Fucoidans encompass versatile and heterogeneous sulfated biopolysaccharides of marine origin, specifically brown algae and marine invertebrates. The reported studies revealed diverse chemical skeletons in which l-fucose is the main sugar monomer. However, other sugars, i.e., galactose, mannose, etc., have been identified to be interspersed, forming several heteropolymers, including galactofucans/fucogalactans (G-fucoidans). Particularly, sulfated galactofucans are associated with rich chemistry contributing to more promising bioactivities than fucans and other marine polysaccharides. The previous reports in the last 20 years showed that G-fucoidans derived from Undaria pinnatifida were the most studied; 21 bioactivities were investigated, especially antitumor and antiviral activities, and unique biomedical applications compared to other marine polysaccharides were demonstrated.
Brown Algae (Seaweed) Species |
Source of Seaweed Biomass |
Structural Characteristics |
References |
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Source |
EC50/IC50 |
Compared with Antiviral Drugs? |
References |
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Monosaccharide Composition |
Glycosidic Bonds of Backbone |
Molecular Weight (kDa) |
Source |
EC50/IC50 |
Compared with Standard/Commercial Compounds? |
References |
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Fucose/Galactose Ratio | Sulfate Content (%) |
Sulfation Pattern |
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Dictyotales |
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Adenocystis utricularis |
0.6–0.9 µg/mL (HIV-1) |
Yes. Superior to azidothymidine |
[61][ | ||||||||||||
Cystoseira compressa |
0.43 mg/mL (DPPH) |
Yes. Inferior to ascorbic acid and butylated hydroxyanisole [62], |
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] | [ | ] |
Canistrocarpus cervicornis |
Wild |
Gal, fuc, glcAc, xyl, |
ND |
0.3 µg/mL (HSV-1) and 0.5 µg/mL (HSV-2) |
No2 |
[ 16.5 | ||||||
Sargassum siliquosum |
2.58 mg/mL (DPPH) | ND | |||||||||||||
No |
[10] |
Dictyota dichotoma |
Wild |
Gal, fuc, man, xyl, ara, rha, glc |
Dictyota dichotoma |
7.5 µg/mL (HSV-1), and 15.6 µg/mL (CVB3) |
Yes. Superior to ribavirin 23.6 |
1.5 |
33 |
ND |
[ |
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] | [ | 68] |
D. implexa |
Wild |
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Saccharina japonica |
0.001–0.005 µg/mL (HIV-1) |
Gal, fuc |
ND |
1 |
18.3 |
ND |
No |
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Lobophora variegata |
Wild |
Gal, fuc, Glc, man, xyl, glcAc; Gal, fuc; Gal, fuc, Glc |
(1,3)- and (1,4)-α-l-fuc, and (1,3)-β-d | ||||||||||||
S. thunbergii |
0.22 mg/mL (superoxide radical), and 0.88 mg/mL (hydroxyl radical) |
Yes. Similar (hydroxy radical) or superior (superoxide radical) to vitamin C |
[75 0.2–25 µg/mL (HSV-1)-gal |
Yes. Inferior to acyclovir and similar to heparin 35; ND; 1400 |
0.79; 0.5; 0.5 |
32.6; 0.2 *;15 |
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] | [ | ] | [ | ] | |||||||||||
L. variegata |
ND |
Sargassum mcclurei |
0.96 µg/mL (HIV-1)Gal, fuc |
ND |
360–1600 |
0.3 |
23.3–35.5 |
ND |
[ |
Yes. Inferior to AMD3100 (plerixafor) |
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[ | ][84] |
Padina boryana |
Wild |
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S. patens | Gal, fuc |
