Glucofructans from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cousinii radians</Emphasis> roots

Structures of glucofructans isolated from Cousinii radians roots were studied by methylation, periodate oxidation, and IR and ¹³C NMR spectroscopies. It was found that fructofuranose units were bonded to each other by inulin-type β-(2→1)-gylcoside bonds. __________ Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 1, pp. 3–5, January–February, 2007.     

Allium carbohydrates. XV. Polysaccharides from Allium motor

The content of carbohydrates in Allium motor was studied as a function of vegetation period. The qualitative and quantitative compositions and physical chemical properties of sugars soluble in alcohol, water-soluble polysaccharides, pectinic substances, and hemicellulose were characterized. Galacturonan was produced by partial hydrolysis of the pectinic substances. __________ Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 5, pp. 409–411, September–October, 2006.     

Lipids and Carbohydrates from Althaea nudiflora and A. armeniaca Roots

Lipids from roots ofAlthaea nudifloraandA. Armeniacawere studied. The carbohydrate and fatty-acid compositions were found. The lipids ofA. NudifloraandA. Armeniacacontain 22.3 and 12.6%, respectively, of cyclopropenoid fatty acids, the physical chemical properties of which are presented. The optimal degree of grinding, temperature, and raw-material-to-extractant ratio for aqueous extraction of water-soluble polysaccharides from althaea roots were chosen from a single statistically significant experiment     

Biologically Active Substances from Cacalia hastate Leaves. 1. Carbohydrates from Leaves and Their Hypoglycemic Activity

Leaves of Cacalia hastate L. (Asteraceae) were composed of free sugars, water-soluble polysaccharides (arabinogalactan type), pectinic substances, hemicelluloses, and cellulose. The hypoglycemic activity was determined for the water-soluble polysaccharides and pectinic substances.     

Chemical composition of dry extracts from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Alcea rosea</Emphasis>

Dry extracts from roots and stems of Alcea rosea were prepared. Their chemical composition was studied by characterizing the carbohydrate, protein, and elemental compositions. __________ Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 5, pp. 417–419, September–October, 2007.     

Polysaccharide accumulation dynamics in Iris pseudacorus

It was established by studying carbohydrates of Iris pseudacorus during vegetative periods that the content of water-soluble polysaccharides in the rhizomes and roots is greatest during seed ripening; of pectinic substances, during budding. Glycomannan was isolated from seeds. __________ Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 3, pp. 216–217, May–June, 2006.     

Glucofructans from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Taraxacum officinale</Emphasis> roots

The structure of glucofructans from Taraxacum officinale roots growing in Buryatia was studied by chemical, chromatographic, and spectral methods. It was found that fructose,glucose, saccharose, 1-kestose, and nystose were present in the free state. The structures of the two dominant polymeric compounds, TGf-1 (5.7 kDa) and TGf-2 (2.6 kDa), which were linear inulin-type macromolecules consisting of fructofuranose units bonded through β-(2→1)-bonds, were studied. Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 2, pp. 125–127, March–April, 2009.     

Xylitol production from wood hydrolyzates by entrapped Debaryomyces hansenii and Candida guilliermondii cells

Debaryomyces hansenii cells were entrapped in Ca-alginate beads and used for producing xylitol from wood hydrolyzates. Batch experiments showed that bioconversion was severely hindered when Ca-alginate beads were hardened with Al³⁺ solutions. As an alternative to Al³⁺ hardening, the improvements in both mechanical stability of bioparticles and fermenting ability of the immobilized system derived from using increased concentrations of sodium alginate were assessed. The best results were obtained using a 4% (w/v) Na-alginate solution in the gelification step. This concentration was selected to perform continuous fermentations in a packed-bed reactor using raw or charcoal-treated hydrolyzates (15.5 g of xylose/L) with two different yeasts: Candida guilliermondii and Debaryomyces hansenii. With a final cell concentration of about 50 g of cells/L (0.075 g of cells/g of beads), the volumetric productivities reached with these yeasts in media made from charcoal-treated hydrolyzates were 0.58 and 0.91 g/L·h, respectively.     

Polysaccharides of Saponin-Bearing Plants. XV. Structure of Glucoarabinogalactan from Acantophyllum Borszczowii Roots

The structure of the branched polysaccharide glucoarabinogalactan was investigated by periodate oxidation, methylation, and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy. The main chain consists of -16-bonded galactopyranoses. 12-Bonded D-glucopyranoses and 13-bonded D-galactopyranoses are located on the unreducing ends. There is a short side chain with -13-bonded L-arabinopyranoses.     

Xylitol production from hardwood hemicellulose hydrolysates by Pachysolen tannophilus, Debaryomyces hansenii, and Candida guilliermondii

Three different yeasts, Pachysolen tannophilus, Debaryomyces hansenii, and Candida guilliermondii, were evaluated to ferment xylose solutions prepared from hardwood hemicellulose hydrolysates, among which P. tannophilus proved to be the most promising microorganism. However, the presence of both lignin-derived compounds (LDC) and acetic acid rendered a poor fermentation. To enhance the fermentation kinetics, different treatments to purify the hydrolysates were studied, including overliming, charcoal adsorption for LDC removal, and evaporation for acetic acid and furfural stripping. Under the best operating conditions assayed, 39.5g/L of xylitol were achieved after 96 h of fermentation, which corresponds to a volumetric productivity of 0.41 g/L·h and a yield of product on consumed substrate of 0.63 g _p /g_S.     

