Anti-diabetic activity of crude polysaccharide and rhamnose-enriched polysaccharide from G. lithophila on Streptozotocin (STZ)-induced in Wistar rats.

The aim of the present study was to elucidate the anti-diabetic effects of the crude polysaccharide and rhamnose-enriched polysaccharide derived from G. lithophila on streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic Wistar rats. Treatment with crude polysaccharide and rhamnose-enriched polysaccharide showed increases in body weight and pancreatic insulin levels and a decrease in blood glucose levels compared with control diabetic rats. The blood concentrations of total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TGs), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) decreased, and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) increased both in the crude polysaccharide- and rhamnose-enriched polysaccharide-treated rats. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) levels increased, and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels decreased in the livers, kidneys and pancreases of crude polysaccharide- and rhamnose-enriched polysaccharide-treated rats. Immunohistological examination further confirmed that restoration of the normal cellular size of the islets of Langerhans and the rebirth of ß-cells were found to be greater in the body region than in the head and tail regions of the pancreas. The crude polysaccharide- and rhamnose-enriched polysaccharide-treated diabetic rats showed normal blood glucose levels and insulin production, and reversed cholesterol levels and enzymatic actions. Therefore, rhamnose-enriched polysaccharide from G. lithophila acts as a potent anti-diabetic agent to treat diabetes and can lead to the development of an alternative medicine for diabetes in the future.

Multi-elemental concentration in different body parts of Sepiella inermis by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry.

The present study examined the accumulation of metal on Sepiella inermis from the Mudasalodai Landing Center, from southeast coastal region of India. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was used to determine metals including aluminium, boron, cadmium, cobalt, chromium, copper, iron, manganese, magnesium, nickel, lead and zinc. The results showed that metal concentration in S. inermis detected in the head, arm, mantle, eye, ink, liver and nidamental gland with higher concentration of magnesium up to 992.78 mg/kg, and tentacle showed maximum concentration of aluminium 306.72 mg/kg. Further, copper found in low concentration ranges from 0.04 to 0.55 mg/kg in different parts of S. inermis. Heavy metal like cadmium detected high in tentacle with 0.24 mg/kg, and the manganese present in eye was 0.55 mg/kg. However, no accumulation of nickel was found in the tentacle part.

Chemical structure and biological properties of a polysaccharide isolated from Pleurotus sajor-caju.

Herein, a polysaccharide obtained from Pleurotus sajor-caju was fractionated via anion-exchange column chromatography and purified using gel permeation column chromatography. The chemical characterization of the polysaccharide indicated that it contained 90.16% total carbohydrate, 0% protein, 12.7% ash and 5.2% moisture; on the other hand, the carbon, hydrogen and nitrogen contents were found to be 31.53, 4.28 and 3.01%, respectively. The polysaccharide has the molecular weight of 79 kDa; the chemical structure of the polysaccharide is →6)α-d-Glciv(1→6)α-d-Glciii(1→6)ß-d-Glcii(1→6)α-d-Glci(1→units. The polysaccharide exhibited the DPPH radical scavenging activity of 21.67-68.35% at 10-160 µg ml-1, ABTS radical scavenging activity of 16.01-70.09% at 25-125 µg ml-1, superoxide radical scavenging activity of 24.31-73.64% at 50-250 µg ml-1, hydroxyl radical scavenging activity of 16.64-63.51% at 25-125 µg ml-1 and reducing power of 0.366-1.678% at 10-120 µg ml; further evaluation of the polysaccharide revealed its anticancer activity of 18.61-63.21% at 100-500 µg ml-1 concentration against the AGS human gastric carcinoma cell line. The active principle of the polysaccharide may be used in the food and pharmacological industry in the future.

Isolation and chemical characteristics of rhamnose enriched polysaccharide from Grateloupia lithophila.

