Inhibitory effects of a low-molecular-weight sulfated fucose-containing saccharide on α-amylase and α-glucosidase prepared from ascophyllan

To find natural and safe anti-diabetic foods or potential drugs, low-molecular-weight saccharide fragments LMWAs-H (Mw 33.48 kDa) and LMWAs-L (Mw 6.71 kDa) from the sulfated polysaccharide ascophyllan of Ascophyllum nodosum...

Fucoidan Protects against Acute Sulfoxaflor-Induced Hematological/Biochemical Alterations and Oxidative Stress in Male Mice

Fucoidan is a sulfated polysaccharide which can be found among a number of macroalgea species. It has a broad spectrum of biological activities including anti-oxidant, anti-tumor, immunoregulation, anti-viral and anti-coagulant. The current study was performed to investigate possible protective effects of fucoidan for sulfoxaflor-induced hematological/biochemical alterations and oxidative stress in the blood of male Swiss albino mice. For this purpose, sulfoxaflor was administered at a dose of 15 mg/kg/day (1/50 oral LD50), and fucoidan was administered at a dose of 50 mg/kg/day by oral gavage alone and combined for 24 h and 7 days. Hematological parameters (RBC, HGB, HCT, MCV, MCH, MCHC, Plt, WBC, Neu, Lym and Mon), serum biochemical parameters (AST, ALT, GGT, LDH, BUN, Cre and TBil), and serum oxidative stress/antioxidant markers (8-OHdG, MDA, POC and GSH) were analyzed. The results indicated that sulfoxaflor altered hematological and biochemical parameters and caused oxidative stress in mice; fucoidan ameliorated some hematological and biochemical parameters and exhibited a protective role as an antioxidant against sulfoxaflor-induced oxidative stress.

Iota-Carrageenan Prevents the Replication of SARS-CoV-2 in a Human Respiratory Epithelium Cell Line in vitro

Iota-carrageenan is a sulfated polysaccharide extracted from red seaweeds, which, formulated into a nasal spray, has already been proven safe and effective in viral upper respiratory infections. In Calu-3, a human respiratory epithelium cell line, we explored the activity of a formula of iota-carrageenan and sodium chloride against SARS-CoV-2. In this study, the assayed formula, already approved as a nasal spray for human use, effectively inhibited SARS-CoV-2 infection, providing a more substantial reference for clinical studies or developments.

Sulfated Polysaccharide From Undaria Pinnatifida Induces Apoptosis and Inhibits Proliferation, Migration, and Invasion in Ovarian Cancer via Suppressing the Hedgehog Signaling Pathway

Objective: To investigate the effects of sulfured polysaccharide from Undaria pinnatifida (SPUP) on the biological behaviors of ovarian cancer (OC) cells and its potential mechanism.Methods: Sulfated polysaccharide from Undaria pinnatifida (SPUP) was extracted and characterized through a combination of chemical analysis, IR spectra, UV-Vis, gas chromatography, and high-performance gel permeation chromatography. OC and human ovarian surface epithelial cells were used as working model in vitro for evaluation of SPUP’s therapeutic effects. A combination of CCK-8, Transwell, and flow cytometry assay was used to measure the proliferation, migration, invasion, and apoptosis of OC cells, respectively. In addition, the protein expression levels of cells were also measured by Western blot.Results: SPUP suppressed OC development from three different perspectives: 1) SPUP treatment significantly inhibited the proliferation of OC in a dosage-dependent manner (p < 0.05); 2) SPUP inhibited the migration and invasion of OC cells confirmed by scratch and Transwell experiments (p < 0.05); 3) SPUP induced apoptosis in OC cells and thus further inhibited the growth of OC cells evaluated using flow cytometry (p < 0.05). The underlying mechanism of the suppressing effects of SPUP might be related to the inhibition of the hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway in OC cells after SPUP treatment. With additional suppression of the Hh signaling pathway, the anticancer effects of SPUP were enhanced (p < 0.05).Conclusion: Taken together, SPUP could inhibit the proliferation, migration, and invasion and induce apoptosis of OC cells by inhibiting the activation of the Hh signaling pathway, which proposes SPUP as a novel drug to treat OC clinically.

