title: A polysaccharide from a tea (infusion) of Maytenus ilicifolia leaves with anti-ulcer protective effects.
abstract: Maytenus ilicifolia is a medicinal plant used as a tea (infusion) for treatment of stomach ulcers. This tea furnished a polysaccharide after several purification steps, consisting of a freezing-thawing process, Fehling precipitation, ultrafiltration, and dialysis. It consisted of arabinose, galactose, galacturonic acid, 4-O-methylglucuronic acid, rhamnose, and glucose in a 42:41:6:5:4:2 molar ratio. Methylation analysis, controlled Smith degradation, and NMR spectroscopy indicated that it was a type II arabinogalactan containing a (1-->3)-linked beta-d-Galp main chain, substituted at O-6 by (1-->6)-linked beta-d-Galp chains, which were mainly substituted at O-3 by (1-->5)- and (1-->3)-linked alpha-l-Araf chains, and nonreducing end-units of alpha-l-Araf and 4-O-Me-GlcpA. This polysaccharide significantly inhibited ethanol-induced gastric lesions in rats with an ED(50) of 9.3 mg/kg, suggesting that the arabinogalactan liberated from the infusion has a protective anti-ulcer effect.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Universidade Federal do Paraná, CP-19046, CEP-81531-990, Curitiba, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Thales R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Cipriani
authors.forename: Caroline G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Mellinger
authors.forename: Lauro M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: de Souza
authors.forename: Cristiane H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Baggio
authors.forename: Cristina S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Freitas
authors.forename: Maria C A
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Marques
authors.forename: Philip A J
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Gorin
authors.forename: Guilherme L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Sassaki
authors.forename: Marcello
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Iacomini
mesh_terms: D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D001628:Beverages; D001938:Brazil; D029755:Maytenus / Q000737:chemistry*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry*; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents; D011134:Polysaccharides