Takeshi Teruya

The Chemical Structure of Galactomannan Isolated from Seeds of Delonix regia

A galactomannan isolated from seeds of Delonix regia was investigated. The specific rotation of the galactomannan was +15° at 25 °C. The molecular mass of the galactomannnan was estimated to be 2.5×105. The ratio of D-mannose to D-galactose was estimated approximately to be 4.0:1.0 by HPLC and 1H-NMR. NMR (1H and 13C) spectra, and methylation analysis of the galactomannan indicated that it was composed of 1,4-linked β-D-mannose, 1,4,6-linked β-D-mannose, and terminal α-D-galactose. It was composed of pentasaccharide repeating-units, the chemical structure of which is proposed below.

Fucoidan Isolated from Laminaria angustata var. longissima Induced Macrophage Activation

We investigated macrophage activation by fucoidan from Laminaria angustata var. longissima in a murine macrophage cell line, RAW 264.7. The ratio of the chemical composition of the fucoidan was L-fucose:D-galactose:D-glucose:D-xylose:uronic acid:sulfate = 1.00:0.54:0.08:0.08:0.64:0.87. The fucoidan induced production of nitric oxide, tumor necrosis factor-α, and interleukin-6 in RAW 264.7 cells. These results indicate that the fucoidan induced macrophage activation.