1.3 µg/mL (HSV-2), 5.5 µg/mL (HSV-1), and 4.1 µg/mL (HSV-1 acyclovir-resistant strain) |
No (1,4)-α-l-fuc, and (1,3)-β- |
[70]d-gal |
317.5/8.5 |
[85, |
1.1 |
18.6 |
At C2 and C4 (fuc and gal) |
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Spatoglossum schroederi |
Wild |
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>50 µg/mL (virucidal activity against HSV-2), 1.3–1.65 µg/mL (plaque formation), 1.85–3.5 µg/mL (inhibition of virus adsorption) | Gal, fuc, xyl, glcAc; Gal, fuc, xyl; |
(1,4)-β-d-gal, (1,4)-α-l |
No-fuc, and (1,4)-β-d-xyl |
21.5; 21.5–24 |
0.5; 0.5 |
19; 2.1–2.9 * |
At C3 (gal) and C4 (fuc) |
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Ectocarpales |
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1.5–5.5 mg/mL (HSV-1 replication) and 3–4 mg/mL (HSV-1 adsorption) |
Yes. Similar to acyclovir |
Adenocystis utricularis |
Wild |
Gal, fuc, rha, man; Gal, fuc, rha; Gal, fuc, man |
(1,3)-α-l-fuc |
>100 |
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S. polycystum | 5.53; 4.82; 5.53 | 23; 24; 23 |
At C4 (fuc and gal) |
0.34 µg/mL (HIV-1) |
Yes. Inferior to AMD3100 (plerixafor) |
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[ | ] | [ | ] | ||||||||||||
Scytosiphon lomentaria |
Scytosiphon lomentaria Wild |
Gal, fuc, rha, xyl, man, uronic acid |
(1,3)-α- |
0.76 µg/mL (HSV-1) and 1.34 µg/mL (HSV-2) |
No l-fuc, and (1,6)-β-d-gal |
8.5 |
7.33 |
29.5 |
At C3 and C4 (fuc), and C3 (gal) |
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Fucales |
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Sphacelaria indica |
1.3 µg/mL (HSV-1) |
Yes. Superior to acyclovir when added to the overlay medium after penetration of the viruses into the host cell |
Cystoseira compressa |
Wild |
Gal, fuc |
(1,3)- and (1,4)-α-l-fuc |
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Turbinaria ornata | 100 |
0.39 µg/mL (HIV-1) |
2.32 |
14.7 |
Yes. Inferior to AMD3100 (plerixafor) At C2 and C4 (fuc) |
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[ |
Sargassum duplicatum |
Wild |
Gal, fuc |
(1,4)-α-l-fuc and β-d-gal (alternating) |
34–191 |
1 |
31.7 |
ND |
[14] |
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S. feldmannii |
Wild |
Gal, fuc |
(1,3)-α-l-fuc |
183–184 |
2–2.6 |
25.3–32 |
At C2, C3 and C4 (fuc), and C2, C3, C4 and C6 (gal) |
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] | [ | ] |
S. fusiforme |
Wild |
Gal, fuc, xyl, Glc, glcAc, man, uronic acid; Gal, fuc, xyl, man, rha, glcAc, Glc |
(1,3)- and (1,4)-α-l-fuc |
90; 118.3/3.9 |
2; 3.7 |
17.5; 28.5 |
At C3 (fuc) |
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S. hemiphyllum |
Wild |
Gal, fuc |
(1,6)-β-d-gal, (1,3)- and (1,4)-α-l-fuc, and (1,3)-β-d-gal |
148 |
4.5 |
32 |
At C2 and C4 (fuc) |
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S. mcclurei |
Wild |
Gal, fuc; Gal, fuc, man, xyl, glc |
(1,3)-α-l-fuc |
ND |
1.4; 2 |
35; 30.5 |
At C2 and C4 (fuc) |
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S. patens |
Wild |
Gal, fuc, man, xyl, Glc, galactosamine |
ND |
424 |
1.9 |
14.4 |
ND |
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S. polycystum |
Wild |
Gal, fuc, glc; Gal, fuc, man, xyl, glc |
(1,3)- | ||||||||||||
Undaria pinnatifida |
0.77 µg/mL (HSV-1) |
Yes. Superior to acyclovir |
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32 µg/mL (HSV-1) and 0.5 µg/mL (HSV-2) |
Yes. Superior to acyclovir |
