Purification, characterization and anti-proliferation activities of polysaccharides extracted from Viscum coloratum (Kom.) Nakai

Three polysaccharides, VCP1, VCP2 and VCP3 were isolated from Viscum coloratum (Kom.) Nakai using DEAE-cellulose chromatography. VCP1 (32 KDa) was composed of glucose, galactose, arabinose, rhamnose and mannose, while VCP2 (280 KDa) and VCP3 (21 KDa) were consisted of glucose, galactose, arabinose, rhamnose, mannose, glucuronic acid and galacturonic acid. The optical rotation was measured at 20 + 1 °C. The characteristic absorptive bands of purified fraction were determined by FT-IR. 13C NMR spectroscopy analysis showed that VCP1 was a neutral polysaccharide, and VCP2 and VCP3 were RG-I type pectin. The linkage patterns of VCP2 were evaluated by methylation analysis: 1,5-linked Araf, 1,4-linked Galp, 1,2-linked Rhap, and 1,2,4-linked Rhap. The degree of esterification was 50%. The anti-proliferation ability against HepG2 cells and HepG2.2.15 cells of VCP2 was stronger than VCP1 and VCP3. So the polysaccharides from Viscum coloratum (Kom.) Nakai could be used as potential natural sources with inhibiting tumor cells proliferation.