ABSTRACT In order to enhance the high‐value utilization of Imperata cylindrica (L.) P. Beauv. and help control its ecological impact as an invasive species, Imperatae rhizoma polysaccharide (IRcp‐2) was successfully extracted from the roots of Imperata cylindrica (L.) P. Beauv. The total sugar and protein contents of IRcp‐2 were 91.36% and 1.50%, respectively. Its monosaccharide composition was predominantly galactose, arabinose, xylose, and glucose, with a molar ratio of 44.8:34.4:13.8:7.0. Its average molecular weight was 29 964 Da. Methylation combined with nuclear magnetic resonance analysis showed that IRcp‐2 mainly included 1,3,6‐β‐Gal p , 1‐β‐Ara f , and a small amount of 1‐β‐Gal p , 1,3‐β‐Gal p , 1,4‐β‐Gal p , 1,6‐β‐Gal p , 1‐β‐Glc p , 1,2‐β‐Glc p , 1,3‐β‐Glc p , 1,4‐β‐Glc p , 1,3,4‐β‐Glc p , 1,6‐β‐Glc p , 1,2,5‐β‐Ara f , 1,5‐β‐Ara f , 1‐α‐Xyl p , 1,2‐α‐Xyl p , and 1,4‐α‐Xyl p . Cell experiments demonstrated that IRcp‐2 at concentrations of 5–200 µg/mL significantly promoted the proliferation of macrophages and increased the production of tumor necrosis factor‐α and nitric oxide in macrophages, suggesting that IRcp‐2 may possess immunoenhancing effects.
Cui et al. (Sun,) studied this question.