ATNICOMPLEMENTARY ACIDIC POLYSACCHARIDES FROM ROOTS OF LITHOSPERMUM-EUCHROMUM

Extremely potent complement activating (anti-complementary) polysaccha rides from roots of Lithospermum euchromum were fractionated in a nove l way and also assayed for mitogenic and enhancing activity of immune complex binding to macrophages in vitro. Anti-complementary activity a nd enhancing activity of immune complex binding were observed in the d ifferent polysaccharide fractions, but no mitogenic activity was found . The acidic polysaccharide fraction (LR-2) which had the most potent anti-complementary activity was highly heterogeneous, and on further f ractionation gave active polysaccharides. Extremely potent anti-comple mentary polysaccharides, LR-2IId-1a, LR-2IId-1b, LR-2IId-3a and LR-2II d-5a were characterized chemically. These consisted mainly of mannose, galactose, glucose and glucuronic acid, in addition to rhamnose, fuco se and arabinose as minor components. Methylation analysis showed that the four polysaccharides contained mainly (1 --> 3)-linked galactose, (1 --> 3)-linked fucose and (1 --> 4)-linked glucose. (1 --> 3)-Linke d mannose was also detected in LR-2IId-1a, 1b and 5a, and (1 --> 4)-li nked glucuronic acid in LR-2IId-1a and 1b as the major glycosidic link ages.