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U. pinnatifida (sporophylls) |
2.5 µg/mL (HSV-1), 2.6 µg/mL (HSV-2), and 1.5 µg/mL (HCMV) |
No |
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U. pinnatifida |
1.1 µg/mL (HSV-1), 0.1 µg/mL (HSV-2), and 0.5 µg/mL (HCMV) |
No |
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3.1 µg/mL (HSV-1) and 1.6 µg/mL (HSV-2) |
No |
α-l-fuc, and (1,6)-β-d-gal |
39.5; ND |
5.84; 1.48 |
33.6; 23.4 |
At C2 and C4 (fuc) |
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S. siliquosum |
Wild |
Gal, fuc, glc, xyl, man, rha; Gal, fuc, Glc, xyl, man, rha, uronic acid |
(1,3)- and (1,4)-α-l-fuc |
107.3; ND |
1.9; 1.9 |
19.5; 20 |
At C4 and C6 (gal) |
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S. thunbergii |
Wild |
Gal, fuc |
(1,3)-α-l-fuc |
7.2–333.5 |
5.26–5.88 |
27.2–30.1 |
At C2 and C4 (fuc), and C4 (gal) |
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S. thunbergii |
Purchased from local store |
Gal, fuc |
(1,4)-α-d-gal, and (1,3)-β-l-fuc |
373 |
1.2 |
ND |
NA |
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S. wightii |
Wild |
Gal, fuc, Glc, man; Gal, fuc |
(1,3)-α-l-fuc |
>3.5; ND |
0.6; 3–3.5 |
379.1 †; 8.1–19.5 |
At C2 and/or C4 (fuc), or C2 and C3 (gal) |
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Turbinaria ornata |
Wild |
Gal, fuc; Gal, fuc, man, xyl, glc |
(1,3)-α-l-fuc |
ND |
5; 1.2 |
32; 25.6 |
At C2 and/or C4 (fuc), and/or C2, C3, C4/C6 (gal) |
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Laminariales |
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Alaria angusta |
Wild |
Gal, fuc |
(1,3)-α-l-fuc |
ND |
1.1 |
24 |
At C2 (fuc), and C2 and C4 (gal) |
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Costaria costata |
Wild |
Gal, fuc, man, rha, xyl |
ND |
ND |
1.2 |
18.9 |
ND |
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Ecklonia cava |
Wild |
Gal, fuc, man, rha; Gal, fuc, rha, glc |
ND |
ND |
4.8; 3.6 |
19.1; 22.2 |
At C2 (fuc) |
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Laminaria hyperborea |
ND |
Gal, fuc |
(1,3)-α-l-fuc |
469 |
44.5 |
53.8 |
At C2 and C4 (fuc) |
[12] |
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Saccharina angustata |
Wild |
Gal, fuc, xyl, uronic acid |
(1,3)-, (1,4) and (1,2)-α-l-fuc |
56 |
9.1 |
4.2 |
At C4 (fuc and gal) |
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S. gurjanovae |
Wild |
Gal, fuc |
(1,3)-α-l-fuc |
123 |
3.2 |
25.1 |
At C2 and C4 (fuc), and C2 and/or C3 (gal) |
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S. japonica |
Wild |
Gal, fuc; Gal, fuc, man, xyl; Gal, fuc, man, rham, xyl; Gal, fuc, uronic acid, man, glcAc; Gal, fuc, Glc, man, rha, xyl; Gal, fuc, xyl, Glc, glcAc, rha, uronic acid |
(1,3)-α-l-fuc |
195/13.7; 1800; ND; 106.3; 23.5; 11 |
3.6; 1.1; 1.8; 9.1; 0.5; 10 |
21; 23.3; 23; 36.9; 18; 41.3 |
At C2 and C2/C4 (fuc) |
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S. japonica |
Cultivated |
Gal, fuc; Gal, fuc, man, rham, xyl, Glc; Gal, fuc, man, Glc, rha, xyl, uronic acid |
(1,3)- and (1,4)-α-l-fuc |
261.7; 131.5; 8.1 |
3.8; 2.1; 5.8 |
11.4; 9.1; 41.8 |
At C4 (fuc) |
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S. japonica |
Provided by Fujian Yida Food Co. |
Gal, fuc, man |
ND |
527.3 |
0.9 |
26.7 |
ND |
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S. japonica |
ND |
Gal, fuc |
(1,3)-α-l-fuc, and (1,6)-β-d-gal |
>10 |
