CONSTITUTION OF THE GALACTOMANNAN FROM THE KERNEL OF GREEN PALMYRA PALM NUT (BORASSUS FLABELLIFER LINN.)

Abstract

The water-soluble polysaccharide extracted from the kernel of green palmyra palm nut (Borassusflabellifer Linn.) was shown to be composed of D-galactose and D-mannose in the proportion of 1:2.4. Hydrolysis of the fully methylated galactomannan yielded 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-methyl-D-galactose, 2,3,6-tri-O-methyl-D-mannose, and 2,3-di-O-methyl-D-mannose in the molar ratio of 1:1.4:0.95. Partial hydrolysis of the galactomannan afforded 4-O-β-D-mannopyranosyl-D-mannose, 6-O-α-D-galactopyranosyl-D-mannose, and two trisaccharides. Based on these results a structural formula for the galactomannan has been proposed, additional evidence for which was adduced from periodate-oxidation studies.