 5). Figure 3: Effects on the ConA-induced splenocytes’ proliferation. Values are expressed as means \(\pm\) S.D. of ten mice; CPA = cyclophosphamide; EAP = exopolymers purified from _A. pullulans_; AR = Astragali Radix (Roots of _A. membranaceous_ Bunge) extracts; ConA = Concanavalin A; DT3 = Dunnett’s T3; Cells were treated with 5 ug/mL of ConA dissolved in media and incubated for 48 h; a \(p<0.01\) and b \(p<0.05\) as compared with intact control by the DT3 test; c \(p<0.01\) as compared with CPA control by the DT3 test. \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c} \hline  & \multicolumn{3}{c}{**Bone Marrow Cell Smear Cytology**} \\ \cline{2-4}
**Groups** & \
\begin{tabular}{c} **MNPCE Numbers** \\ **(Cells/2000 PCEs)** \\ \end{tabular} &
\begin{tabular}{c} **PCE Numbers** \\ **(Cells/500 Erythrocytes)** \\ \end{tabular} & **PCE/(NCE + PCE)** \\ \hline \multicolumn{4}{l}{Controls} \\ \hline \multicolumn{4}{l}{Controls} \\ \hline \multicolumn{4}{l}{Intact} & 0.70 \(\pm\) 0.67 & 240.30 \(\pm\) 20.94 & 0.48 \(\pm\) 0.04 \\ \multicolumn{4}{l}{CPA} & 84.60 \(\pm\) 10.05 d  & 129.10 \(\pm\) 7.43 a  & 0.26 \(\pm\) 0.01 d  \\ \multicolumn{4}{l}{EAP\({}_{200}\)} & 55.40 \(\pm\) 11.21 de  & 169.40 \(\pm\) 11.82 ac  & 0.34 \(\pm\) 0.02 de  \\ \multicolumn{4}{l}{Test materials} \\ \hline \multicolumn{4}{l}{AR\({}_{400}\)} & 32.90 \(\pm\) 16.72 de  & 219.10 \(\pm\) 11.18 bc  & 0.44 \(\pm\) 0.02 e  \\ \multicolumn{4}{l}{AR\({}_{200}\)} & 44.90 \(\pm\) 13.63 de  & 194.00 \(\pm\) 21.34 ac  & 0.39 \(\pm\) 0.04 de  \\ \multicolumn{4}{l}{AR\({}_{100}\)} & 56.20 \(\pm\) 10.60 de  & 168.40 \(\pm\) 15.58 ac  & 0.34 \(\pm\) 0.03 de  \\ \hline \multicolumn{4}{l}{CPA = cyclophosphamide administered group; \(\text{EAP}_{200}\) = _A. pullulans_ purified exopolymer administered group at a dose of 200 mg/kg; AR\({}_{400}\), 200, and 100 = Astragalial Radix (Roots of _A. membranecus_ Bunge) extract administered mice groups at doses of 400, 200, and 100 mg/kg, respectively; MN = Micronucleus; PCE = Polychromatic erythrocytes; NCE = Normochromatic erythrocytes; MNPCE = MN containing PCE; THSD = Tukey’s honest significant difference; DT3 = Dunnett’s T3; \({}^{a}\) \(p\)\(<\) 0.01 and \({}^{b}\)\(p\)\(<\) 0.05, compared with intact control by THSD test; \({}^{c}\)\(p\)\(<\) 0.01 as compared with CPA control by THSD test; \({}^{d}\)\(p\)\(<\) 0.01 as compared with CTA control by the DT3 test; \({}^{e}\)\(p\)\(<\) 0.01 as compared with CPA control by the DT3 test. \\ \end{tabular}
\end{table} 
Table 2: Results of the micronucleus assay of bone marrow cells collected from individual intact or CPA-induced immunosorbent mice at sacrifice. Figure 4: Effects on the LPS-treated splenocyte proliferation. CPA = cyclophosphamide; EAP = exopolymers purified from _A. pullulans_; AR = Astragalial Radix (Roots of _A. membranecus_ Bunge) extracts; LPS = Lipopolysaccharideacharide; THSD = Tukey’s honest significant difference; cells were treated with 10 mg/mL of LPS dissolved in media and incubated for 48 h; \({}^{a}\)\(p\)\(<\) 0.01 as compared with intact control by THSD test; \({}^{b}\)\(p\)\(<\) 0.01 as compared with CPA control by THSD test.