Plant mucilages. XLIII. A representative mucilage with biological activity from the leaves of hibiscus rosa-sinensis.

Abstract

A representative mucilage, called Hibiscus-mucilage RL, was isolated from the leaves of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis L. It was homogeneous on electrophoresis, and its molecular mass was estimated to be roughly 1.0 × 107. Its intrinsic viscosity value in aqueous solution was 23.2. The major constituent is an acidic polysaccharide composed of L-rhamnose: D-galactose: D-galacturonic acid: D-glucuronic acid in the molar ratio of 5:8:3:2. Methylation analysis, partial hydrolysis and nuclear magnetic resonance studies indicated its main structural features including a unique backbone chain composed of α-1,4-linked D-galactosyl α-1,2-linked l-rhamnosyl α-1,4-linked d-galacturonic acid units. The mucilage showed considerable anti-complementary activity. © 1993, The Pharmaceutical Society of Japan. All rights reserved.