A polysaccharide from a tea (infusion) of Maytenus ilicifolia leaves with anti-ulcer protective effects.
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.
Cipriani
Thales R
TR
Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Universidade Federal do Paraná, CP-19046, CEP-81531-990, Curitiba, PR, Brazil.
Mellinger
Caroline G
CG
de Souza
Lauro M
LM
Baggio
Cristiane H
CH
Freitas
Cristina S
CS
Marques
Maria C A
MC
Gorin
Philip A J
PA
Sassaki
Guilherme L
GL
Iacomini
Marcello
M
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
D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents; D011134:Polysaccharides