MW 51.4 kDa), which was a linear inulin-type glucofructan consisting of E-(2o1)-bonded fructofuranose units, was isolated and characterized. The total content of glucofructans in Saussurea lappa roots was 476.97-578.27 mg/g. Saussurea lappa C. B. Clarke [S. costus (Falc.) Lipsch.] is a member of the Asteraceae family and is widely used as a medicinal agent in China, India, and Tibet [1]. Roots of S. lappa (muxiang, yunmuxiang) are used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat headache, loss of appetite, diarrhea, and abdominal pain [2]. S. lappa (ru rta) is used in Tibetan medical practice for stomach ulcers and lung diseases and as an antihelminthic and hemostatic agent [3]. A study of the chemical composition of the roots of this plant showed that sesquiterpenes [4-7], triterpenes [5-9], lignans [10], phenylpropanoids [10, 11], chromones [9], simple phenols and phenolic acids [9, 10], flavonoids [12], anthraquinones [11], 2-pyrrolidinon-5(s)-carboxylate, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, succinic acid, glucose [9], and essential oil [13] in addition to inulin were present. However, the chemistry of glucofructans (GFr) from this plant species has not previously been studied [14,15]. The goal of our work was to study the composition and chemical structure of GFr from S. lappa roots.GFr were isolated as follows. Ground roots of S. lappa were treated beforehand with several solvents to remove lipophilic and phenolic compounds. The remaining raw material was extracted with EtOH (80%) and H 2 O to afford two fractions of alcohol-(SlF-1) and water-soluble GFr (SlF-2) in yields of 18.34 and 34.72% of the air-dried mass of raw material, respectively. The fructose contents in SlF-1 and SlF-2 were 67.53 ± 0.74 and 90.33 ± 1.08%, respectively.A chromatographic study (HPTLC) of fraction SlF-1 showed that it contained fructose and a series of oligomeric GFr. The latter were identified by separating SlF-1 using ion-exchange and gel-permeation chromatography. As a result, five compounds were identified using methylation as saccharose (1), 1-kestose (2), nystose (3), 1 F -E-fructofuranosylnystose (4), and 1 F -E-fructofuranosyl-1 F -E-fructofuranosylnystose (5). All compounds were typical of GFr-containing plant raw material. However, they were observed in S. lappa for the first time. Quantitative analysis using an HPTLC-densitometric method showed that the fructose content in S. lappa roots was (mg/g) 22. 91-50.15; in 1, 13.14-47.04; 2, 11.43-34.51; 3, 2.21-15.68; 4, 8.36-50.05; and 5, 6.76-22.39 (Table 1).The high fructose content and the IR spectrum of SlF-2 suggested that it contained polymeric GFr. Gel chromatography showed that SlF-2 was heterogeneous and contained compounds with molecular weights (MWs) 2.5-70 kDa. Ion-exchange chromatography over DEAE-cellulose and gel chromatographic separation over Molselect G-25 and Sephacryl S-300 HR were used to isolate the dominant polymer. As a result, homogeneous polymer Sl-GF was isolated in 24.1% yield (of SlF-2 mass). The MW of Sl-GF according to HPLC was 51.4 kDa.