Preparation, structure, and biological activity of sulfated polysaccharides from green algae in the Cladophoraceae (Cladophorales, Ulvophyceae).

Sulfated polysaccharides have received significant interest due to their broad range of biological properties, which include immunomodulation, anticoagulation, and antiviral activity. Green algae are an important source of structurally diverse sulfated polysaccharides, but efforts directed at research and development of these compounds have lagged far behind efforts directed at sulfated polysaccharides from brown and red algae. The family Cladophoraceae, represented by the genera Cladophora and Chaetomorpha, are widely distributed in resource-rich marine, brackish, and freshwater environments. These algal genera are rich in sulfated polysaccharides primarily composed of galactose and arabinose that exhibit unique structures not yet comprehensively investigated. The present review provides information on the extraction and purification of sulfated polysaccharides from the Cladophoraceae (SPC), an analysis of‌ their chemical composition and structural features‌, and an overview of their biological activity. Studies have shown that SPC exhibit anticoagulant, immunomodulatory, anti-obesity (and related complications), and antibacterial properties‌. However, the mechanisms underlying their bioactivity, particularly the molecular targets of their anticoagulant and immunomodulant activity, remain poorly characterized, and systematic structure-activity relationship studies are lacking. The objective of our review is to provide a theoretical foundation for further research and development of SPC and to promote their use in pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, and cosmetics.