The crude polysaccharide was extracted from Grateloupia lithophila through hot-water extraction and deproteinization. Further, fractionated by anion-exchange column using Q-Sepharose and purified by gel-permeation chromatography using Sepharose 4-LB column. The crude and purified polysaccharide contains high carbohydrate (75.7 and 89.7%), ash (18.2 and 3.2%) and moisture (14.8 and 1.3%); the protein and uronic acid were absent. The molecular weight of crude, fractionated and purified polysaccharide was found to be 37 kDa, 29 kDa and 24 kDa. The monosaccharide composition of the crude polysaccharide was found to be having rhamnose (79.82%), fructose (8.38%), galactose (3.95%), xylose (3.31%) and glucose (1.48%); whereas the purified polysaccharide reported higher amount of rhamnose (95.88%), 1.13% of xylose and 2.21% of fructose. The structural elucidation of the purified polysaccharide was conformed as α-l-rhamnose through polarimetry, FT-IR and 1H NMR spectroscopy.

Isolation, characterization and bioactive potential of sulfated galactans from Spyridia hypnoides (Bory) Papenfuss.

The sulfated galactans (SG) of mass 16 kDa was purified from S.hypnoides through anion exchange and gel permeation chromatography. The biochemical properties of SG including carbohydrate, 3,6 anhydrogalactose, sulfate, uronic acid, moisture, ash, carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen contents were estimated. In the purified SG, the presence of major sugars such as galactose and glucose were identified through HPLC and it was further structurally characterised through FT-IR and NMR spectroscopy. Anticoagulant activity of SG was estimated as 25.36 & 2.46 IU at 25 µg/ml (aPTT & PT). SG also showed potential dose dependent antioxidant activity against free radicals such as DPPH (56.41% at 2 mg/ml), hydroxyl radicals (65.58% at 3 mg/ml) and superoxide radicals (73.12% at 0.6 mg/ml). The maximum metal chelating and total antioxidant property (76.42%, 66.81%) was exhibited at 1 mg/ml. The results indicate that the SG from red seaweed represents a good source of polysaccharide with significant anticoagulant and antioxidant properties.

Mucopolysaccharide from cuttlefish: Purification, chemical characterization and bioactive potential.

The sulfated mucopolysaccharide (GAG) was isolated from S. pharonis and the carbohydrate and protein content was found to be 62.4% and 3.9%. The disaccharide profile of sulfated GAG composed glucuronic acid, N-acetyl glucosamine and sulfate content by contributing 50.11%, 38.00% and 27.69% respectively. The carbon, hydrogen and nitrogen content of the sulfated GAG showed 14.80%, 1.68% and 2.99% respectively. The molecular weight of sulfated GAG was calculated as 27kDa and the structural characterization was done by Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) and NMR Spectroscopy. The Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time (APTT) and Prothrombin Time (PT) of sulfated GAG were determined as 91 IU and 39.55 IU at 25µg/ml respectively. Further the sulfated GAG reported the cytotoxic effect (CC50) of 1100µg/ml concentration on Vero cell line. The sulfated GAG reported the anticancer activity against HeLa cell line with an inhibition rate of 18.65%-66.13% at 50-250µg/ml concentration. The sulfated GAG can be considered as a potent anticoagulant and anticancer drug in future.

Evaluation of antioxidant activities and chemical analysis of sulfated chitosan from Sepia prashadi.

The chitin and chitosan of S. prashadi was prepared through demineralization, deproteinzation, deacetylation process and sulfation were carried by chlorosulfonic acid in N,N-dimethylformamide. The sulfate content in chitosan was found to be 18.9%. The carbon, hydrogen and nitrogen composition of the sulfated chitosan were recorded 39.09%, 6.95% and 6.58% respectively. The structural analysis was done by using FT-IR and NMR spectroscopy technique. The DSC curves of sulfated chitosan showed a large endothermic peak resolved with To value of 54.57°C and TP value of 97.46°C. The morphology of sulfated chitin and sulfated chitosan were studied by SEM. The Further in vitro antioxidant activity of sulfated chitosan was screened by scavenging activity of superoxide radical assay, hydroxyl radical scavenging assay, metal-ion chelating effect and reducing power. Its anticoagulant activity was tested for human plasma with respect to Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time (APTT) and Prothrombin Time (PT). Results prove that sulfated chitosan has potent antioxidant and anticoagulant activity.

Structural characterization and biomedical properties of sulfated polysaccharide from the gladius of Sepioteuthis lessoniana (Lesson, 1831).

