title: Marine compounds with therapeutic potential in gram-negative sepsis.
abstract: This paper concerns the potential use of compounds, including lipid A, chitosan, and carrageenan, from marine sources as agents for treating endotoxemic complications from Gram-negative infections, such as sepsis and endotoxic shock. Lipid A, which can be isolated from various species of marine bacteria, is a potential antagonist of bacterial endotoxins (lipopolysaccharide (LPSs)). Chitosan is a widespread marine polysaccharide that is derived from chitin, the major component of crustacean shells. The potential of chitosan as an LPS-binding and endotoxin-neutralizing agent is also examined in this paper, including a discussion on the generation of hydrophobic chitosan derivatives to increase the binding affinity of chitosan to LPS. In addition, the ability of carrageenan, which is the polysaccharide of red alga, to decrease the toxicity of LPS is discussed. We also review data obtained using animal models that demonstrate the potency of carrageenan and chitosan as antiendotoxin agents.
authors.affiliation: G.B. Elyakov Pacific Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Far-Eastern Branch, the Russian Academy of Sciences, Pr. 100 let Vladivostoku 159, Vladivostok 690022, Russia.
authors.forename: Tamara
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Solov'eva
authors.forename: Viktoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Davydova
authors.forename: Inna
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Krasikova
authors.forename: Irina
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Yermak
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D059001:Aquatic Organisms / Q000737:chemistry*; D002351:Carrageenan / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D048271:Chitosan / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D019446:Endotoxemia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects; D016905:Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D008050:Lipid A / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D018805:Sepsis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D008050:Lipid A; D002351:Carrageenan; D048271:Chitosan