An Acidic Polysaccharide Having Activity on the Reticuloendothelial System from the Root of Astragalus mongholicus

Abstract

An acidic polysaccharide, designated as AMon-S, was isolated from the roots of Astragalus mongholicus bunge. It was homogeneous on electrophoresis and gel chromatography, and its molecular mass was estimated to be 7.6 x 104. It showed significant reticuloendothelial system-potentiating activity in a carbon clearance test. It is composed of u-arabinose: D-galactose: D-galacturonic acid: D-glucuronic acid in the molar ratio of 18:18:1:1, in addition to small amounts of 0-acetyl groups and peptide moiety. A part of the hexuronic acid residues exist as the methyl esters. Methylation analysis, carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance and periodate oxidation studies enabled elucidation of its structural features and revealed mainly a-arabino-β-3,6-galactan type structural units. © 1991, The Pharmaceutical Society of Japan. All rights reserved.