The preparation and bioactivity research of agaro-oligosaccharides

Agaro-oligosaccharides were hydrolytically obtained from agar using hydrochloric acid, citric acid, and cationic exchange resin (solid acid). The FT-IR and NMR data showed that the hydrolysate has the structure of agaro-oligomers. Orthogonal matrix method was applied to optimize the preparation conditions based on alpha-naphthylamine end-labeled HPLC analysis method. The optimal way for oligosaccharides with different degree of polymerization (DP) was achieved by using solid acid degradation, which could give high yield and avoid solution neutralization process. Agaro-oligosaccharides with high purity were consequently obtained by activated carbon column isolation. Furthermore, the antioxidant and alpha-glucosidase inhibitory activity of three fractions were also investigated. The result indicated that 8% ethanol-eluted fraction showed highest activity against alpha-glucosidase with IC50 of 8.84 mg/mL, while 25% ethanol-eluted fraction possessed excellent antioxidant ability.

Preparation of chloroplasts from brown algae

Thalli from a brown alga Undaria pinnatifida were soaked by CaCl2 solution with different concentration and time at 4 degreesC, the effect of CaCl2 solution on efficiency and influorescence emission spectra of chloroplasts were examined. The results show that the efficiency of collected chloroplasts is increased markedly after soaking in CaCl2 solution. According to the results of collected efficiency and characteristic of influorescence emission spectra at room temperature of chloroplasts, it was suggested that soaking in the 0.2 mol/L CaCl2 solution for 10 min is optimum. Under this condition, the efficiency of collected chloroplasts is as 5 fold as control group, and the characteristics of chloroplasts obtained by CaCl2 soaking are similar to that of traditional method.

The preparation and stability of the inclusion complex of astaxanthin with beta-cyclodextrin

Inclusion complex of astaxanthin with beta-cyclodextrin was prepared. The water solubility of the inclusion complex was < 0.5 mg/ml, which is better than that of astaxanthin. Large aggregates were observed in the aqueous solution of the inclusion complex. Furthermore, the stability of the inclusion complex against temperature and light was greatly enhanced compared to that of astaxanthin. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Preparation of porous chitosan/agarose microsphere and its R-phycoerythrin release properties

The chitosan microspheres (CS-CL) were prepared by suspension crosslinking method and used as carriers of R-phycoerythrin (R-PE). In this study, R-PE was loaded in the microspheres and released in vitro. The effects of pH value, temperature, ionic strength, and R-PE concentration on loading efficiency and release behavior were discussed. A novel microsphere that contained agarose (CS-AR MP) was prepared and the basic loading and releasing behavior for R-PE of this kind of new micro-spheres were also investigated. The results showed that all these chitosan microspheres have the ability to control-release R-PE. The addition of agarose may somewhat accelerate the release rate of R-PE from microspheres and reduce the capacity of adsorption for R-PE. (c) 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Wind-vector estimation for RADARSAT-1 SAR images: Validation of wind-direction estimates based upon geometry diversity

In this letter, a new wind-vector algorithm is presented that uses radar backscatter sigma(0) measurements at two adjacent subscenes of RADARSAT-1 synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images, with each subscene having slightly different geometry. Resultant wind vectors are validated using in situ buoy measurements and compared with wind vectors determined from a hybrid wind-retrieval model using wind directions determined by spectral analysis of wind-induced image streaks and observed by colocated QuikSCAT measurements. The hybrid wind-retrieval model consists of CMOD-IFR2 [applicable to C-band vertical-vertical (W) polarization] and a C-band copolarization ratio according to Kirchhoff scattering. The new algorithm displays improved skill in wind-vector estimation for RADARSAT-1 SAR data when compared to conventional wind-retrieval methodology. In addition, unlike conventional methods, the present method is applicable to RADARSAT-1 images both with and without visible streaks. However, this method requires ancillary data such as buoy measurements to resolve the ambiguity in retrieved wind direction.

