Abstract

Isolation, quantification and structure of polysaccharides from Manilkara hexandra bark

Author(s): P.Gomathi, A.SanjeevaKumar, R.Prameela

Plants are themost important source of human survival. Plant polysaccharides are ideal candidates for therapeuticswith immunomodulatory, antitumor and wound-healing action. Manilkara hexandra (Mimusops hexandra) is an evergreen tree belongs to familySapotaceae.The present studydeals with theisolation and quantificationof thewater soluble polysaccharides from the bark of Manilkara hexandra. The isolation of the polysaccharides (MHPS) was carried out using standard procedure and was tested for the presence of sugar compounds by both the test tube and TLC methods. Later, the quantification of the four sugarmoieties, sucrose,maltose, xylose and lactose was performed by phenol sulphuric acidmethod.The amount and concentration of sucrose, xylose,maltose and lactosewas found to be 0.48, 0.29, 0.42, and 0.425 % respectively. The individual sugarmoleculeswere separated fromMHPS by column chromatography.The structures of the isolated polysaccharides were confirmed by IR, NMR andmass spectroscopy.