EPPS, a new heteropolysaccharide from Echinops pungens roots, was extracted by warm water (70 °C) and fortuitously purified using column chromatographies on DEAE-cellulose A52 and Sephadex G-100. Total carbohydrate content, specific optical rotation and molecular mass of EPPS were 98.3%, -88.2 and
Polysaccharides isolated from Echinops sphaerocephalus, Echinops ruthenicus, Echinops exaltatus, Echinops commutatus and Echinops orientalis (Asteraceae family) were investigated to study their qualitative and quantitative relations. The extracts of these studied plants have been used in traditional