Preparation and in vitro antioxidant activity of kappa-carrageenan oligosaccharides and their oversulfated, acetylated, and phosphorylated derivatives

In order to study the relationship between chemical structure and properties of modified carrageenans versus antioxidant activity in vitro, K-carrageenan oligosaccharides were prepared through mild hydrochloric acid hydrolysis of the polysaccharide, and these were used as starting materials for the partial synthesis of their oversulfated, acetylated, and phosphorylated derivatives. The structure and substitution pattern of the oligosaccharides and their derivatives were Studied using FTIR and C-13 NMR spectroscopy, and their in vitro antioxidant activities were investigated. Certain derivatives of the carrageenan oligosaccharides exhibited higher antioxidant activity than the polysaccharides and oligosaccharides in certain antioxidant systems. The oversulfated and acetylated derivatives, which scavenge superoxide radicals, the phosphorylated and low-DS acetylated derivatives, which scavenge hydroxyl radicals, and the phosphorylated derivatives, which scavenge DPPH radicals, all exhibited significant antioxidant activities it, the systems examined. The effect of the molecular weight of the carrageenan on antioxidant activities, however, is not obvious from these studies. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Preparation, structural characterization and in vitro antitumor activity of kappa-carrageenan oligosaccharide fraction from Kappaphycus striatum

Oligosaccharides were prepared through mild hydrochloric acid hydrolysis of kappa-carrageenan from Kappaphycus striatum to compare the antitumor activity with carrageenan polysaccharides. Oligosaccharide fractions were isolated by gel permeation chromatography and the structure of fraction 1 (F1) was studied by using negative- ion electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (ESI-MS), and H-1 and C-13-NMR spectrometry. The in vitro antitumor effects in three human neoplastic cell lines (KB, BGC, and Hela) of polysaccharides and F1 were investigated. The bioassay results showed that F1 exhibited relatively higher antitumor activity against the three cancer cells than polysaccharides.

The preparation and antioxidant activity of glucosamine sulfate

Glucosamine sulfate was prepared from glucosamine hydrochloride that was produced by acidic hydrolysis of chitin by ion-exchange method. Optical rotation and elemental analysis characterized the degree of its purity. In addition, the antioxidant potency of chitosan derivative-glucosamine sulfate was investigated in various established in vitro systems, such as superoxide (O (2) (-) )/hydroxyl (center dot OH) radicals scavenging, reducing power, iron ion chelating. The following results are obtained: first, glucosamine sulfate had pronounced scavenging effect on superoxide radical. For example the O (2) (-) scavenging activity of glucosamine sulfate was 92.11% at 0.8 mg/mL. Second, the center dot OH scavenging activity of glucosamine sulfate was also strong, and was about 50% at 3.2 mg/mL. Third, the reducing power of glucosamine sulfate was more pronounced. The reducing power of glucosamine sulfate was 0.643 at 0.75 mg/mL. However, its potency for ferrous ion chelating was weak. Furthermore, except for ferrous ion chelating potency, the scavenging rate of radical and reducing power of glucosamine sulfate were concentration-dependent and increased with their increasing concentrations, but its ferrous ion chelating potency decreased with the increasing concentration. The multiple antioxidant activities of glucosamine sulfate were evidents of reducing power and superoxide/hydroxyl radicals scavenging ability. These in vitro results suggest the possibility that glucosamine sulfate could be used effectively as an ingredient in health or functional food, to alleviate oxidative stress.

Preparation of the different derivatives of the low-molecular-weight porphyran from Porphyra haitanensis and their antioxidant activities in vitro

Porphyran extracted from Porphyra haitanensis is a sulfated polysaccharide, which possesses excellent antioxidant activities. In this study, we prepared one low-molecular-weight porphyran and its sulfated, acetylated, phosphorylated and benzoylated derivatives. Their antioxidant activities were investigated including scavenging effect of superoxide, hydroxyl and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radicals. The results of chemical analysis and FT-IR spectrums showed the modification was successful. And in addition, we found that certain derivative exhibited stronger antioxidant activity than low-molecular-weight porphyran. The benzoylated derivative showed the most excellent antioxidant activity in three assays, so this derivative needs to be attended to. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.