FURTHER PURIFICATION AND STRUCTURAL-ANALYSIS OF CALCIUM SPIRULAN FROMSPIRULINA-PLATENSIS

An antiviral sulfated polysaccharide, calcium spirulan (Ca-SP), isolat ed from Spirulina platensis, was subjected to further purification. Ca -SP was found to be composed of rhamnose, 3-O-methylrhamnose (acofrios e), 2,3-di-O-methylrhamnose, 3-O-methylxylose, uronic acids, and sulfa te. The backbone of Ca-SP consisted of 1,3-linked rhamnose and 1,2-lin ked 3-O-methylrhamnose units with some sulfate substitution at the 4-p osition. The polymer was terminated at the nonreducing end by 2,3-di-O -methylrhamnose and 3-O-methylxylose residues.