Some properties of a polysaccharide preparation that is isolated from the fruit of Cordia abyssinica

An acidic polysaccharide gum was isolated from the fruit of Cordia abyssinica by extraction with alkali and precipitation with acid. The polysaccharide preparation had a specific optical rotation of −50°, moisture content of 9.1%, ash content of 0.7% and a uronic acid content of 8.7%. In the acid hydrolysates of C. abyssinica polysaccharide, galactose was identified by HPLC to be the main monosaccharide released (27%), followed by rhamnose (21%) and mannose (17%). Xylose (11%), glucose (10%), arabinose (9.5%) and uronic acids (5%) were also components of the polymer. At present, it is not clear whether the small amount of protein present (2.6%) was covalently bound or not.