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| Publication Type | J |
| Authors | Hokputsa, S., S. E. Harding, K. Inngjerdingen, K. Jumel, T. E. Michaelsen, T. Heinze, A. Koschella and B. S. Paulsen |
| Title | Bioactive polysaccharides from the stems of the Thai medicinal plant Acanthus ebracteatus: their chemical and physical features |
| Source | Carbohydrate Research |
| Abstract | Crude water-soluble polysaccharides were isolated from Acanthus ebracteatus by hot water extraction followed by ethanol precipitation after pre-treatment with 80% ethanol. The crude polysaccharides were separated into neutral and acidic polysaccharides by anion-exchange chromatography. The neutral polysaccharide (A1001) was rich in galactose, 3-O-methylgalactose and arabinose. whereas the acidic polysaccharide (A1002) consisted mainly of galacturonic acid along with rhamnose, arabinose and 9 galactose as minor components indicating a pectin-type polysaccharide with rhamnogalacturonan type I (RG-1) backbone. 3-O-Methylgalactose is also present in the acidic fraction. Both neutral and acidic fractions showed potent effects on the complement system using pectic polysaccharide PM 11 from Plantago major as a positive control. A small amount of 3-O-methylgalactose present in the pectin seemed to be of importance for activity enhancement in addition to the amount of neutral sugar side chains attached to RG-1. The relationship between chemical structure and effect on the complement system of the isolated polysaccharides is considered in the light of these data. The presence of the rare monosaccharide 3-O-methylgalactose may indicate that this can be used as a chemotaxonomic marker. The traditional way of using this plant as a medical remedy appears to have a scientific basis. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. |
| Publication Date | Mar 15 |
| Year Published | 2004 |
| Volume | 339 |
| Issue | 4 |
| Beginning Page | 753-762 |
| Unique Article Identifier | ISI:000220108600001 |
| Plants associated with this reference |