Pectin biological activities

The determined macro- and microelement stmcture of mumio specifies onto the expediency of the application of this biologically active substance as a cosmetic raw material in the cosmetic compositions, which do not contain carbopol. The developed procedure for calcium and sodium ions determination in pectin-containing vegetative extracts is express and it is recommended for application at elaboration of cosmetic production compositions on the carbopol base. 

Cell wall pectins from immunochemical characterization to biological activity... 

Biologically Active Pectin Oligomers in Ripening Tomato Fruits... 

Table II. Carbohydrate compositions (weight percentage) of individual oligomer peaks purified (QAE-Sephadex or HPLC ion-exchange separation, respectively) from mixtures of citrus pectin oligomers or B fruit extracts Compositions shown are for peaks whose biological activity is described in Figure 4. Uronic acid values are based on colorimetric assay. Proportions of neutral sugars were determined by GC and adjusted so that totals equal 100%. In fact, some oligomers (G7 peaks 8, 9 and 10. B extract peak 10) produced small (less than 1 % of the total integrated area), unknown peaks in the GC chromatograms.

An intriguing environmental feature of an Eca invasion in potatoes is the change from pH 5.0 in fresh tissue to pH 8.5 in the infected tissue after 72 h. We propose that the involvement of PLs in the degradation of pectin is an evolutionary consequence of the alkalinization which inactivates PG [optimal activity for Eca PG is at pH 6.0 (unpublished results)]. Moreover, secretion of PL isoenzymes may ensure successful biological activity of Eca in diverse types of host cell walls. 

The leaves of large plantain Plantago major L.) are used for wotmd healing in the traditional medicine. The effect might be due to biologically active polysaccharides. A pectin, PMII with anti-complementary activity has been isolated from the leaves by water extraction and ion exchange chromatography (1). 

Generalising the research into polysaccharides isolated fi om Chinese herbs Yamada (22)concludes that most biological activities are observed in the case of pectic polysaccharides. Besides, results prove that the complementarily active power of these pectins is represented mainly through the branched regions and the activity is regulated by the polygalacturonic regions. 

To date only homooligogalacturonides from plant pectin have been shown to exhibit the regulatory effects. Meanwhile pectin polysaccharides consist of neutral highly branched blocks, so it was of interest to search for possible biological activity of oligomers released from such structures. 

The knowledge of only the primary structure of complex carbohydrates is no longer sufficient to understand and explain their function and specificity [61]. The three-dimensional structures of pectin and polyuronic acid determine their interactions with other ions, molecules and macromolecules and are significant for their function and biological activity [88,102-103] Computational chemistry methods may greatly help in the determination of the three-dimensional structure of polysaccharides allowing to xmderstand and explain the behaviour of the PGA chains and the diffusion of ions inside. We apphed [89-92] Molecular Dynamics (MD) to the study of the motion of small (6-24 units) Polygalacturonic Acid (PGA) chains either protonated or complexed by Na" and Ca ions. 

Fungi and bacteria are sources of polysaccharides and especially of exopolysaccharides which can be produced in culture media on an industrial scale. They are a source of new additives for cosmetic or food applications but also for biological activity. Many of them are now in development a review will be published in the second edition of Reference 12. Many of these polysaccharides are water soluble and able to compete with natural polysaccharides as described before (alginates, carrageenans, galacto- and glucomannans, chitosans, pectins, etc) especially in the domain of food additives. Many books discuss their applications (183-187). 

The polysaccharides of the ginseng comprised 40 % (by weight) of the root. This class of compound was first isolated and documented in 1966 [20]. Most biologically active carbohydrates in ginseng are acidic polysaccharides, known as ginsan, which have the typical structure of pectin [21, 22]. 

Da [120,121]. A xyloglucan, MW 79,500 Da, was isolated from the leaves and stems of E. purpurea., and a pectin-like polysaccharide from the expressed sap [122]. Recently, lectins have also been described as biologically active substances in different parts of . purpurea [86]. 

Samuelsen AB, Paulsen BS, Wold JK, Otsuka H, Kiyohara H, Yamada H, Knutsen SH (1996) Characterization of a biological active pectin from Plantago major L. Carbohy-dr Polymers 30 37-44... 

A search of the literature indicated that P-D-galactosidase is known to be biologically active towards pectin (8). In fact, P-D-galactosidase is one of the enzymes involved in the ripening process of fruits (8a). Thus, the observed P-D-galactosidase activity is not inconsistent with the literature. 

Thermodynamic characteristics and physical-chemical properties of natural polymers (cellulose, starch, agar, chitin, pectin and inulin), their water mixtures and some biologically active substances extracted from vegetable substances using carbon dioxide in a supercritical state are reviewed. In addition, several aspects of practical application of thermodynamic characteristics of biologically active substances are demonstrated. 

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