Structural Characteristics and Anticoagulant Property In Vitro and In Vivo of a Seaweed Sulfated Rhamnan

Great diversity and metabolite complexity of seaweeds offer a unique and exclusive source of renewable drug molecules. Polysaccharide from seaweed has potential as a promising candidate for marine drug development. In the present study, seaweed polysaccharide (SPm) was isolated from Monostroma angicava, the polymeric repeat units and anticoagulant property in vitro and in vivo of SPm were investigated. SPm was a sulfated polysaccharide which was mainly constituted by 3-linked, 2-linked alpha-L-rhamnose residues with partially sulfate groups at C-2 of 3-linked alpha-L-rhamnose residues and C-3 of 2-linked alpha-L-rhamnose residues. Small amounts of xylose and glucuronic acid exist in the forms of (beta-D-Xylp(4SO(4))-(1 -> and (beta-D-GlcA-(1 ->. SPm effectively prolonged clotting time as evaluated by the activated partial thromboplastin time and thrombin time assays, and exhibited strong anticoagulant activity in vitro and in vivo. The fibrin(ogen)olytic and thrombolytic properties of SPm were evaluated by plasminogen activator inhibitior-1, fibrin degradation products, D-dimer and clot lytic rate assays using rats plasma, and the results showed that SPm possessed high fibrin(ogen)olytic and thrombolytic properties. These results suggested that SPm has potential as a novel anticoagulant agent.