Chemical characterization and radioprotective effect of polysaccharide from Monostroma angicava (Chlorophyta)

• Published in: Journal of applied phycology 2005-06, Vol.17 (4), p.349-354
• Main Authors: Mao, Wenjun, Li, Yi, Wu, Ligen, Wang, Haiqing, Zhang, Yi, Zang, Xiaoxue, Zhang, Huijuan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Chemical constitution; Chlorophyta; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General pharmacology; Marine; Medical sciences; Monostroma angicava; Pharmacognosy. Homeopathy. Health food; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Plant physiology and development
• ISSN: 0921-8971; 1573-5176
• DOI: 10.1007/s10811-005-8360-8

Polysaccharide from the green alga Monostroma angicava was extracted with boiling water and was purified by ion-exchange and size-exclusion column chromatography. The radioprotective effect of the polysaccharide was investigated in mice. The results show that polysaccharide from M. angicava has a different chemical composition to other Chlorophyta having a high rhamnose - containing sulfated polysaccharide. The sulfate ester content was estimated to be 21.8%. When the polysaccharide was applied to BALB/c mice following whole-body X-ray irradiation the counts of leukocytes, thrombocytes and erythrocytes recovered more rapidly in the polysaccharide treated mice after irradiation. In the irradiated mice, the polysaccharide significantly increased the spleen index, natural killer cytostatic activity and the transformation response of splenic lymphocytes. The present observations suggest that polysaccharide from M. angicava led to leukocytogensis and hematopoetic activation in mice after irradiation and that the biological response might be caused by immune activation.