Sulfated polysaccharides extracted from marine algae and bacteria constitute an important class of biomacromolecules as they are characterized by biocompatibility, biodegradability and low immunogenicity. Recent advances in bionanotechnology are attributed to identification of marine sulfated polysaccharides of unique composition and functional properties. Promising results obtained so far justify the need for additional research in the study of absorption, distribution, metabolism and elimination (ADME) of these novel biopolymer-based nanomaterials in human body after administration by oral or parenteral route for therapeutic or diagnostic purpose. In vitro enzymatic degradation pathways should be investigated in order to yield commercially valuable oligomers. The goal of the present review is to enlighten on the ADME, cytotoxicity and in vitro enzymatic degradation of three marine sulfated polysaccharides, fucoidan, ulvan and mauran, obtained from brown seaweeds or macroalgae in the class of Phaeophyceae, members of Ulvales (green algae) and halophilic bacteria, respectively. They are presently being exploited in fabrication of nanoplatforms with novel applications in the field of controlled drug delivery, tissue regeneration scaffolds, cancer therapy, and bioimaging. However, significant research still needs to be carried out to characterize ADME of mauran and to improve production of the biopolymers on a large scale in order to find out clinically relevant solutions to establish these sulfated polysachharide-based nanotools as novel bionanotechnology strategies in future.

 

Key words: Cytotoxicity, fucoidan, fucoidanase, mauran, sulfated polysaccharides, ulvan, ulvan lyase.