Anti-inflammatory Activity of Sulphated Polysaccharide Isolated from Ulva fasciata

There are various components to an inflammatory reaction that can contribute to the associated symptoms and tissue injury and these include Oedema formation, leukocyte infiltration and granuloma formation. Anti-inflammatory activity of the polysaccharide isolated from Ulva fasciata was analysed by carrageenan induced acute paw Oedema and formalin induced chronic paw Oedema. The isolated polysaccharide showed anti-inflammatory activity. Keywords: Ulva fasciata, Sulphated Polysaccharide, Paw Oedema, Anti-inflammatory Activity

Anti-inflammatory potential of λ-carrageenan by inhibition of IL-6 receptor: in silico study

In some cases, the immune system in COVID-19 patients leads to the release of excess cytokine production (cytokine storm), which will potentially develop into pneumonia. Interleukin 6 (IL-6) plays the role of pro-inflammatory cytokine, it is a receptor mediated signalling system. Macroalgae is well known as a source of valuable bioactive substances with potential biological activities. Among them is the sulphated polysaccharide lambda-carrageenan λ-CGN which has been reported as an anti-inflammatory agent. However, its mechanism of action against IL-6 production is currently unknown. This study aims to predict potential molecular mechanisms of λ-CGN chemical compound against IL-6 expression through in silico study. Chemical compound of λ-CGN and target protein in this study were obtained from the pubchem and protein data bank (PDB). The molecular docking prediction was conducted with PyRx software, the result is λ-CGN compound showing strong binding energy to bind target protein IL-6 receptor with the value of -5.9 kcal/mol. Based on the results of in silico study, the sulphated polysaccharide λ-CGN potentially inhibits IL-6R expression by binding ligand pocket with six conventional hydrogen bonds (amino acid residus: His256, His 257, Trp 219, Arg 231, and Asp 221) and two carbon hydrogen bonds (amino acid residus: THR 218 and GLN 220). Binding with these amino acid residues potentially contributes to IL-6 receptor structural change which could result in functional change. Hence, further studies related to in vitro and in vivo investigations would be interesting to further understand the inhibitory mechanism of λ-CGN against IL-6.

The social life of cyanobacteria

The cyanobacterium Synechocystis secretes a specific sulphated polysaccharide to form floating cell aggregates.

Anticoagulant Activity of Mangrove (Avicennia alba) Leaves Extract in Vitro

Anti-coagulants are substances used to prevent the formation of thromboembolism, one of the causes of cardiovascular disease. Since cardiovascular is a disease as the leading cause of death in the world, exploration of novel and more effective anticoagulant is very needed. Mangroves contain flavonoid and sulphated polysaccharide compounds that potential as anti-coagulants. This study aimed to determine the anti-coagulant activity of ethanol extract and fractions of mangrove leaves (Avicennia alba) in human blood cells in vitro. A. alba leaves were collected at Teluk Ekas, East Lombok, Indonesia. The leaves were macerated with 96% ethanol (3x24h) and then evaporated. The extract was then fractionated to obtain the n-hexane, chloroform, and residual fractions. Anti-coagulant activity of ethanol extract and the three fractions were tested in vitro to five human blood samples by the method of Lee-White and Eustrek, compared to heparin as a positive control. Phytochemical screening of the ethanol extract indicated that A. alba leaves extract contains alkaloids, tannin, saponin, flavonoids, sulphated polysaccharide, and terpenoid. The results of Lee-White method were the ethanol extract (1 mg.mL-1), and three fractions (0.5 mg.mL-1) have anti-coagulant activity. Statistical analysis showed that the anti-coagulant activity of the ethanol extract was significantly different (P<0.05) compared to the normal group and fractions and were not significantly different (P>0.05) compared to heparin. Ethanol extract and the three fractions of A. alba leaves have anti-coagulant activity in vitro. The anti-coagulant activity of ethanol extract (1 mg.mL-1) was comparable to heparin (25 IU) and was better than the three extract fractions (0.5 mg.mL-1). Further research is needed to test the anticoagulant activities of isolated sulphated polysaccharides and flavonoid that can be developed as anticoagulant agents.

Antivirals Against SARS-CoV2: Relevance to the Treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease

A recent study in vitro has shown that a sulphated polysaccharide, a type of fucoidan, has potent antiviral activity against SARS-Cov2. If the antiviral action were successful also for COVID-19 patients, it would be enormously valuable against not only acute disease but also long-term mental effects, which might include Alzheimer’s disease (AD). In a trial of AD patients, the apparent success of treatment with a polysaccharide, GV971, was suggested to result from antiviral action against herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV1) in brain, a pathogen strongly implicated in AD, and that sulphation of GV971, making it fucoidan-like, might increase its putative antiviral action. These data indicate that treatment of AD patients might be very effective using valacyclovir, a conventional antiviral, which inhibits viral replication, together with a fucoidan, which blocks virus entry into cells.

EXTRACTION AND STRUCTURE ELUCIDATION OF FUCOIDAN FROM MARINE SEAWEED PADINA TETRASTROMATICA HAUCK (PHAEOPHYCEAE)

Seaweeds or the marine macroalgae are one of God’s greatest gift to us through Mother Ocean. The members of Phaeophyceae are exclusively marine and are known for their wide range of diversity and they are rich in cell wall polysaccharide fucoidan and alginate. Fucoidan is a general term for all the fucose-containing polysaccharides from brown seaweeds, while ‘fucan’ will be reserved for the polysaccharide built up with 95% fucose it’s a sulphated polysaccharide. Its highly economical and has abundance applications in the field of pharmaceuticals. Padina tetrastromatica a seaweed abundant in Indian shores was used for the extraction of Fucoidan. Later the structure was elucidated and compared with that of dextran sulphate. This was compared to that of dextran sulphate a standard chemical sulphated polysaccharide while this sulphated polysaccharide is from a natural source.