Estudos Preliminares Sobre os Efeitos Antioxidante e Anticoagulante dos Polissacarídeos da Rodofícea gracilaria cuneata

Abstract

Seaweeds are natural sources of bioactive compounds, especially carbohydrates. Sulfated polysaccharides are complex molecules that are widely used in the pharmaceutical and food industries. The present work aimed to investigate the in vitro anticoagulant and antioxidant effect of sulfated polysaccharides from the seaweed Gracilaria cuneata (cPSG). The proximate composition of the material in nature revealed moisture: 1.7%; ash: 10.4%; proteins: 9.5%; lipids: 0.24%. Chemical analysis resulted in 87.37% of total sugars and only traces of protein contaminants were detected (<1%). Furthermore, the analysis of microelements carried out through SEM/EDS revealed carbon (46.4%), oxygen (46.0%) and sulfur (2.9%) contents. Furthermore, through SEM it was possible to verify the morphological structure of cPSG, revealing that cPSG have laminated morphology, branched chains and smooth topography. cPSG had no significant effect under Partially Activated Thromboplastin Time (APTT) and Prothrombin Time (PT) tests. However, cPSG showed antioxidant activity in vitro, revealing a concentration-dependent effect in the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging tests (54.3 %; 4 mg/mL), ferrous ion chelation assay (83.05%; 4 mg/mL) and assay of the total antioxidant capacity (60.80%; 4 mg/mL). In view of the preliminary result, the polysaccharides obtained from the rhodophyte Gracilaria cuneata can be characterized and their effects evaluated in vivo, aiming at an application in the harmaceutical and food industry.