Characterization of polysaccharides having activity on the reticuloendothelial system from the rhizome of Curcuma longa.

Three polysaccharides, named ukonan A, ukonan B and ukonan C, were isolated from the rhizomes of Curcuma longa L. They were homogeneous on electrophoresis and gel chromatography, and showed remarkable reticuloendothelial system-potentiating activity in a carbon clearance test. They are composed of L-arabinose: D-xylose: D-galactose: D-glucose: L-rhamnose: D-galacturonic acid in the molar ratios of 12:4:12:1:4:10 (ukonan A), 12:4:12:1:2:4 (ukonan B) and 8:3:6:14:2:3 (ukonan C), in addition to small amounts of peptide moiety. Methylation analysis, carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance and periodate oxidation studies indicated the structural features of ukonan B, the major one in terms of the activity. It has acidic arabino-galactan type structural units.