Hyaluronidase-inhibiting polysaccharide isolated and purified from hot water extract of sporophyll of Undaria pinnatifida

Polysaccharide showing inhibitory activity against hyaluronidase, which is known to be related to inflammation and tumor metastasis, was purified from the sporophyll of Undaria pinnatifida by fractionated extraction and column chromatography. On the basis of chemical analyses, the purified compound was found to be a kind of sulfated polysaccharide. The molar ratio of sugars and sulfuric acid in the purified compound was estimated to be L-fucose: D-galactose: D-glucuronic acids: sulfuric acid=1.0: 1.0: 0.04: 5.2. The number-average molecular weight of the sulfated polysaccharide was estimated to be 63,000 by high-performance liquid chromatography. This polysaccharide inhibited hyaluronidase activity (IC50 = 13.0 mug/ml) in a dose-dependent manner.