Structural elucidation and protective role of a polysaccharide from Sargassum fusiforme on ameliorating learning and
Pei Hu1, Zhixiong Li2, Mingcang Chen2
1Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 501 Haike Rd., Zhangjiang, Pudong, Shanghai 201203, People's Republic of China; Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, People's Republic of China.
Abstract:
A fucoidan, Sargassum fusiforme polysaccharide 65 (SFPS65) A, was isolated from a brown alga (S. fusiforme). SFPS65A had an estimated molecular weight of 90kDa and showed αD(20) -74.3288 (c 0.05, H2O). SFPS65A is composed of fucose, galactose, xylose, glucose, glucuronic acid, and mannose in the ratio of 19.23:9.58:6.64:1:6.52:2.57. The structural features of SFPS65A were investigated using composition analysis, methylation analysis, infrared spectrum, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and electrospray ionization quadruple time-of-flight tandem mass spectroscopy. Results showed that SFPS65A has a main chain composed of →3)-β-l-Fucp-(1→3,4)-β-l-Fucp-(1→3,4)-β-l-Fucp-(1→ and connected with →3,4)-α-d-GlcAp-(1→, →4)-β-d-Xylp-(1→, →4)-α-d-Galp-(1→, →3,6)-α-d-Manp-(1→ alternately. The branches at O-3 of the fucosyl residue and O-3 of the hexosyl residues may include sulfate, →4)-β-l-Fucp-(1→, β-d-Xylp-(1→, and β-d-Xylp-(1→. SFPS65A exhibited an activity on Alzheimer's disease in vivo in the pharmacological experiments by increasing the cognitive abilities of scopolamine-, ethanol-, and sodium nitrite-treated mice against memory deficits.


