Biological activities of marine-derived oligosaccharides
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| Abstract |
Alginate is an acidic copolymer of α-l-guluronate (G) and its C5 epimer β-d-mannuronate (M), is arranged in homopolymer (polyguluronate or polymannuronate) or heteropolymer (a mixed sequence of these residues). Alginates extracted from brown algae are widely used in the food industry, biotechnology, and medical fields. In addition to the many interesting physicochemical properties of alginates, several studies have demonstrated that alginates have various bioactivities such as immunomodulation. Recent studies have demonstrated that alginate oligosaccharides prepared from alginate polymers show even many more improved bioactivities, not only in mammalian systems but also in plant systems. It is considered that the decreased viscosity and the loss of gel-forming properties of alginate oligosaccharides lead to an increase in biocompatibility. |
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