title: Structure and properties of polysaccharides from Viscum album (L.).
abstract: Polysaccharides are possibly involved in the pharmacological effects of Viscum album (mistletoe) extracts, which are used in cancer therapy. Therefore the water-soluble polysaccharides of the fresh plant and the fermented proprietary preparation Iscador were isolated and characterized inter alia by methylation analysis, partial hydrolysis and C-13-NMR spectroscopy. The main polysaccharide of the green parts of Viscum is a highly esterified galacturonan whereas in Viscum 'berries' a complex arabinogalactan is predominant. Both types of these constituents were found in Iscador but with definite changes in molecular weight and structure. An interaction between the arabinogalactan and the galactose-specific lectin (ML I) in Viscum could be demonstrated. In three immunological tests (granulocyte, chemiluminescence, carbon clearance test) the polysaccharides failed to increase phagocytic activity of granulocytes and macrophages.
mesh_terms: D002244:Carbon / Q000378:metabolism; D005685:Galactans / Q000378:metabolism; D008163:Luminescent Measurements; D014784:Mistletoe / Q000032:analysis*; D008970:Molecular Weight; D010587:Phagocytosis / Q000187:drug effects; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000032:analysis; D028321:Plant Preparations; D010940:Plant Proteins; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000032:analysis / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology; D054790:Ribosome Inactivating Proteins, Type 2; D014118:Toxins, Biological / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D005685:Galactans; D010936:Plant Extracts; D028321:Plant Preparations; D010940:Plant Proteins; D011134:Polysaccharides; D054790:Ribosome Inactivating Proteins, Type 2; D014118:Toxins, Biological; C488862:mistletoe lectin I; C009674:ribosome inactivating protein, Viscum; D002244:Carbon; C077177:viscum album peptide; C005653:arabinogalactan