• BMB Reports
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.84-90
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• 2006

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 $300\;{\mu}g/ml$. The nitric oxide (NO) producing ability of AS-5 $100\;{\mu}g/ml$ was $58\;{\mu}M$ when treated with interferon-$\gamma$ and lipopolysaccharide $20\;{\mu}g/ml$. The lymphocyte proliferating effects of isolated biopolymer fractions were also investigated. Highest lymphoproliferative activity (a 2.8-fold enhancement compared to saline treated group was exhibited by AS-3 at $200\;{\mu}g/ml$ 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.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.570-579
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• 2020

Background: Many researchers reported that the various immune activities of red ginseng are due to acid polysaccharides. But, the exact structural characteristics of the acidic polysaccharide in red ginseng have not been fully elucidated. Therefore, we isolated the acidic polysaccharide from red ginseng and characterized the structural property of the active moiety of this polysaccharide, which contributes to the immunostimulatory activity of red ginseng. Methods: A polysaccharide (RGP-AP-I) was purified from red ginseng via size-exclusion chromatography using Sephadex G-100. Immunostimulatary activity of RGP-AP-I was investigated via anti-complementory and macrophage stimulatory activity. The structure of RGP-AP-I was characterized by HPLC, sugar composition, β-glucosyl Yariv reagent and methylation analysis. Results: Peritoneal macrophages stimulated using RGP-AP-I significantly augmented the production of various cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-6, IL-12, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α. The primary structure of RGP-AP-I was elucidated by assessing its sugar composition and methylation analysis. RGP-AP-I is a 96 kDa acidic polysaccharide, and comprises nine different monosaccharides, which mainly include sugars such as rhamnose (Rha, 9.5%), galacturonic acid (GalA, 18.4%), galactose (Gal, 30.4%), and arabinose (Ara, 35.0%). RGP-AP-I exhibited an considerable reaction with the β-glucosyl Yariv reagent, revealing the presence of arabino-β-3,6-galactan. Methylation analysis indicated that RGP-AP-I comprises 21 different glycosyl linkages, such as 3-, 4-, 6- and 3,6-linked Galp; 5-linked Araf; 2,4-linked Rhap; and 4-linked GalAp, which are characteristics of rhamnogalacturonan I (RG-I). Conclusion: we assumed that the immunostimulatory activity of RGP-AP-I may be due to the RG-I structure, which comprises a main chain with a repeating linkage unit, [→2)-Rhap-(1→4)-GalAp-(1→] and three groups of side chains such as (1→5)-linked arabinan, (1→4)-linked galactan, and arabino-β-3,6-galactan, which branch at the C(O)4 positions of Rha residues in the main chain of RGP-AP-I.