Structural features of a new heteropolysaccharide from the fruit bodies of Melia azedarach and its effect on cytotoxic activity

Water-soluble polysaccharides were extracted from the fruit pulps of Melia azedarach and some columns were undertaken to isolate the major polysaccharide (MPS-III). Its structural features were elucidated by IR analysis, carbohydrate analysis, periodate oxidation, Smith degradation, methylation analysis and NMR spectroscopy. Then it was evaluated for the cytotoxic activity in vitro against four human cell lines, using the sulphorhodamine B assay. The data obtained indicated that MPS-III contains a α(1→4) main chain backbone composed of arabinose, mannose in a molar ratio of 1.31:1.0 and has α(1→6) branch structure. And MPS-III showed a strong cytotoxic activity in the BGC-823 cell line.

Graphical abstractMPS-III contains a main chain of (1→4) linked o-d-mannopyranosyl units substituted in the 6 position with side chains of α-l-arabinofuranosyl units after structure analysis. And it expressed a strong cytotoxic activity in the BGC-823 cell line using SRB assay.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide