A d-galacto-d-mannan from Melilotus officinalis seeds

Chemical Constituents and Antioxidant, Anti-Inflammatory and Anti-Tumor Activities of Melilotus officinalis (Linn.) Pall

Two new p-hydroxybenzoic acid glycosides, namely p-hydroxybenzoic acid-4-O-α-d-manopyranosyl-(1 → 3)-α-l-rhamnopyranoside (compound 1) and 4-O-α-l-rhamnopyran-osyl-(1 → 6)-α-d-manopyranosyl-(1 → 3)-α-l-rhamnopyranoside (compound 2), and seven known compounds, compound 3, 6, 7 (acid components), compound 8, 9 (flavonoids), compound 4 (a coumarin) and compound 5 (an alkaloid), were isolated from the 70% ethanol aqueous extract of the aerial parts of Melilotus officinalis (Linn.) Pall. The structures of all compounds were elucidated by use of extensive spectroscopic methods Infrared Spectroscopy (IR), High resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (HR-ESI-MS), and ¹H and ¹³C-NMR). Sugar residues obtained after acid hydrolysis were identified by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The antioxidant activity of all the compounds was evaluated by 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS⁺) and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH). The anti-inflammatory effects of the compounds were also evaluated in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages. All compounds were shown to inhibit LPS-induced nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E 2 (PGE 2) production by suppressing the expression of inducible NO synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), respectively, in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. The inhibitory effect of all the compounds on MCF-7 cells was determined by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) method. The results showed that compounds 1, 2, 7, 8, 9 exhibited better antioxidant activity compared to the other compounds. compounds 1–9 had different inhibitory effects on the release of NO, TNF-α and IL-6 in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells by LPS, of which compound 7 was the most effective against inflammatory factors. compounds 1 and 2 have better antitumor activity compared to other compounds. Further research to elucidate the chemical composition and pharmacological effects of Melilotus officinalis (Linn.) Pall is of major importance towards the development and foundation of clinical application of the species.

Synthesis and structural verification of the xylomannan antifreeze substance from the freeze-tolerant Alaskan beetle Upis ceramboides

Tetra-, hexa-, and octasaccharide subunits of the [→4)-β-D-Manp-(1→4)-β-D-Xylp-(1→](n) xylomannan motif proposed as the structure of a novel nonprotein, thermal hysteresis-producing antifreeze substance from the freeze-tolerant Alaskan beetle Upis ceramboides have been accessed by total chemical synthesis. Comparison of their NMR spectral data with data of the isolate lends strong support to the proposed structure. Synthetic tetrasaccharides representing various linkage isomers considered (α- rather than β-manno, and linkage through mannose O3 rather than O4) show more significant chemical shift differences with the isolate and are therefore excluded from further consideration.

Seed Galactomannans: An Overview

Seed galactomannans are vegetable, heterogeneous polysaccharides widely distributed in nature. Generally, they possess (1-->4)-linked D-mannopyranose (Man) main chains to which are attached (1-->6)-linked D-galactopyranosyl (Gal) units. The Man/Gal ratios differ from gum to gum, resulting in a change in structure, which, in turn, determines the various industrial applications of seed galactomannans. These materials are important in paper, textile, petroleum-drilling, pharmaceutics, food, cosmaceutics, and explosives industries. In this review, the biodiversified applicability of galactomannan gums is discussed, particularly with respect to structural aspects, properties, human consumption, and technical applications. Especially important is that the solution properties (rheological behaviour, viscosity, emulsifying tendency, etc.) of natural and chemically modified galactomannans can be tuned by interaction with other (carbohydrate-based) monomers or polymers.

Cassia grandis Linn. f. seed galactomannan: structural and crystallographical studies

Cassia grandis is a small or medium sized tree, found in abundance throughout India. The seeds contain about 50% endosperm gum and possess the characteristics of becoming a potential source of seed gum. The purified polysaccharide has been characterized as a pure galactomannan having a mannose-galactose ratio of 3.15; molecular weight (Mw) 80,200; polydispersity (Mw/Mn), 1.35 and intrinsic viscosity [eta], 848 mL/g. Methylation, periodate oxidation, Smith degradation and 13C NMR studies confirm that the polysaccharide has the basic structure of legume galactomannans consisting of a beta-(1-->4)-linked main mannan backbone to which galactose units are attached at O-6. The orthorhombic lattice constants of the hydrated gum are as follows: a=9.00, b=24.81, c=10.30 A. The crystallographic data establish that the probable space group symmetry of the unit cell is P2(1)2(1)2. The results are in contradiction to earlier reports (Indian J. Chem. 16B (1978) 966; J. Indian Chem. Soc. 55 (1978) 1216) in which a non-galactomannan polysaccharide structure has been assigned having a main chain of (1-->4)-linked galactose and mannose units in the molar ratio 6:3, where 50% of the galactose units branched with two galactose and one mannose through 1-->3 linkage.

Structure of a galactomannan from the seeds of Cassia angustifolia Vahl

Cassia angustifolia Vahl (family: Caesalpiniaceae) is a fast growing and spreading Indian shrub of which seeds, pods and leaves are extensively used for pharmaceutical applications. The seeds have been found to be an alternative source of commercial gums. The structural aspects of the galactomannans have been determined for a better understanding of its properties. The purified seed galactomannan contains mannose:galactose in a ratio of 2.90. The average molecular weight (M(w)) is 9.66x10(4) and the intrinsic viscosity (eta) is 209 mL/g. Methylation analysis, periodate oxidation, Smith degradation and 13C NMR studies confirm that the gum has the basic structure of legume galactomannans with a main chain of (1-->4)-linked beta-D-mannopyranosyl units to which single alpha-(1-->6)-D-linked galactopyranosyl units are attached through block pattern.