Carrageenan: a natural seaweed polysaccharide and its applications.
Polysaccharides have been gaining interesting and valuable applications in the food and pharmaceutical fields. As they are derived from the natural source, they are easily available, non-toxic, cheap, biodegradable and biocompatible. Carrageenan is one among them, which fulfills the criteria of polysaccharide; it is a natural carbohydrate (polysaccharide) obtained from edible red seaweeds. The name Carrageenan is derived from the Chondrus crispus species of seaweed (Rhodophyceace) known as Carrageen Moss or Irish Moss, and Carraigin. A demand based on its application has been widely increasing in food and pharmaceutical sectors. Carrageenan has gained wide applications in experimental medicine, pharmaceutical formulations, cosmetics, and food industries. Through keen references of the reported literature on carrageenan, in this review, we have described about carrageenan, its properties, extraction and refining, and its food and pharmaceutical applications.
Department of Pharmaceutics, S.S.R. College of Pharmacy, Saily-Silvassa Road, Saily, Silvassa, U.T. of Dadra and Nagar Haveli 396230, India. Electronic address: vippra2000@yahoo.com.
Vipul D
VD
Prajapati
Department of Pharmaceutics, S.S.R. College of Pharmacy, Saily-Silvassa Road, Saily, Silvassa, U.T. of Dadra and Nagar Haveli 396230, India.
Pankaj M
PM
Maheriya
Department of Pharmaceutics, S.S.R. College of Pharmacy, Saily-Silvassa Road, Saily, Silvassa, U.T. of Dadra and Nagar Haveli 396230, India.
Girish K
GK
Jani
Department of Pharmaceutics, S.S.R. College of Pharmacy, Saily-Silvassa Road, Saily, Silvassa, U.T. of Dadra and Nagar Haveli 396230, India.
Himanshu K
HK
Solanki
D000818:Animals; D002351:Carrageenan / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005503:Food Additives / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000139:chemically induced; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012624:Seaweed / Q000737:chemistry
D005503:Food Additives; D010936:Plant Extracts; D011134:Polysaccharides; D002351:Carrageenan
Applications; Carrageenan; Polysaccharide; Properties