Microalgae organisms are of interest for many biotechnology applications due to the production of a wide range of biologically active compounds. Incubation of Wollea saccata in a large scale afforded a mucilaginous, high molecular weight biopolymer composed of carbohydrate, protein and phenolic compounds. Sugar moiety was rich in hexoses (60%) and 6-deoxyhexoses (31%), while only 9% of pentoses was identified. Methylation analysis revealed about 40 types of methylated sugar derivatives, suggesting a very complex structure of Wollea biopolymer. Pharmacological studies revealed new pharmacodynamic properties of cyanobacteria biopolymer, i.e. antitussive and bronchodilatory. Biopolymer was able to suppress the cough reflex induced by chemical tussigen, but its effect was lower than that of codeine, the strongest antitussive agent. The bronchodilatory effect was similar or higher than the effect of salbutamol, a bronchodilatory drug used in a clinical practice. In pharmacological studies, there were no signs of toxicity or side effects in the animals following administration of Wollea biopolymer.

Department of Pharmacology and BioMed Martin Jessenius Faculty of Medicine Mala Hora 11161 4B 036 01 Martin Slovakia

Institute of Botany Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic Biorefinery Research Centre of Competence Dukelská 135 379 82 Trebon Czech Republic

Institute of Chemistry Center for Glycomics Slovak Academy of Sciences Dubravska cesta 9 845 38 Bratislava Slovakia

Institute of Microbiology Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic Department of Autotrophic Microorganisms 379 01 Trebon Czech Republic

Int J Biol Macromol. 2018 Oct 1;117:1375. doi: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2018.05.108. PubMed

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