| abstract |
The present invention relates to a polysaccharide of Echinacea angustifolia roots, having molecular weight of 1.3 x 105 Da and consisting of rhamnose, arabinose, galactose and galacturonic acid in ratio 0.5:2.5:1.75:10.25. The polysaccharide is recovered from spontaneous or cultivated Echinacea angustifolia roots by means of a process comprising the following steps: a) depriving the roots of non polysaccharidic constituents by extraction with solvent; b) extracting the polysaccharidic fraction from the roots as directly obtained from the preceding step; c) isolating the polysaccharide by chromatography of the polysaccharidic fraction. Due to its immune-stimulating properties, the polysaccharide can be used for the preparation of medicaments, food supplements' or nutraceutical compositions to administer whenever it is desirable to strenghthen the immune system body defenses. |