CHARACTERIZATION OF AN ACIDIC POLYSACCHARIDE HAVING IMMUNOLOGICAL ACTIVITIES FROM THE TUBER OF ALISMA-ORIENTALE

An acidic polysaccharide, called alisman PII, was isolated from the tu ber of Alisma orientale JUZEPCZ. It was homogeneous on electrophoresis and gel chromatography, and its molecular mass was estimated to be 5. 25 x 10(4). It is composed of L-arabinose: D-galactose: D-glucuronic a cid in the molar ratio of 4:9:2, in addition to some of O-acetyl group s. Reduction of carboxyl groups, methylation analysis, nuclear magneti c resonance and controlled Smith degradation indicated that the core s tructural features include a backbone chain composed of beta-1,3-linke d D-galactose units. Some of the galactose units in the backbone carry beta-D-galactosyl side chains at position 6. Both alpha-1,5-linked L- arabinosyl side chains and terminal beta-D-glucoronic acid residues ar e linked to the core galactan units. Alisman PII showed significant po tentiation of the reticuloendothelial system using a carbon clearance test and also potent anti-complementary activity.