Salt pan brine water as a sustainable source of sulphated polysaccharides with immunostimulatory activity

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2019

Authors

Nunes, C (Author) Other; Rocha, A (Author) Other; Quiterio, P (Author) Other; Ferreira, SS (Author) Other; Alexandra Correia (Author) FCUP; Manuel Vilanova (Author) ICBAS; Coimbra, MA (Author) Other

Journal

Title: International Journal of Biological Macromolecules

Vol. 133

Pages: 235-242

ISSN: 0141-8130

Publisher: Elsevier

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 4 Citations

Scopus - 5 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-00Q-GJ9

DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2019.04.021

Abstract (EN): Marine environments are an enormous source of materials with biological interest, such as sulphated polysaccharides, which have relevant biological activities. In this study the potential of salt pan brine water as an easily accessible source of sulphated polysaccharides was evaluated. This water revealed to have a high quantity of polymeric material, five times more than sea water, mainly composed by highly sulphated polysaccharides. Structural analysis identified a diversity of polysaccharides, namely rhamnans, fucans, mannans, xylomannans, glucuronomannans, galactans, and glucans. All these structures seem to form complexes that are resistant to the salt pan conditions along salt production. These polysaccharides showed in vitro stimulatory activity for B cells, suggesting their potential application in nutraceutical and biomedical fields. Salt pan brine water is a valuable source of environmentally friendly and low-cost available bioactive compounds prone to be exploited.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 8