[Polysaccharides of Glycyrrhiza glabra L. and Glycyrrhiza echinata L. Medicinal plants II].

Comparative study was carried out among the polysaccharides of Chinese, Lithuanian and Hungarian origin Glycyrrhiza glabra root samples as well as the Hungarian origin Glycyrrhiza echinata, which has not been studied earlier. The plant material was extracted with boiling water and the yield, the carbohydrate and the uronic acid content was measured by the alpha-naphtol and the Bitter method [21], respectively. Although the yield of Hungarian origin species was found lower than the yield of eastern species, the uronic acid content was similar. (Table I.) Our results show that to extract polysaccharides containing uronic acids needed longer extraction time, about 4 hours. The stem of Glycyrrhiza echinata might be useful from a practical point of view because of its large size and easy of access. (Table I. II.) Some fractions containing uronic acid in higher amount were separated on DEAE Sepharose CL-6B anion exchange column. After hydrolysis, reduction and acetylation the monosaccharide composition of this fractions was analysed by GC. (Table IV.).