Structural characterization of an acidic Epimedium polysaccharide and its immune-enhancement activity

• One acidic Epimedium polysaccharide was obtained by chromatographic method.
• EPS-1 may be composed of GalpA, Galp and Rhap residues in a ratio of 12:1:1.
• EPS-1 can promote the proliferation and cytokine secretion of chicken T cells.
• EPS-1 can also increase the immune abilities of immature chBM-DCs.

One acidic polysaccharide named EPS-1 was isolated from the aqueous extract of the leaves of Epimedium acuminatum Franch. It may be composed of 1,4-linked α-d-GalpA, 1,3,4-linked α-d-GalpA, 1,6-linked β-d-Galp and terminal α-l-Rhap residues in a molar ratio of 11.0:1.0:1.0:1.0 by chemical and spectroscopic analysis. EPS-1 possessed immune modulation effects on peripheral T lymphocyte and immature chBM-DCs such as promoting the proliferation and cytokine secretion of these cells and increasing the phagocytosis ability of immature chBM-DCs.