Publication Date:
2011-11-08
Description:
Seaweeds are a source of several biopolymers widely used in cosmetics, food, and pharmaceuticals. Among them are sulfated polysaccharides, which have several biological/pharmacological activities, such as antioxidant and anticoagulant activities. In the present study, four sulfated polysaccharides, denominated CCB-F0.3, CCB-F0.5, CCB-F1.0, and CCB-F2.0, were obtained from the chlorophyte Caulerpa cupressoides var. flabellata through proteolytic digestion, followed by acetone fractionation and molecular sieving in Sephadex G-100. Chemical analyses showed that CCB-F0.5 had the highest sulfate/sugar ratio (0.73), whereas CCB-F1.0 exhibited the lowest ratio (0.23). Polysaccharides from C. cupressoides displayed a heterogeneous constitution of monosaccharides, with galactose as the main sugar unit (except for CCB-F2.0). The presence of sulfated polysaccharides was confirmed by electrophoretic and infrared analyses. Sulfated polysaccharides showed no activity in superoxide and hydroxyl radical scavenging; however, they did demonstrate total antioxidant capacity and ferrous chelating activity. Caulerpa polysaccharides also exhibited anticoagulant activity in the intrinsic (activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) test) and extrinsic pathway (prothrombin time (PT) test). In the aPTT test, all polysaccharides displayed considerable dose-dependent activity. A significant result was the aPTT activity of the polysaccharides CCB-F0.3 and CCB-F0.5, which was similar to that of Clexane®, a commercial low molecular weight heparin. In addition, CCB-F0.3 and CCB-F0.5 showed PT activity. Sulfated polysaccharides from C. cupressoides are therefore promising antioxidant agents in preventing the formation of reactive oxygen species and for their possible use in anticoagulant therapy. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-9 DOI 10.1007/s10811-011-9745-5 Authors Mariana Santana Santos Pereira Costa, Laboratory of Biotechnology of Natural Polymers (BIOPOL), Department of Biochemistry, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil Leandro Silva Costa, Laboratory of Biotechnology of Natural Polymers (BIOPOL), Department of Biochemistry, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil Sara Lima Cordeiro, Laboratory of Biotechnology of Natural Polymers (BIOPOL), Department of Biochemistry, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil Jailma Almeida-Lima, Laboratory of Biotechnology of Natural Polymers (BIOPOL), Department of Biochemistry, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil Nednaldo Dantas-Santos, Laboratory of Biotechnology of Natural Polymers (BIOPOL), Department of Biochemistry, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil Kaline Dantas Magalhães, Laboratory of Biotechnology of Natural Polymers (BIOPOL), Department of Biochemistry, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil Diego Araujo Sabry, Laboratory of Biotechnology of Natural Polymers (BIOPOL), Department of Biochemistry, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil Ivan Rui Lopes Albuquerque, Laboratory of Biotechnology of Natural Polymers (BIOPOL), Department of Biochemistry, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil Marcia Rodrigues Pereira, Departament of Chemistry, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil Edda Lisboa Leite, Laboratory of Glycobiology, Department of Biochemistry, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil Hugo Alexandre Oliveira Rocha, Laboratory of Biotechnology of Natural Polymers (BIOPOL), Department of Biochemistry, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil Journal Journal of Applied Phycology Online ISSN 1573-5176 Print ISSN 0921-8971
Print ISSN:
0921-8971
Electronic ISSN:
1573-5176
Topics:
Biology
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