Abstract
An antitumor (1→3)-β-D-glucan (TS-CAG III) was purified from the cold aqueous sodium hydroxide extract of the residue of hot water extract of sclerotia of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum IFO 9395 by sequential use of ion exchange chromatography on diethylaminoethyl Sephadex A-25, ethanol precipitation, and gel filtration on Sepharose CL-2B. TS-CAG III showed [α]D-18°(0.4 N NaOH). From the results of methylation analysis and carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, TS-CAG III was concluded to be a (1→3)-β-D-glucan bronched at position 6 of two in every five main chain glucosyl units. TS-CAG III formed a complex with Congo Red in dilute alkali solution, and showed potent antitumor activity against the solid form of sarcoma 180 in ICR mice.
