A research team from the University of Macau’s (UM) Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences (ICMS) and the State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine recently discovered a naturally derived carbohydrate molecule in the medicinal herb Eucommia ulmoides that may help to promote the maturation of new blood vessels and treat ischemic diseases.

Led by Dr Wang Chunming from the ICMS, the research team started with extensive literature search and raw material screening before they successfully derived a natural polysaccharide from the medicinal herb Eucommia ulmoides. Experiments on mice suggest that the carbohydrate molecule can bind growth factors to simulate angiogenesis. Further investigations into this carbohydrate may lead to the development of new tools for therapeutic angiogenesis.

Titled ‘A Naturally-Derived, Growth Factor-Binding Polysaccharide for Therapeutic Angiogenesis’, the research paper was published in the latest issue of ACS Macro Letters, an authoritative journal of the American Chemical Society. The lead author of the paper is UM PhD student Li Qiu. The research team is now exploring the possibility of clinical application. The research project is jointly sponsored by the Science and Technology Development Fund and UM’s Research Grant.