Effect of extraction procedures on the chemical structure, antitumor and anticoagulant properties of ulvan from Ulva lactuca of Tunisia coast

The effect of extraction procedures on chemical composition, structural, antitumor and anticoagulant properties of the sulphated polysaccharide 'ulvan' from the green seaweed Ulva lactuca were investigated. The structural features of ulvans were carried out by FTIR and by oneand twodimensional H-1 and C-13 NMR spectroscopic. The ulvans were mainly composed of rhamnose, xylose, and uronic acid. Chemical and spectroscopic analyses demonstrated that ulvans were constituted of (1 -> 4)-beta-glucuronic acid, (1 -> 3,4)-alpha-L-rhamnose-3-sulphate and (1 -> 4)-alpha-xylose. The extraction procedures effect were observed in chemical structure, Mw and biological activities. Cytotoxic activity of enzymatic-chemical extract on cervical cancer cells (HeLa) (IC50 = 1000 mu g/mL) was higher than on normal peripheral blood lymphocytes cells (PBL). Acid extracts promoted to reduce HeLa cells and to grow PBL cells. At high concentrations, acid extracts showed the highest APTT and TT clotting time. Antitumoral and anticoagulant activities of ulvans from Ulva lactuca promote their use as effective therapeutic agent.

Automated summary

The study showed that extraction procedures have significant effects on the chemical composition, structure, and biological activities of the sulphated polysaccharide 'ulvan' from the green seaweed Ulva lactuca. The findings suggest that ulvans from Ulva lactuca have potential as effective therapeutic agents for their antitumor and anticoagulant activities.