To examine the new practical utilization of mucilages in Opuntia humifusa, polysaccharides were isolated from O. humifusa and their anti-metastatic activity and structural analysis were carried out. In experimental lung metastasis of B16BL6 melanoma cells, prophylactically intravenous (i.v.) administration of the crude polysaccharide (CNC-0) from O. humifusa significantly inhibited lung metastasis in a dose-dependant manner. The main polysaccharide, CNC-Ia was purified to homogeneity from CNC-0 by two successive column chromatographies using DEAE-Sepharose FF and Sephadex G-100 and its structure was characterized. Molecular mass of CNC-Ia was estimated to be 700 kDa and it mainly consisted of arabinose, galactose and xylose in addition to two minor sugars such as rhamnose and fucose. Methylation analysis indicated that CNC-Ia comprised at least 18 different glycosyl linkages such as terminal Araf, 5-linked Araf, 4-linked Galp and terminal Xylp in addition to three characteristic linkages such as full branched Araf, 3,4,6-branched Galp and full branched Galp. To analyze the fine structure of CNC-Ia, it was sequentially digested by exo-${alpha}$-L-arabinofuranosidase and endo-${eta}$-1,4-D-galactanase. These analyses suggested that CNC-Ia belongs to be a highly branched Type I arabinogalactan which has a ($1{ ightarrow}4$)-${eta}$-galactan backbone with arabinosyl oligosaccharide side chains.