Polysaccharides of Saponin-Bearing Plants. XIV. Structural Study of Glucoarabinogalactan from Acanthophyllum pungens Roots

The structure of the polysaccharide glucoarabinogalactan, which is a branched polysaccharide, was established by chemical and spectral methods. Its main chain consists of -16-bound galactopyranose units. Galactopyranose atoms C-2 and C-3 act as branching points. The side chains contain galactopyranose, glucopyranose, and chains of -(13)-bound arabinopyranose units. The linear structures of three galactooligosaccharides were identified and proved by partial acid hydrolysis.     

Isolation, chemical composition, and structural features of polysaccharides fromLupinus species

Polysaccharides ofLupinus angustifolius (Bryansk 123 and Krystall varieties) andLupinus luteus (SG-91 variety) are extracted and hydrolyzed. Their chemical composition and structural features are studied. Optimal conditions for extraction, hydrolysis, and purification of the lupine polysaccharides are found. Structural features of the isolated pectins are determined based on¹³C NMR and IR spectroscopy.Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 1, pp. 32–34, January–February, 2000.     

Polysaccharides and sterols from green algae Caulerpa lentillifera and C. sertularioides

Sterols and polysaccharides of green alga Caulerpa lentillifera grown under laboratory conditions and in mariculture and polysaccharides of green alga C. sertularioides grown under natural conditions were studied. The sterol fraction consisted of C₂₇-C₂₉ steroidal alcohols with Δ⁵-unsaturation in the steroid core regardless of the growth conditions. The dominant (79.9%) steroid component of the sterol fraction was clionasterol. The water-soluble fraction of C. lentillifera grown under laboratory conditions was a mixture of 1,4-α- and 1,3-β-D-glucans and protein. The same fraction isolated from C. lentillifera grown in mariculture contained only protein. The water-soluble fraction of C. sertularioides grown under natural conditions contained 1,3;1,6-β-D-galactan sulfated at C2. The principal components of the base-soluble polysaccharide fractions from all algae samples were 1,4-α-D-glucans. Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 1, pp. 5-8, January-February, 2009.     

Quantitative analysis of polysaccharides from Plantago major leaves using the Dreywood method

A method for determining with a relative uncertainty of less than 3% the total content of polysaccharides in Plantago major leaves that were converted to galacturonic acid was developed using the Dreywood method. The polysaccharide content in Plantago major leaves determined by the developed method was 1.44–1.52%. __________ Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 3, pp. 221–223, May–June, 2006     

Production of xylitol byCandida mogii from rice straw hydrolysate

The influence of aeration level, initial pH, initial cell concentration, and fermentation time on the xylitol production from rice straw hemicellulose hydrolysate byCandida mogii was studied. A multifactorial experimental design was adopted to evaluate this influence. A statistical analysis of the results showed that the aeration level and the initial pH had significant effects on yield factor, volumetric productivity, and xylose consumption. For the latter, fermentation time was also a significant variable. Based on the response surface methodology, models for the range investigated were proposed. The maximum values for the yield factor (Y_p/s) and volumetric productivity (Q_p) were, respectively, 0.71 g/g and 0.46 g(Lh).     

Structure of Galactomannan from Gleditsia delavayi Seeds

Galactomannan with a galactose:mannose ratio 1:1.1 and molecular weight 79,000 was obtained from Gleditsia delavayi seeds by fractional precipitation of the water-soluble polysaccharides. Methylation, oxidation by chromic acid and periodate, and partial acid hydrolysis established that the principal galactomannan macromolecule consisted of -1.4 mannopyranose units substituted at C-6 by -galactopyranoses.     

Biopreparation of an anti-inflammatory agent,diarctigenin, from arctiin isolated from Arctium lappa by Rhizoctonia solani AG-4

In the preliminary screening for the plant-derived pesticides against Rhizoctonia solani Kühn AG-4 (RS AG-4), the indicator compounds arctiin (1) and arctigenin (2) in methanol extracts of Arctium lappa L. were consumed and transformed to other compounds. Thus, in the present study RS AG-4 was used as a biocatalyst and the biotransformation of arctiin (1) was investigated. Conversion of arctiin (1) to arctigenin (2) was achieved by the enzymatic hydrolysis of sugar moiety. In addition, an anti-inflammatory lignan dimer reported from the Arctium species, diarctigenin (3) was afforded in good yields. The HPLC monitoring of the biotransformation process indicated the possible mechanism. It would be an excellent method to produce a large scale of diarctigenin (3) for the successive medicinal examinations.     

Maximizing the xylitol production from sugar cane bagasse hydrolysate by controlling the aeration rate

Batch fermentations of sugar cane bagasse hemicellulosic hydrolysate treated for removing the inhibitors of the fermentation were performed byCandida guilliermondii FTI20037 for xylitol production. The fermentative parameters agitation and aeration rate were studied aiming the maximization of xylitol production from this agroindustrial residue. The maximal xylitol volumetric productivity (0.87 g/L h) and yield (0.67 g/g) were attained at 400/min and 0.45 v.v.m. (K_La 27/h). According to the results, a suitable control of the oxygen input permitting the xylitol formation from sugar cane bagasse hydrolysate is required for the development of an efficient fermentation process for large-scale applications.