Biological Activities of Rhamnan Sulfate Extract from the Green Algae Monostroma nitidum (Hitoegusa)

• Published in: Marine drugs Vol. 18; no. 4; p. 228
• Main Authors: Suzuki, Koji, Terasawa, Masahiro
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 24.04.2020; MDPI
• Subjects: Algae; antithrombotic effect; Antiviral agents; antivirus; Aquatic plants; Biological properties; Diet; Dietary fiber; Drug resistance; Fibers; Glucose; In vivo methods and tests; Metabolic disorders; Minerals; Monostroma nitidum; Polysaccharides; Review; rhamnan sulfate; Soups; Sulfates; vascular endothelium dysfunction; Viruses; Vitamins; Japan; antithrombotic effect; Monostroma nitidum; antivirus; rhamnan sulfate; vascular endothelium dysfunction
• ISSN: 1660-3397; 1660-3397
• DOI: 10.3390/md18040228

is a green single-cell layered algae that grows on the southwest coast of Japan. It is often used for salad ingredients, boiled tsukudani, soups, etc., due to its health benefits. is composed of many cell aggregates, and the various substances that fill the intercellular space are dietary fibers, vitamins, and minerals. Rhamnan sulfate (RS), a sulfated polysaccharide, is main the component of the fiber extracted from . Recently, some biological properties of RS have been demonstrated by in vitro and in vivo studies that probably protect human subjects from viruses and ameliorate vascular dysfunction caused by metabolic disorders, especially lifestyle-related diseases. In this review, we focus on the antithrombotic effects of RS and introduce its antiviral and other biological activities.