Structure and rheological properties of a xyloglucan extracted from Hymenaea courbaril var. courbaril seeds

• Published in: International journal of biological macromolecules Vol. 73; pp. 31 - 38
• Main Authors: Arruda, Isabel R.S., Albuquerque, Priscilla B.S., Santos, Gustavo R.C., Silva, Alexandre G., Mourão, Paulo A.S., Correia, Maria T.S., Vicente, António A., Carneiro-da-Cunha, Maria G.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01.02.2015
• Subjects: Anti-Bacterial Agents - chemistry; Anti-Bacterial Agents - pharmacology; Chromatography, Gel; Glucans - chemistry; Glucans - pharmacology; Hemolytic Agents - chemistry; Hemolytic Agents - pharmacology; Hymenaea - chemistry; Hymenaea courbaril; Methylation; Molecular Structure; Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Biomolecular; Plant Extracts - chemistry; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; Polysaccharide characterization; Polysaccharide structure; Rheology; Seeds - chemistry; Viscoelastic fluid; X-Ray Diffraction; Xylans - chemistry; Xylans - pharmacology; Xyloglucan; Viscoelastic fluid; Polysaccharide characterization; Xyloglucan; Hymenaea courbaril; Polysaccharide structure
• ISSN: 0141-8130; 1879-0003
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2014.11.001

Hymenaea courbaril var courbaril seed xyloglucan was efficiently extracted with 0.1M NaCl, followed by ethanol precipitation (yield=72±5% w/w). Its amorphous structure was identified by the pattern of X-ray diffraction. The monosaccharide composition was determined by GC/MS analysis of the alditol acetates and showed the occurrence of glucose:xylose:galactose:arabinose (40:34:20:6). One-(1D) and two-dimensional-(2D) NMR spectra confirmed a central backbone composed by 4-linked β-glucose units partially branched at position 6 with non-reducing terminal units of α-xylose or β-galactose-(1→2)-α-xylose disaccharides. The xyloglucan solution was evaluated by dynamic light scattering and presents a polydisperse and practically neutral profile, and at 0.5 and 1.0% (w/v) the solutions behave as a viscoelastic fluid. The polysaccharide did not show significant antibacterial or hemolytic activities. Overall our results indicate that xyloglucan from H. courbaril is a promising polysaccharide for food and pharmaceutical industries.