Sulfated polysaccharide was extracted from the internal shell (gladius) of Sepioteuthis lessoniana. The sulfated polysaccharide contained 61.3% of carbohydrate, 0.8% of protein, 28.2% of ash and 1.33% of moisture respectively. The elemental composition was analyzed using CHNS/O analyzer. The molecular weight of sulfated polysaccharide determined through PAGE was found to be as 66 kDa. Monosaccharides analysis revealed that sulfated polysaccharide was composed of rhamnose, galactose, xylose and glucose. The structural features of sulfated polysaccharide were analyzed by FT-IR and NMR spectroscopy. Further the sulfated polysaccharide was evaluated for its antibacterial activity against selected human clinical pathogens, namely Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Salmonella typhi, Vibrio cholerae, Klebsiella oxytoca, Escherichia coli, Salmonella paratyphi, Proteus mirabilis, Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Streptococcus pyogenes using agar well diffusion method. The polysaccharide has showed good antibacterial activity and MIC and MBC have also been evaluated. The anticancer activity was tested against HeLa cell line by MTT assay. The Cytotoxic Concentration (CC50) was observed as 700 µg/ml and the maximum anticancer activity of 62.89% was recorded at 200 µg/ml; whereas, the lowest of 9.87% was observed at 25 µg/ml. In conclusion, the sulfated polysaccharide is an alternate, non-toxic and cheap source of substance that showed good antibacterial and anticancer acitivity.

Structural characterization and bioactivities of sulfated polysaccharide from Monostroma oxyspermum.

Sulfated polysaccharide was isolated from Monostroma oxyspermum through hot water extraction, anion-exchange and gel permeation column chromatography. The sulfated polysaccharide contained 92% of carbohydrate, 0% of protein, 7.8% of uronic acid, 22% of ash and 33% of moisture respectively. The elemental composition was analyzed using CHNS/O analyzer. The molecular weight of sulfated polysaccharide determined through PAGE was found to be as 55 kDa. Monosaccharides analysis revealed that sulfated polysaccharide was composed of rhamnose, fructose, galactose, xylose, and glucose. The structural features of sulfated polysaccharide were analyzed by NMR spectroscopy. Further the sulfated polysaccharide showed total antioxidant and DPPH free radical scavenging activity were as 66.29% at 250 µg/ml and 66.83% at 160 µg/ml respectively. The sulfated polysaccharide also showed ABTS scavenging ability and reducing power were as 83.88% at 125 µg/ml and 15.81% at 400 µg/ml respectively. The anticoagulant activity was determined for human plasma with respect to Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time (APTT) and Prothrombin Time (PT) was 20.09 IU and 1.79 IU at 25 µg/ml respectively. These results indicated that the sulfated polysaccharide from M. oxyspermum had potent antioxidant and anticoagulant activities.

Physicochemical characteristics and antioxidant efficacy of chitosan from the internal shell of spineless cuttlefish Sepiella inermis.

Cuttlefish chitosan was extracted from the cuttlebone of Sepiella inermis by demineralization and deproteinization and produced by deacetylation, and its physical and chemical parameters were also compared with that of commercial chitosan. Ash, moisture, and mineral and metal content of the chitosan was estimated by adopting standard methodologies. The rate of deacetylation was calculated as 79.64% by potentiometric titration. Through viscometry and gel permeation chromatography, the molecular weight of chitosan was found to be significantly lower than that of the commercial chitosan. Optical activity was found to be levorotatory. The structure of the chitosan was elucidated with spectral techniques such as Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Cuttlefish chitosan showed a melting endothermic peak at 117.32 °C. The x-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern of chitosan and standard chitosan exhibited the same crystalline peaks. Through scanning electron microscopy (SEM) the fine structure of chitosan was studied. The binding capacity (water and fat) of cuttlefish chitosan was found to be significantly higher than that of the commercial chitosan. The antioxidant efficacy of chitosan was determined through the conjugated diene method, scavenging ability on DPPH radicals, reducing power, and chelating ability on ferrous ions. This study has brought out the importance of shell as a potential source for obtaining another natural antioxidant.