A water-soluble galactomannan consisting of D-galactose and D-mannose in the molar ratio 3:2 has been isolated from the seeds of Cassia angustifolia. Hydrolytic fission of the methylated polysaccharide resulted in three methylated sugars: (a) 2, 3-di- O-methyl- D-mannose, (b) 2, 3, 4-tri- O-methyl- D-galactose, and (c) 2, 3, 4, 6-tetra- O-methyl- D-galactose in the molar ratio 2:1:2. Partial acid hydrolysis of the polysaceharide afforded five oligosaccharides: (a) epimelibiose, (b) galactobiosylmannose, (c) mannobiose, (d) mannotriose, and (e) galactobiose. Periodate oxidation of the polysaceharide indicated 59.7% end group while methylation gave 60%. Sodium borohydride reduction of the periodate oxidised polysaceharide and subsequent hydrolysis revealed the presence of (1-->4) and (1-->6)-glycosidic bonds. Thus, the main chain of the galactomannan was found to consist of (1-->4)-linked mannoypyranosyl units having beta-glycosidic bonds while (1-->6)-linked alpha-glycosidically bonded galactopyranosyl units form the branching points.
e w a r i According to Ayurvedic and Unani systems of medicines various parts of Cassia fistula L i n n . (Legtiminosae) are highly useful in curing various diseases ( K i r t i k a r and B a s u, 1933). The leaves, stem bark, flowers and seeds of the Downloaded by: University of Pennsylvania Libraries. Copyrighted material.
In view of the medicinal importance of Cassia genus [I], Cassia nodosa was chosen for its chemical investigation. The chemical literature revealed no work to have been done on the chemical investigation of this plant. However, the insecticidal properties of the aerial portions of the plant have been studied by P l a n k [2]. Recently a fixed oil from the seeds has been studied by Rizvi et al. [2b]. The polysaccharide was extracted from the defatted powdered seeds by cold water containing 1.5% acetic acid. A thick mucilagenous solution was obtained, from which the galactomannan was separated and purified by repeated precipitation from ethanol. The homogeneity of the polysaccharide was checked by (i) fractional precipitation with ethanol followed by hydrolysis and quantitative estimation of the sugars, (ii) electrophoresis, (iii) displacement chromatography and (iv) deacetylation of its purified acetyl derivative. The purified and desiccated galactornannan dissolved very slowly in water producing a turbid solution but easily soluble in alkali. It showed an ash content of 0.8% and rotating power of [a] + 70.5" in I N sodium hydroxide solution. ' The work described in this forms a part of the thesis of S. A. I. R i z v i submitted to the University of Allahabad in December, 1968. PM Rizvi et al., Cassia nodosa 25
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