PhD Cecilie Sogn Nergård 2005

For the treatment of a variety of diseases in developping countries the use of plants is crucial. In this thesis we identified and collected information about over 120 plants used in the treatment of wounds in the West-African country, Mali. Most of the plants were used as water-extracts. Extracts from 16 of the plants investigated, had the ability to influence on the immune system involved in the wound  healing process. Two of the extracts showed inhibition of the developement of gastrointestinal ulcers in mice. Active constituents that were identified from the plants belong to a group of compounds called pectins of the arabinogalactan type. These are complex carbohydrates that form extremely complex structures. In this theses the fine structures of these carbohydrates were investigated and compared, in addition their ability to influence on different parts of the immune system were studied.