Abstract: The crude polysaccharides of Waldheimia glabra (Decne.) Regel (W.glabra) were extracted by water extraction and ethanol precipitation method and characterized with a series of physical and chemical methods.The effect of the polysaccharides on the immunologic functions was then investigated.The results showed that the polysaccharides were composed of galactose,arabinse,glucose,mannose,rhamose,glucuronic acid,galacturonic acid and ribose and the relative molecular mass was about 1110000.The contents of polysaccharides,uronic acid and protein of the crude polysaccharides were 63.60%,20.76% and 11.24%,respectively.The indepth study indicated that the polysaccharides obviously promoted the NO secretion of macrophage and thus enhanced immune activity.This study provided the basis for the development and utilization of polysaccharides from W.glabra.

Key words: Waldheimia glabra (Decne.) Regel, polysaccharides, physicochemical properties, immunoenhancing