title: Chemical and biological characterization of polysaccharides from wild and cultivated roots of Vernonia kotschyana.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In Malian traditional medicine the roots of Vernonia kotschyana are used for treating gastric ulcer and gastritis. In 2006, 9000kg of roots from Vernonia kotschyana were used to produce Gastrosedal, an ameliorated traditional medicine in Mali. Harvesting from the wild, the main source of raw material, is causing a growing concern of diminishing populations of the plant, and Vernonia kotschyana is now being cultivated in several areas around Mali. In the current study the structures and bioactive properties of isolated polysaccharides from wild and cultivated Vernonia kotschyana were compared.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pectin- and inulin-type polysaccharides were isolated from the roots of cultivated and wild Vernonia kotschyana. The isolated polysaccharides were investigated regarding their chemical compositions, and for their abilities to fixate human complement and activate macrophages from a mouse macrophage cell line.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No significant differences in the carbohydrate composition of the fractions isolated from the cultivated versus the wild roots were observed. A previously reported pectic arabinogalactan Vk2a was found in both the cultivated and the wild roots in this study, and exhibited potent complement fixation activity, and a moderate activation of macrophages.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study has shown that the cultivated roots of Vernonia kotschyana contain the same types of bioactive polysaccharides as the wild roots. It is therefore preliminarily feasible for the cultivated roots of Vernonia kotschyana to be used as a herbal medicine to replace the wild roots.
authors: Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway. k.t.inngjerdingen@farmasi.uio.no
authors: K T
authors: KT
authors: Inngjerdingen
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Meskini
authors: I
authors: I
authors: Austarheim
authors: N
authors: N
authors: Ballo
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Inngjerdingen
authors: T E
authors: TE
authors: Michaelsen
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Diallo
authors: B S
authors: BS
authors: Paulsen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019659:Asteraceae / Q000737:chemistry; D002460:Cell Line; D003167:Complement Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D003168:Complement Fixation Tests; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006461:Hemolysis / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008262:Macrophage Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018517:Plant Roots; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012756:Sheep
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts; D011134:Polysaccharides; D009569:Nitric Oxide