Chemical and biological characterization of polysaccharides from wild and cultivated roots of Vernonia kotschyana

In Malian traditional medicine the roots of Vernonia kotschyana are used for treating gastric ulcer and gastritis. In 2006, 9000 kg of roots from Vernonia kotschyana were used to produce Gastrosedal, an ameliorated traditional medicine in Mali. Harvesting from the wild, the main source of raw material, is causing a growing concern of diminishing populations of the plant, and Vernonia kotschyana is now being cultivated in several areas around Mali. In the current study the structures and bioactive properties of isolated polysaccharides from wild and cultivated Vernonia kotschyana were compared.