[Studies on isolation, purification and structure of polysaccharide RHG from Hedysarum polybotrys Hand.-Mazz]

A water-soluble polysaccharide, RHG, was isolated from the roots of Hedysarum polybotrys Hand.-Mazz. It was shown to be homogeneous by electrophoresis and gel filtration. Its average molecular weight was estimated to be 1.4 x 10(4). Methylation analysis, periodate oxidation, Smith degradation, IR, NMR and KI-I2 reaction showed that RHG is a (1-4) linked alpha-D-glucan to which the glucosyl side chains are attached at O-6 of the glucosyl residues of the main chain.