3.5 |
48.3 |
At C4 and/or C2/C4 (fuc), and C4 and/or C3/C4 (gal) |
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S. latissima |
Wild |
Gal, fuc; Gal, fuc, xyl, man, Glc |
(1,3)-α-l-fuc |
416–449; 453 |
7.8; 4.1 |
0.8 ‡; 0.6 ‡ |
ND |
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S. longicruris |
Wild |
Gal, fuc, xyl, man, Glc, glcAc; Gal, fuc, xyl, man, Glc, galAc, glcAc |
1529; 638 |
0.8; 0.4 |
17.6; 19.1 |
At C4 (fuc), and C3 (gal) |
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Undaria pinnatifida |
Wild |
Gal, fuc, man; Gal, fuc, rha; Gal, fuc, Glc, man, rha, xyl, ara |
(1,3)- or (1,4)-α-l-fuc |
ND; 290; ND |
1.1; 1.2; 1.3 |
29; 0.94 ‡; ND |
At C2, C3, C4 (fuc), or C2 and C4 (fuc and/or gal) |
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U. pinnatifida (sporophylls) |
Wild |
Gal, fuc, xyl, man |
(1,3)-α-l-fuc |
>150 |
1.5 |
15 |
ND |
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Cultivated |
Gal, fuc; Gal, fuc, man; Gal, fuc, xyl, man; Gal, fuc, man, xyl, uronic acid |
(1,3)-α-l-fuc, and (1,3)-, (1,4)-, (1,6)-β-d-gal |
ND; 1.4–3.7; 1246; 2100 |
1.4; 1.1; 1.1; 5 |
31; 8.4; 9.2; 7.4 |
At C2/C4 (fuc), and C3/C6 (gal) |
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From mussel farms |
Gal, fuc, xyl, Glc, man; Gal, fuc, xyl, Glc, man, uronic acid |
171; >150 |
1.5; 1.5 |
15; 15 |
ND |
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U. pinnatifida |
From Marine Resources Pty Ltd. |
ND |
ND |
ND |
ND |
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From Marinova Pty Ltd. |
Gal, fuc, xyl, man |
(1,3)-α-l-fuc |
51.7 |
1.3 |
21.5 |
At C2 and C4 (fuc) |
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ND |
ND |
ND |
ND |
ND |
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U. pinnatifida (sporophylls) |
ND |
Gal, fuc; Gal, fuc, uronic acid; Gal, fuc, xyl, man |
(1,3)-α-l-fuc, and (1,3)-, (1,4)-, (1,6)-β-d-gal |
9; 9; 104.4 |
0.9; 0.9; ND |
10.4; 10.4; 21 |
At C2 (fuc), and C3 and C6 (gal) |
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Sphacelariales |
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Sphacelaria indica |
Wild |
Gal, fuc, xyl, man, Glc |
(1,3)-α-l-fuc |
26 |
3.3 |
4 |
At C4 (fuc) |
ND, not detailed; NA, not applicable; * reported as molar ratio to fucose; † reported as mg/g fucoidan; ‡ reported as degree of sulfation.
Several studies have reported the anticancer/antitumor activities of galactofucans in different cancer cell lines, as well as antiproliferative, antimetastasis, and antiangiogenic effects (Table 2).
Table 2. G-fucoidans showing anticancer/antitumor activity with their respective sources and half-maximal inhibitory concentrations (IC50). Comparisons with standard or commercial compounds are also shown.
Source |
IC50 |
Compared with Standard/Commercial Compounds? |
References |
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Saccharina latissima |
0.35 µg/mL (elastase inhibition) |
Yes. Superior to commercial heparins (UFH and tinzaparin) |
|
Sargassum polycystum |
84.63 µg/mL (leukemia cells) and 93.62 µg/mL (breast cancer cells) |
No |
|
S. thunbergii |
29.7–93.5 μg/mL (inhibition of FGF1 binding) and 4.0–6.8 μg/mL (inhibition of FGF7 binding) |
No |
|
Undaria pinnatifida (sporophylls) |
0.10 mg/mL (breast adenocarcinoma) and 0.15 mg/mL (lung carcinoma) |
Yes. Superior to commercial fucoidan from Fucus for both cancer cell lines |