Structural Characterization And Immunologic Enhancement Of Alkali-soluble Polysaccharide From The Stem Of Physalis Alkekengi L.

Alkali-soluble polysacchride (ASP) was isolated and purified from the mature stem ofPhysalis alkekengi L. var. francheti (Mast.) Makino, which is a traditional Chinese medicineherb. Gas chromatography analysis indicated that ASP was an acid heteropolysaccharide,which was composed of Rha,Ara,Xyl,Gal,Glc and GalA in molar ratio of1.0：2.5：0.8：2.7：4.4：1.4. More importantly, adjuvant activity of ASP was evaluated in ICR mice in presentstudy. Male ICR mice were immunized with DNA vaccine alone, DNA vaccine/ASP, twotimes at14-day interval. The mice were sacrificed two weeks after the last immunization toanalyze antibody titers in serum. It was observed that ASP significantly enhanced specificantibody titers (IgG, IgG1, IgG2b) in serum (P<0.05or P<0.01). Thus, ASP could beconsidered as a promising adjuvant eliciting both Th1and Th2responses to improve theefficacy of vaccine.