Effect on Cultured Human Cell Lines of Polysaccharides in the Stem of Kiwi Fruit

Kiwi fruit is produced by a large, deciduous vine known botanically as Actinidia chinesis Planch. Its fuzzy brown skin covers emerald green flesh which is filled with small, black edible seeds. The physical and chemical properties of kiwi fruit starch has been studied by Fuke and Matsuoka (1985). Recently, certain physiological functions of food components have been investigated using cultured human cell lines, and the growth-promoting substances in food identified(Yamada et al., 1990). Previous studies reported that the extracts of various kinds of vegetables and fruits promoted the growth of human hybridoma cells and macrophages (Fuke et al., 1992, Kong et al., 1992). This study investigated that effect on cultured human cell lines of polysaccharides in the stem of kiwi fruit.