Study of polysaccharides isolated from the oleo-gum-resins of boswellia carteri and commi phora myrrha and their immuno- modulatory activity

ABSTRACT

The present study aims to isolate the polysaccharides of the oleo-gum-resins of Boswellia carteri and Commiphora myrrha Family Burseraceae, identify their components and test their immuno-modulatory activity for the first time. The polysaccharides were isolated from the oleo-gum-resins of Boswellia carteri and Commiphora myrrha using different chemical and chromatographic techniques. The components of the polysaccharide hydrolysates are estimated qualitatively and quantitatively by using PC and HPLC analysis. The immuno-modulatory activity is tested by splenocyte and mitogen induced lymphocyte proliferation methods. The percentage yield of the isolated polysaccharide was 15.4% and 15.7% from Boswellia carteri and Commiphora myrrha oleo-gum-resins respectively. Galactose and ribose are the major constituting units of the polysaccharide isolated from Boswellia carteri oleo-gum-resin whereas ribose and galacturonic acid are the major constituting units of the polysaccharide isolated from Commiphora myrrha oleo-gum-resin. The polysaccharide of B. carteri oleo-gum-resin showed mild immuno-stimulatory activity at a dose of 5microg/ml, while that of C. myrrha oleo-gum-resin showed no activity at this dose. Chromatographic investigation of the polysaccharides isolated from Boswellia carteri and Commiphora myrrha oleo-gum-resins by PC and HPLC analysis demonstrated their qualitative and quantitative variation in their chemical composition. Higher concentrations of the polysaccharides could be tested for immuno-modulatory activity