Poly[3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)glyceric acid] from Symphytum officinale roots and its biological activity

Two high-molecular-weight (>1000 kDa) water-soluble biopolymers, the main component of which was poly[3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)glyceric acid] or poly[oxy-1-carboxy-2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)ethylene] according to IR and NMR spectroscopy, were isolated from roots of Symphytum officinale. They exhibit antioxidant activity as expressed in a decrease of active oxygen species (AOS) by interfering directly in their formation process by polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) and binding directly AOS.