Abstract
Fucoidan is a polysaccharide built from L-fucose molecules. The main source of this polysaccharide is the extracellular matrix of brown seaweed (Phaeophyta), but it can be also isolated from invertebrates such as sea urchins (Echinoidea) and sea cucumbers (Holothuroidea). Interest in fucoidan is related to its broad biological activity, including possible antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antifungal, antiviral or antithrombotic effects. The potential application of fucoidan in the pharmaceutical technology is also due to its ionic nature. The negative charge of the molecule results from the presence of sulfate residues in the C-2 and C-4 positions, occasionally in C-3, allowing the formation of complexes with other oppositely charged molecules. Fucoidan is non-toxic, biodegradable and biocompatible compound approved by Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) category as food ingredient. Fucoidan plays an important role in the pharmaceutical technology, so in this work aspects concerning its pharmaceutical characteristics and designing of various dosage forms (nanoparticles, liposomes, microparticles, and semisolid formulations) with fucoidan itself and with its combinations with other polymers or components that give a positive charge were reviewed. Advantages and limitations of fucoidan utilization in the pharmaceutical technology were also discussed.
Highlights
Fucoidan belongs to the large group of sulfated, rich in l-fucose polysaccharides, which was first found by Kylin in 1913 [1]
The main source of fucoidan are marine brown algae (Phaeophyta: Laminariaceae, Fucaceae, Chordariaceae, Alariaceae), but it has been isolated from marine invertebrates such as sea cucumber (Holothuroidea: Stichopodidae, Holothuriidae), from sea urchins eggs (Echinoidea: Strongylocentrotidae, Arbaciidae) [2], and from seagrasses (Cymodoceaceae) [3]
It should be emphasized that due to the ability to interact with growth factors, macrophages, cytokines and P-selectin, inhibition of the P-glycoprotein pump and α-glucosidase, as well as to open tight junctions in intestinal Caco-2 cell monolayer, fucoidan seems to be a valuable adjuvant in the pharmaceutical technology [2,3,4,5]
Summary
Fucoidan belongs to the large group of sulfated, rich in l-fucose polysaccharides, which was first found by Kylin in 1913 [1]. Fucoidan may contain other sugars, for example: xylose, arabinose, rhamnose, glucose, galactose and uronic acid or even protein and acetyl groups. Predominantly the content of sulfate groups and the molecular weight of the fucoidan impact on the treatment of patients with cancer diseases by improving the effectiveness of polysaccharide [3,4,8]. Fucoidan as synergistic anticancer agent has subjected scientific reports on its use in drug delivery, there are still no registered drug products been with fucoidan It isclinical currently available only in cosmetics, functional foods and dietary supplements regenerative, impact on plasma concentrations of anti-cancer drugs, but might play a role in reducing side effects and anti‐inflammatory, and anti‐cancer factor for patients with immune‐compromised, musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, or gut diseases. Fucoidan impact on the metabolism of fatty liver and liver fibrosis was examined, but results have not been published yet [20]
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