抄録
The mucilage extracted from a edible brown seaweed Nemacystus decipiens, Mozuku, with hot water was investigated. The main ingredients of the mucilage was a sulphated polysaccharide which precipitated with ethanol at concentration 50_??_55% or with CPC. This mucilage contained small quantity of mannit, algin, laminaran, total nitrogen, and others except inorganic salts.
The sulphated polysaccharide purified partially by means of decomposition of CP-polysaccharide complex by using of KCl was composed of L-fucose (46.9%), galactose, xylose, SO4 (35.2%), K (12.7%), but no uronic acid. Molar ratio of L-fucose:galactose:xylose:SO4 was 1:0.04:0.04:1.27. This polysaccharide showed specific rotation [α]15D-191.2°, absorption at 1240 and 850cm-1 on IR-spectrum, and was separated two components by electrophoresis.
In view of these results, it is considered that this polysaccharide is a typical fucoidan which has the main chain of α-glycosidic linkage and join the sulphate as acidic ester mainly on the C-4 atom of L-fucose.