Polissacarídeos naturais como abordagem terapêutica experimental no trato gastrointestinal: uma revisão sistemática

O objetivo desse trabalho foi realizar uma análise sistemática da literatura acerca dos principais efeitos dos polissacarideos naturais extraídos de plantas e algas em modelos experimentais de distúrbios gastrointestinais (DGI). Esta revisão se concentra em avanços recentes em estudos experimentais com polissacarídeos naturais no tratamento de doença de refluxo gastroesofágico (DRGE), gastrite, colite e diarreia. Trata-se de uma pesquisa bibliográfica, com abordagem qualitativa, tendo em vista os procedimentos de análise e interpretação dos dados obtidos, realizada através de buscas nas bases de dados: Medical Literature Analysis and Retrievel System Online (Medline), Scientific Electronic Library Online (Scielo) e Biblioteca Nacional de Medicina dos Estados Unidos (PubMed), utilizando os descritores: gum, sulfated polysaccharide, polysaccharide, gastric damage, antidiarrheal, gastroesophageal reflux e colitis em diferentes combinações utilizando o operador booleano “and”. Os artigos incluídos no estudo foram somente os que estavam inclusos nas plataformas, sendo considerados artigos, teses e dissertações, incluídos e indexados no período entre 2011 e 2021, que tivessem como metodologia principal estudos experimentais, pré-clínicos em espectro de atividades in vitro e in vivo sobre os efeitos dos polissacarídeos naturais em modelos de distúrbios gastrointestinais. Os demais artigos que não se enquadravam nesses critérios foram excluídos, chegando a amostra final de 35 trabalhos. Os mecanismos e a efetividade dos polissacarídeos são apresentados e discutidos em detalhes. Em geral, por apresentarem propriedades anti-inflamatória, antioxidante, gastroprotetora e antidiarreica, com boa eficácia e segurança, os estudos sugerem que os polissacarídeos naturais são uma alternativa interessante para o desenvolvimento de terapias inovadoras para DGI.

High-Intensity Low-Frequency Ultrasonic Treatment of Sulfated Polysaccharide from Brown Algae

This paper reports on an effective method for depolymerization of fucoidan in an aqueous medium using ultrasonic treatment. To assess the effect of this treatment, high-molecular-weight fucoidan was dispersed at a concentration of 10 mg/ml in deionized water and subjected to ultrasound at a frequency of 20 kHz with varying intensity. The effect of high-intensity low-frequency ultrasound on the particle size of sulfated polysaccharides isolated from brown algae, where the minimum value of the average hydrodynamic diameter was 85.92 ± 32.9 nm, was studied. The dependence of the particle size of the polysaccharide on the intensity of ultrasonic exposure was revealed. The influence of this effect on the degree of sulfation of fucoidan has been determined. Shown the cavitation activity in the processing environment and discussed the reasons for its change

Gracilaria gracilis (Gracilariales, Rhodophyta) from Dakhla (Southern Moroccan Atlantic Coast) as Source of Agar: Content, Chemical Characteristics, and Gelling Properties

Agar is a sulfated polysaccharide extracted from certain marine red algae, and its gel properties depend on the seaweed source and extraction conditions. In the present study, the seaweed Gracilaria gracilis (Gracilariales, Rhodophyta) from Dakhla (Moroccan Atlantic Coast) was investigated for its agar content, structure, and gel properties. The agar yields of G. gracilis were 20.5% and 15.6% from alkaline pretreatment and native extraction, respectively. Agar with alkaline pretreatment showed a better gelling property supported by higher gel strength (377 g·cm−2), gelling (35.4 °C), and melting (82.1 °C) temperatures with a notable increase in 3,6-anhydro-galactose (11.85%) and decrease in sulphate (0.32%) contents. The sulfate falling subsequent to alkaline pretreatment was verified through FT-IR spectroscopy. The 13C NMR spectroscopy showed that alkaline-pretreated agar has a typical unsubstituted agar pattern. However, native agar had a partially methylated agarose structure. Overall, this study suggested the possibility of the exploitation of G. gracilis to produce a fine-quality agar. Yet, further investigation may need to determine the seasonal variability of this biopolymer according to the life cycle of G. gracilis.

Structural Characterization of Sulfated Polysaccharide Isolated From Red Algae (Gelidium crinale) and Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Effects in Macrophage Cells

Gelidium crinale, the red algae belonging to Geliaceae Gelidium, is a traditional edible and industrial alga in China. A sulfated polysaccharide (GNP) is successfully separated from Gelidium crinale by acid extraction and two-step column chromatography. Chemical analysis showed that the molecular weight of GNP was 25.8 kDa and the monosaccharide composition had the highest galactose content and confirmed the presence and content (16.5%) of sulfate by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) spectrometry as well as barium chloride-gelatin methods. In addition, the effect of GNP on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced oxidative stress and inflammation in macrophages was also evaluated. The research results showed that GNP had fairly strong scavenging activities on 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radical, hydroxyl radical, and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical and had Fe2+-chelating ability in a dose-dependent manner. At the same time, it significantly inhibits the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines in RAW 264.7 cells induced by LPS through blocking the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)/nuclear factor kappa beta (NF-κB) signaling pathway. These results indicate that GNP may be a latent component anti-inflammation in pharmaceutical and functional food industries.