In oriental medicinal herbs medicines additional
influences are documented. According to Yamada
(1996) herbal extracts contain substances with
both low and high molecular weight.
Pharmacological activities have been observed
in fraction with high molecular weights from
boiled water extracts of the medicinal herbs. Of
the high molecular weight substances, various
pharmacological activities have been observed
in pectic polysaccharides and pectins.
These activities are summarized by Yamada
(1996) in table 1.