Abstract
A water-soluble polysaccharide, designated as CSP-I, was isolated from the bark of Melia azadirachta (Meliaceae) and its inhibiting effect on the growth of subcutaneously inoculated Sarcoma-180 was tested in mice. CSP-I gave a single peak on high-preformance liquid chromatography and gel filtration. Chemical and spectroscopic studies indicated that the structure is composed of a β-D-(1→3)-linked galactopyranosyl backbone possessing branching points at position O-6 to which α-L-arabinofuranose, β-D-galactopyranose and β-D-glucopyranose side chains are attached, on average to three of five galactosyl units.
