Characterization and antioxidative activities of polysaccharide in Chinese angelica and its processed products

Abstract Five polysaccharides from unprocessed Chinese angelica (UCAP), parched one with alcohol (ACAP), soil (SCAP), sesame oil (OCAP) and parched into charred (CCAP) were extracted and purified. Their structures were identified by Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), compositions were analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) and antioxidative activities were compared by determining MDA contents and SOD activities of liver tissue in mice damaged with CCl 4 after gavage. The results showed that the FT-IR spectra of CCAP and OCAP displayed lower transmittance at around 1050 cm −1 in comparison with that of UCAP. Five polysaccharides were all composed of rhamnose, arabinose, mannose, glucose and galactose. In CCAP, ACAP, OCAP and SCAP, the proportions of arabinose were significantly increased in comparison with that of UCAP. The SOD activities in CCAP and SCAP groups were significantly enhanced, and MDA contents in CCAP, OCAP and SCAP groups were significantly decreased as compared with UCAP group. This indicated that processing could change the structure, composition and enhance antioxidative activity of polysaccharide in Chinese angelica, and CCAP possessed the strongest antioxidative activity.