Alga marinha vermelha Gracilaria cornea: novas perspectivas biotecnológicas e implicações neurofarmacológicas

Abstract

The red seaweed Gracilaria cornea is presented as a natural source still little explored, with potential bioactive, such as sulfated polysaccharides. Its sulfated polysaccharide, agaran-type (AS-Gc), wherein its structure and has anti-inflammatory and anti-nociceptive activity reported in the literature. However, methodological evaluations in their extraction process as well as new potential biological activities are still little reported in the literature. Thus, this study aimed to analyze a new reagent for isolation of AS-Gc and then evaluate its effects and possible mechanisms of action on valuation models psychotropic activity and neuroprotective in vivo and in vitro. Initially, we evaluated the method for isolating sulfated polysaccharides from algae G. cornea using isoamyl alcohol (IAA), in relation to the classical method using 1-hexadecylpyridinium chloride (CPC), considering qualitative and quantitative parameters (percentage yield analysis, physical-chemical and structural characterization) and evaluation of anticoagulant activity in vitro. For analysis of psychotropic effects of AS-Gc, we evaluated the acute administration of three doses (0.3, 3 or 30 mg / kg) and two routes of administration (per os-p.o. or subcutaneous-s.c.) in mice. Then, animals were assessed in physiological and neurobehavioural tests indicative of action level on nervous system and locomotive disorders and behaviors associated with anxiety, depression and sedation. To investigate the potential neuroprotective, we carried out the Parkinson's disease model in rats induced by intrastriatal injection of the neurotoxin 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA), followed by a single dose of ASGC (15, 30 or 60 μg) via intrastriatal. After 14 days, locomotives, neurobehavioral and physiological analyzes were performed. After euthanasia, brain areas (hippocampus, the prefrontal cortex and striatum) were dissected and used to neurochemical and transcriptional analyzes. Additionally, we evaluated the antioxidant potential of AS-Gc in in vivo and in vitro. The results suggest that the classical method using CCP has greater efficiency and quality to obtain a AS-Gc, in relation to the use of AIA. However, the alternative method, using AIA showed potential biotechnological applications to obtain other molecules of commercial and scientific interest. AS-Gc (30 mg / kg, p.o. and s.c.) presented a safety pharmacology and promoted increased exploratory activity in mice. AS-Gc (60 μg, intraestrital) promoted a neuroprotective activity in vivo and in vitro through mitochondrial protection, reduced glutathione induction, lipid peroxidation and nitrite levels reduction, and modulation of transcriptional pathways in the striatum of rats and returning locomotive and renal activities to normal conditions. Thus, this study show new perspectives for biotechnological obtaining chemically different molecules seaweed and suggests new neuropharmacological implications for the use of sulfated agaran from G. cornea. Furthermore, the AS-Gc present therapeutic potential against neurodegenerative disorders.