Immunomodulatory effects of a polysaccharide purified from Lepidium meyenii Walp. on macrophages

A polysaccharide (MP21) was extracted and purified from Lepidium meyenii Walp. using DEAE-52 and Sephacryl™ S-500 columns. Its physicochemical properties and macrophage immunomodulatory activity were investigated in vitro. The results indicated that MP21 had an average molecular weight of 3.68 × 105 Da and was mainly composed of rhamnose, arabinose and galactose in a molar ratio of 1:4.84:5.34. The conformation of MP21 was between a sphere and...