An antitumor pectic polysaccharide from Feronia limonia

An acidic heteropolysaccharide has been isolated from the tropical angiospe rm Feronia limonia syn. F. elephantum (family: Rutaceae). A partially carbo xymethylated alpha-(1-4) polygalacturonan backbone structure with 2- and 2, 4-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl, 2- and 2,3-O-alpha-L-arabinofuranosyl and 3-, 2,4-and terminal alpha-D-galactopyranosyl bearing side chains has been tent atively assigned. The preliminary study in the murine model showed some sig nificant in vivo Ehrlich ascites carcinoma cell growth inhibition. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.