STUDIES ON WATER SOLUBLE POLYSACCHARIDES ISOLATED FROM TRIBULUS TERRESTRIS L—PURIFICATION AND PRELIMINARY STRUCTURAL DETERMINATION OF HETEROPOLYSACCHARIDE H

Crude polysaccharides extracted from the stem and leaf of Tribulus terristris L after the removal of crude saponins are a mixture of heteropolysaccharides composed of Am ,Rha, Xyl ,GalA, Gal,Glc and Man in molar ratios of 6. 0:2. 1:1:3.6 :3.4:7.7:2.9. A homogeneous polysaccharide H obtained by gradation and purification contains Am, Rha, Xyl, GalA. Gal and Glc. in molar ratios of 1.6: 2.4: 0. 1: 3.5: 1.3: 1. Its molecular weight was found to be 1×10⁵. By means of pectinase and β-D-galactosidase enzymolysis, periodate oxidation,Smith degradation, partial hydrolysis withacid, methylation, GC and GC- MS, the H Contains α-D- GalA ( 1-4 ) and L- Rha ( 1-2 ) probably linked alternately as main chain with some L- Rha ( 1-2 ) side chains.