Polysaccharides of Lichens and Fungi. IV. Antitumour Active O-Acetylated Pustulan-Type Glucans from the Lichens of Umbilicaria Species

Abstract

Three species of lichens belonging to Umbilicaria, i.e., U. angulata, U. caroliniana, and U. polyphylla, have been examined for their water-soluble polysaccharide consitituents by chemical and physico-chemical methods. The results showed that they contained a partially O-acetylated pustulan as a sole water-soluble polysaccharide. All the polysaccharide specimens obtained here showed a remarkable antitumour effect against the implanted Sarcoma-180 in mice.