Biochemical and physicochemical characterization of a mitogen obtained from an oriental crude drug, Tohki (Angelica actiloba Kitagawa).

Chemical composition and physicochemical properties of an immunomodulator, which is a non-dialyzable and acetone precipitable material(s) extracted with hot water from Angelica actiloba KITAGAWA (Yamato Tohki) (AIP), were investigated. AIP was composed of about 90% sugar and 10% protein. The major polysaccharide was identified as pectic substance(s) because its main component sugars were found to be arabinose, glucose, and galacturonic acid by gas liquid chromatographic analysis. The pectic substance(s) was not concerned with the mitogenicity of AIP since the activity was similar before and after pectinase(endo-polygalacturonase) treatment. More than half of the mitogenicity was destroyed by acid or alkali treatment. With pronase treatment, the activity was not affected, but the molecular weight of the mitogen was lowered. In addition, the mitogenic substance was partially purified from AIP by pectinase treatment and Westphal's phenol/water fractionation. The partially purified mitogenic substance(s) was rich in protein. These facts suggest that the mitogenicity of AIP was carried by a heat stable and protease resistant protein.