Study on antithrombotic and antiplatelet activities of low molecular weight fucoidan from Laminaria japonica

The antithrombotic and antiplatelet effects of two fucoidan fractions with low molecular weight and different sulfate content from Laminaria japonica were compared in order to examine the influence of chemical character on their antithrombotic activity and the possible mechanism. Both LMW fucoidan fractions exhibited favorable antithrombotic activity in an Fecl3-induced arterial thrombosis. The antithrombotic activity of LMW fucoidan was related with decrease of TXB2 and whole blood viscosity and hematocrit. LMW fucoidan showed a correlation between anticoagulant, antiaggregant and antithrombotic effects in vivo. For LMW fucoidan, antithrombotic activity required high dose of 5-10 nmol kg-1, concomitantly with increase in anticoagulant activity and inhibition of platelet aggregation. Administration of LMW fucoidan significantly promoted the 6-keto-PGF1α content and decreased the TXB2 content, indicating its inhibition of tissue factor pathway and regulation of metabolism of arachidonic acid. By comparison, highly sulfated fucoidan LF2 with Mw 3900 seemed to be a more suitable choice for antithrombotic drug for its antithrombotic activity accompanied with specific inhibitory activity on platelet aggregation, low anticoagulant activity and low hemorrhagic risk in vivo.     

Antithrombotic effects of bromophenol,an alga-derived thrombin inhibitor

Thrombin,the ultimate proteinase of the coagulation cascade,is an attractive target for the treatment of a variety of cardiovascular diseases.A bromophenol derivative named (+)-3-(2,3-dibromo-4,5-dihydroxy-phenyl)-4-bromo-5,6-dihydroxy-1,3-dihydroiso-benzofuran 1,isolated from the brown alga Leathesia nana exhibited significant thrombin inhibitory activity.In this study,we investigated the inhibition of human thrombin in vitro with this bromophenol derivative,and its antithrombotic efficacy in vivo using th...