In vitro anticancer activity of Sargassum sp. polysaccharides against MCF-7 cell lines

Abstract

Seaweed polysaccharides are compounds with promising chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic activities. In this study, polysaccharides isolated from <em>Sargassum</em> seaweeds were tested for their efficiency in cancer therapy. Polysaccharides were isolated, purified, and characterized using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR); and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopic and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometric (MALDI-MS). It was found that the polysaccharides from <em>Sargassum </em>sp. branches are sulfated galactose–fucose disaccharides and sulfated galactose monosaccharides attached to the main chain through (1–4) linkages. Further, the polysaccharides were tested for cytotoxicity and anticancer activity against human breast adenocarcinoma cell line (MCF-7) using the Annexin-V/propidium iodide (PI) staining method.