Physicochemical Properties of the Firmiana Platanifolia Mucilages

Abstract

We investigated the physicochemical characteristic and component of mucilages of Firmiana, utilizing for making Japanese paper etc. An acidic polysaccharide which coats young leaves and stems of mucilages of Firmiana was extracted with ion-exchange water and purified with methanol. The polysaccharide comprises D-galacturonic acid, D-galactose, L-arabinose and L-rhamnose. In addition, the viscosity decreased when mucilage was left for several days. The acid hydrolysis of mucilages of Firmiana afforded amino acids, L-glutamic acid, L-alanine, in addition to L-isoleucine, L-valine, L-lysine, L-tyrosine and glycine. These results suggested that Firmiana polysaccharide must have an extremely complicated structure, to which its unique physical properties are ascribed. © 2002, The Chemical Society of Japan. All rights reserved.