NMR and mass spectral studies of ‘Abaliose’ – a novel hexasaccharide isolated from <i>Bubalus bubalis</i> milk

Milk oligosaccharides confer unique health benefits to the neonates. Recent studies show that these milk oligosaccharides (MO) show potent medicinal activities such as anti-tumour, immunostimulant, anti-complimentary, anti-cancerous, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic and active against virus. Buffalo milk oligosaccharide induces significant stimulation of antibody, delayed type hypersensitivity and non-specific immune response. Keeping the biological activities of buffalo MOs in mind, it was processed by the method developed by Deepak et al. Thereafter its purification involving chromatographic techniques, resulted in isolation of a novel hexasaccharide 'Abaliose'. Three-dimensional structure of this oligosaccharide was elucidated by HSQC, TOCSY, COSY and HMBC NMR experiments and mass spectrometric data confirming it to be a Novel hexasaccharide made up of Glc, Gal, GlcNHAc and GalNHAc linked together by β-(1→4), β-(1→3) and β-(1→2) glycosidic linkages (Figure 1).