Abstract
Natural polymer is a frequently used polymer in various food applications and pharmaceutical formulations due to its benefits and its biocompatibility compared to synthetic polymers. One of the natural polymer groups (i.e., polysaccharide) does not only function as an additive in pharmaceutical preparations, but also as an active ingredient with pharmacological effects. In addition, several natural polymers offer potential distinct applications in gene delivery and genetic engineering. However, some of these polymers have drawbacks, such as their lack of water retention and elasticity. Sacran, one of the high-molecular-weight natural polysaccharides (megamolecular polysaccharides) derived from Aphanothece sacrum (A. sacrum), has good water retention and elasticity. Historically, sacran has been used as a dietary food. Moreover, sacran can be applied in biomedical fields as an active material, excipient, and genetic engineering material. This article discusses the characteristics, extraction, isolation procedures, and the use of sacran in food and biomedical applications.
Highlights
IntroductionPublisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations
Sacran is extracted from A. sacrum by evaporating the solvent [39], and this polysaccharide is extracted using a basic solvent generated from the biomaterial that has been washed with acid so that the minerals can be removed [38]
Sacran is a natural polysaccharide derived from the algae called Aphanothece sacrum (A. sacrum), which is known as a good material to be applied in biomedical fields
Summary
Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. Polysaccharides are the most used natural polymers in pharmacy, in which they are safe, biocompatible, and biodegradable [1] Polysaccharides such as chitosan, alginate, carrageenan, and cellulose are the most commonly used in pharmaceutical formulations. Cyanobacteria are one of the algae that are popular with blue-green algae [4] and are diverse in terms of genetics. The texture of the polysaccharide produced by the cyanobacteria looks like a gel. It has been a good candidate for the food industry and medicine materials [9].
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