Monomeric composition and linkage analysis of the polysaccharides present in the infusions of Fraxinus angustifolia leaves
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In the Trás-os-Montes region, the use of infusions of Fraxinus angustifolia dried leaves as a protection against high levels of cholesterol, blood pressure and uric acid is widespread. Pectic polysaccharides isolated from the infusions of some medicinal plants have been reported as biologically active [1,2]. Pectic poly-saccharides have been described as structurally complex polymers, exhibiting different polymeric building blocks: homogalacturonans (HG), rhamnogalacturonans-I (RG-I), rhamnogalacturonans-II (RG-II) and xylogalacturonans (XG) [3]. The backbone of RG-I can be partly substituted with various side chains, such as arabinans, type-I and type-II arabinogalactans (AG-I and AG-II). The aim of this work is to provide a first insight of the nature of the pectic polysaccharides present in the infusions of F. angustifolia dried leaves.
In the northeast region of Portugal, the use of plants with medicinal purposes is widespread.
Many of these are used as infusions and, according to the popular knowledge, those from Fraxinus angustifolia (narrow-leafed ash) protect against high leveis of cholesterol, blood pressure, and uric acid. ln order to observe if the polysaccharides from narrow-leafed ash are biologically active, as those that have been reported in literature [1, 2] this study reports the isolation and partial characterization of the polysaccharides present in the infusions of F. angustifolia.
