RAW264.7 Cell Activating Glucomannans Extracted from Rhizome of Polygonatum sibiricum

Water-soluble polysaccharides isolated from the rhizome of Polygonatum sibiricum and fractionated using ionexchange chromatography were investigated to determine their structure and immunostimulating activity. Crude and fractions (F₁ and F₂) consisted of carbohydrates (85.1∼88.3%) with proteins (4.51∼11.9%) and uronic acid (1.79∼7.47%), and included different levels of mannose (62.3∼76.3%), glucose (15.2∼20.3%), galactose (4.35∼15.3%), and arabinose (4.00∼7.65%). The crude contained two peaks with molecular weights (Mw) of 151×10³ and 31.8×10³, but F₁ and F₂ exhibited one major peak with Mw of 10³×10³ and 628×10³, respectively. Little immunostimulatory activity was observed by the crude; however, F₁ and F₂ significantly activated RAW264.7 cells to release nitric oxide and various cytokines, suggesting they were potent immunostimulators. The backbone of the most immunostimulating fraction (F₁) was (1→4)- manno- and (1→4)-gluco-pyranosyl residues with galactose and glucose attached to O-6 of manno-pyranoside.