Chemical Characteristics and Histochemical Observations on Dietary Fiber of Persimmon (Diospyros Kaki Linn. f.) Leaves

Abstract

Characteristics of dietary fiber in persimmon leaves were investigated by using analytochemical and histochemical techniques. The staining examination with the various labeled lectins for fresh persimmon leaves showed high affinity for the specific sugar residues or sugar chains in hemicellulose, pectic substance and glycoprotein constituting the cell wall of leaves. The sugar composition analysis and histochemical observation showed that the insoluble hemicellulose fraction may be hetero-polysaccharide consisted of arabinose as main sugar chain, and xylose and galactose as side chain. The results also revealed that the soluble hemicellulose fraction may be categorized to acidic hetro-polysaccharide composed of galacturonan as main sugar chain and mannose and arabinose as side chain. The two fractions of soluble acidic polysaccharide with different uronic acid contents were found to belong to pectic substances. The present results may indicate that some significant informations were presented on the properties of hemicellulose and pectic substance referring to matrix structure of cell wall in persimmon leaves.