Short communicationIsolation, purification, immunological and anti-tumor activities of polysaccharides from Gymnema sylvestre

Five water-soluble polysaccharides, including GSP11 (xylose:glucose = 1:2.47), GSP22 (rhamnose:glucose:galactose = 1.6:1:1.22), GSP33 (rhamnose:glucose:galactose = 1:1.5:1.1), GSP44 (xylose:glucose:galactose = 1:1.03:1.2) and GSP55 (rhamnose:xylose:glucose:galactose = 1:1.21:1.81:2.58), were obtained from Gymnema sylvestre and tested for their immunological and anti-tumor activities. The molecular weights of the five water-soluble polysaccharides were 5.3 × 104, 5.4 × 105, 9.5 × 105, 1.0 × 106 and 1.9 × 106 Da, respectively. Immunological activity tests revealed that both crude and deproteinated polysaccharides (GPS) possess good immunological activities, especially on blood serum hemolysin formation at 300 mg/kg. MTT assays revealed that all samples possessed anti-tumor activities in a dose-dependent manner except for GSP22 in AGS cells. At a concentration of 640 μg/mL, GSP11 and GSP33 showed good activities in U937 cells, with inhibitory rates of 78.6% and 83.8%, respectively, and GSP22 showed good activity in SGC cells with an inhibitory rate of 78.2%.

► Five water-soluble polysaccharides were obtained from Gymnema sylvestre. ► Both crude polysaccharide and GSP possessed good immunological activities. ► All samples possessed good anti-tumor activities.