1989 Volume 37 Issue 5 Pages 1329-1332
The major acidic polysaccharide, named saposhnikovan A, was isolated from the roots and rhizomes of Saposhnikovia divaricata. It showed remarkable reticuloendothelial system-potentiating activity in a carbon clearance test. It is composed of L-arabinose : D-galactose : D-galacturonic acid in the molar ratio of 6 : 15 : 10, and its molecular weight was estimated to be 54000. About 35% of the D-galacturonic acid residues exist as the methyl esters. Methylation analysis, 13C-nuclear magnetic resonance, and controlled Smith degradation studies indicated that the polysaccharide has the α-1→4-linked D-galacturonan backbone bearing α-1→5-linked L-arabino-β-3, 6-branched D-galactan side chains