Abstract
While a Mesona procumbens Hemsl extract cannot induce gelation alone, it is known that gelation can be enhanced by the addition of starch dilute solution. The present study investigated the relationship between enhanced gelation and the polysaccharides of this plant that are believed to be involved in dynamic modulus. Mesona procumbens Hemsl contains large quantities of saccharides, and minerals such as K, Ca and Mg. Of the polysaccharides extracted from 5% sodium hydrogen carbonate solution exhibited enhanced gelation. From the result of fraction of cell wall polysaccharide, it was estimated that polysaccharide was solubilized in alkali solution, contained glucose, arabinose and xylose as neutral saccharide in the leaf and mainly contained arabinose in the stem. The molecular weight of the polysaccharides extracted using sodium hydrogen carbonate solution ranged from 14, 000 to 16, 000. Of the alkali fraction mainly contained with molecular weights of 15, 000-38, 000. These findings suggest that the molecular weight of polysaccharides in Mesona procumbens Hemsl that are involved in enhanced gelation is very small.
