Pharmacological activities of a new glycosaminoglycan, acharan sulfate isolated from the giant African snail Achatina fulica.
Acharan sulfate (AS) is a glycosaminoglycan (GAG) prepared from the giant African snail, Achatina fulica. In this study, some biological activities of AS were evaluated on the basis of structural similarities to heparin/heparan sulfate and the biological functions of GAGs. We demonstrated that it exhibited strong immunostimulating activities as measured by carbon clearance test in mice and in vivo phagocytosis. It also exhibited a significant hypoglycemic activity in epinephrine (EP)-induced hyperglycemia as well as antifatigue effects by weight-loaded forced swimming test. And it showed hypolipidemic activities in cholesterol-rich mixture induced hyperlipidemia in rats. The above results indicate that AS has diverse biological activities and suggest therapeutically important target molecules.
Shim
Jin Young
JY
Natural Products Research Institute, Seoul National University, 28 Yeonkun-Dong, Jongno-Ku, Seoul 110-460, Korea.
Lee
Yeon Sil
YS
Jung
Sang Hoon
SH
Choi
Hyung Seok
HS
Shin
Kuk Hyun
KH
Kim
Yeong Shik
YS
D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D006025:Glycosaminoglycans / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008112:Liver Glycogen / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012908:Snails / Q000737:chemistry*
D001786:Blood Glucose; D006025:Glycosaminoglycans; D008055:Lipids; D008112:Liver Glycogen; C106771:acharan sulfate