Sulfated seaweed polysaccharides

Abstract

Mankind has used natural resources for many different applications, from food and clothes to drugs, but only recently is giving the due attention to the need for a responsible management of these resources toward sustainability. One of the approaches is to take the most out of its resources, addressing the several components of natural resources, which can be used in many industrial fields. In this regard, many natural compounds have been studied for the evaluation of biological activities with relevance for human health and well-being. Among the explored resources, the survey of marine organisms has been growing, particularly regarding microbiota and seaweeds or macroalgae. Macroalgae are macroscopic algae that are usually found on rocky shores, exhibiting a great diversity of colors, shapes and sizes. They are divided in three large groups, essentially based on their color: green macroalgae, brown macroalgae and red macroalgae. In recent decades, seaweeds have been widely used as a sustainable source of sulfated polysaccharides, which exhibiting diverse chemical and biological properties aim to address the demands of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine (TERM), as well as of other areas, such as cosmetics and food. This manuscript provides an overview of the paradigmatic examples of this type of biopolymer that can be obtained from the different groups of algae, detailing the chemical structure, general biological characteristics and most revealing properties.