title: Chemical structure and biological activity of water-soluble polysaccharides from Cassia angustifolia leaves.
abstract: The water-soluble polysaccharides from Cassia angustifolia L. leaves were isolated and fractionated. The acidic polysaccharide fraction was separated into two subfractions S1 and S2 consisting of L-rhamnose, L-arabinose, D-galactose, and D-galacturonic acid. Further fractionation of the predominant S1 by GPC gave two fractions S1A and S1B with an average molecular weight of 2 x 10(6) and 1.5 x 10(5) d, respectively. Methylation analysis of S1A showed the presence of 1,4-linked galacturonic acid (31.0%), 1,2-linked rhamnose (14.5%), 1,2,4-linked rhamnose (15.8%), 1,3,6-linked galactose (15.3%), smaller amounts of 1,3-linked arabinose, 1.5-linked arabinose, and terminal galactose and arabinose residues. Mild acid hydrolysis of S1A indicated that the backbone consists of 1,4-linked galacturonic acid and 1,2-linked rhamnose residues in the ratio of 1:1. Every second rhamnose is connected via C-4 to arabinogalactan sidechains. The antitumor activity of the polysaccharide fractions was tested against the solid Sarcoma-180 in CD1 mice. Only S1A exhibited a significant antitumor activity with an inhibition rate of 51%.
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kraus
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Franz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism; D002366:Cassia / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D051379:Mice; D015394:Molecular Structure; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000032:analysis*; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012510:Sarcoma 180 / Q000188:drug therapy; D012995:Solubility
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D011134:Polysaccharides