WATER-EXTRACTABLE POLYSACCHARIDE COMPLEX OF RUDBECKIA-FULGIDA, VAR SULLIVANTII (BOYNTON-ET-BEADLE) POSSESSES ANTITUSSIVE ACTIVITY

Water extraction of the methanol-pretreated aerial parts of the medici nal plant. Rudbeckia fulgida, var. sullivantii (Boynton et Beadle) aff orded a polysaccharide complex, the carbohydrate moiety of which consi sted of D-Gal (34%), D-Glc (32%), D-Man (2%), L-Ara (11%), D-Xyl (6%), and L-Rha (15%). Successive employment of ion-exchange and size-exclu sion chromatography of the complex afforded one homogeneous component which was proved to be a low-molecular (1-->6)-alpha-D-glucan. The oth er two fractions were heterogeneous by HPGPC and differed in mole repr esentation of the sugar components and linkages. The polysaccharide co mplex was tested for antitussive activity on mechanically induced coug h in nonanaesthetized cats. It was found that the complex significantl y reduced the number of cough efforts in the irritated laryngopharynge al and tracheobronchial mucous membranes of the airways without a nega tive influence on expectoration. Its cough-suppressing activity (46.5% ) was higher than that of the comparative drugs used in clinical pract ice, i.e. of dropropizine (28.4%) and prenoxdiazine (24.8%).