Effect of galactofucan sulfate of a brown seaweed on induced hepatotoxicity in rats, sodium pentobarbital-induced sleep, and anti-inflammatory activity

This study was designed to characterize the chemical composition, anti-oxidant activity, anti-inflammatory, and hepatoprotective effect of the polysaccharide a galactofucan sulfate (GFS) from brown seaweed Lobophora variegata . Chemical characterization was performed by several chemical methods, high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) ( 1 H, 13 C, heteronuclear multiple quantum correlation (HMQC), and 1 H- 1 H COSY), and infrared spectroscopies. The results showed an acidic polysaccharide with a high level of sulfated fucose and galactose. GFS displayed anti-oxidant effects acting directly on the free radicals. Pretreatment with fucans in mice induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl 4 ) administration resulted in a significantly inhibited increase in the blood enzymatic activities and bilirubin level. Administration of GFS (75 mg kg −1 ) reduced ( p