An acidic polysaccharide, H2, was isolated from the alkali-extract CHC of seeds of Cuscuta chinensis Lam. with the molecular weight more than 1.0 x 10(6). Chemical and spectroscopic studies led to the structure determination as follows: the backbone chain consists of 1, 6-linked-beta -D Galp, 1,4-linked-X -D Galp, 1,4-linked-beta -D GalA and 1,2- or 1,4-linked-beta -L Rhap having branching points at position O-3 of some 1,6-linked-beta -D Galp residues (one among eight) and O-4 or O-2 of 1,2- or 1,4-linked-beta -L Rhap residues to terminal beta -D-galactopyranose. The side chains composed of terminal Galp, 1,6-linked-beta -D Galp, 1,4-linked beta -D Galp and 1,3,6-linked-beta -D Galp also linked at position O-3 of 1,6-linked-beta -D Galp residues in the backbone chain. beta -L-arabinofuranosyl and terminal beta -L-rhamnopyranosyl residues existed in the periphery of this polysaccharide linked to O-3 of 1,6-linked-beta -D Galp residues in the backbone chain and the side chains. The polysaccharide H2 increased significantly the survival rate of PC12 cells indicating that it had protective effects against H2O2 insult.
