ISOLATION AND STUDY OF PHYSICAL-CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF GALACTOMANNANS FROM PLANT MA-TERIALS

Abstract

The aim of the study is isolation of galactomannan from plant materials and investigation of their physical and chemical properties. Polysaccharides generally consisting of galactomannan were isolated and purified from galactomannans from these eds the plants Sophora japonica and Gleditsia triacanthos by cold and hot extraction methods. Galactose and mannose contents of the galactomannans isolated were quantitatively characterized and physical and chemical properties of the polysaccharides were studied. In addition, polysaccharides isolated were enzymatic hydrolyzed and changes in the monosaccharide composition in the hydrolysis process were studied. The characteristic viscosities of the initial and hydrolyzed galactomannans were 4.85–3.80 dl/g, respectively. Molecular weights of the galactomannans, after treatment with the enzyme, changed in a range of 55600–26200 Da. Studies with 1H NMR and 13CNMR spectroscopy methods showed decreases in galactoside content of the hydrolyzed galactomannans, indicating the primary course of hydrolysis occurs by the side chain of the macromolecule. Increase in duration of enzymatic hydrolysis more than 24 hours led to the formation of poly-mannans with a minor content of galactose units. The obtained data can serve to improve isolation and preparation of galactomannan based materials for biomedical purposes.