Chemical characteristics and immuno-stimulating properties of biopolymers extracted from Acanthopanax sessiliflorus

• Published in: Journal of biochemistry and molecular biology Vol. 39; no. 1; p. 84
• Main Authors: Jeong, Sang-Chul, Jeong, Young-Tae, Yang, Byung-Keun, Song, Chi-Hyun
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Korea (South) 31-01-2006
• Subjects: Animals; Biopolymers - chemistry; Biopolymers - immunology; Cell Proliferation; Cells, Cultured; Eleutherococcus - chemistry; Immunologic Factors - chemistry; Immunologic Factors - immunology; Lymphocytes - cytology; Lymphocytes - immunology; Macrophages - cytology; Macrophages - enzymology; Macrophages - immunology; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Muramidase - metabolism; Nitric Oxide - metabolism; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II - metabolism; Plants, Medicinal - chemistry; Spleen - cytology
• ISSN: 1225-8687
• DOI: 10.5483/bmbrep.2006.39.1.084

During our search for macrophage stimulating compounds from medicinal plants, we isolated biopolymers from Acanthopanax sessiliflorus. Isolated fraction AS-5 showed maximum potential, and stimulated lysosonal enzymatic activity by 230% at 300 microg/ml. The nitric oxide (NO) producing ability of AS-5 100 microg/ml was 58 microM when treated with interferon-gamma and lipopolysaccharide 20 micro/ml. The lymphocyte proliferating effects of isolated biopolymer fractions were also investigated. Highest lymphoproliferative activity (a 2.8-fold enhancement compared to salines treated group was exhibited by AS-3 at 200 micro/ml followed by AS-5 and AS-6. The AS-3 fraction stimulated only T-lymphocytes and had little or no effect on B-lymphocyte proliferation. Partially methylated alditol acetates were prepared to elucidate the glycosyl linkage-compositions of the AS-3 and AS-5 biopolymers, and were analyzed by GC-MS. The AS-3 and AS-5 biopolymer fractions were found to contain 2,3,4-tri-O-methyl-D-glucitol, 2,3,4-tri-O-methyl-D-galacitol 3,4,6-tri-O-methyl-galacitol, 2-O-methyl-arabinitol and 2,4,6-tri-O-methyl-D-glucitol, 2,3,6-tri-O-methyl-D-galacitol linkages, respectively.