Sea, carbohydrates and clotting: a triad on the road of drug discovery.

Abstract

Cardiovascular diseases (CDs) are the principal cause of death in the world. Anticoagulation is the commonest therapeutic strategy for treatments of CDs in clinical settings. Although possessed of numerous downsides, heparin is the main clinical anticoagulant/antithrombotic agent used so far. Novel sulfated polysaccharides like the marine dermatan sulfate, sulfated fucans and galactans are also able to block clot and thrombus formation. These relatively new marine glycans call special attention mostly due to their unique structures and distinct mechanisms of action. This structural uniqueness is seen by the peculiar aspect of these polysaccharides being made of clear and regular sulfation patterns. The structures have been reported only in polysaccharides from marine invertebrates like sea urchins and cucumbers. This report intends to prove the promising combination of the triad sea-carbohydrates-clotting in drug discovery of the cardiovascular field.

• Authors: Vitor H Pomin
• Journal: Mini reviews in medicinal chemistry (Mini Rev Med Chem) Vol. 14 Issue 9 Pg. 717-24 ( 2014) ISSN: 1875-5607 [Electronic] Netherlands
• PMID: 25138087 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, Review)

Chemical References

• Anticoagulants
• Fibrinolytic Agents
• Galactans
• Polysaccharides
• Dermatan Sulfate
• Heparin
• fucoidan

Topics

• Animals
• Anticoagulants (chemistry, isolation & purification, therapeutic use)
• Blood Coagulation (drug effects)
• Cardiovascular Diseases (complications, drug therapy, metabolism, pathology)
• Dermatan Sulfate (chemistry, isolation & purification, therapeutic use)
• Drug Discovery
• Fibrinolytic Agents (chemistry, isolation & purification, therapeutic use)
• Galactans (chemistry, isolation & purification, therapeutic use)
• Heparin (chemistry, therapeutic use)
• Humans
• Polysaccharides (chemistry, isolation & purification, therapeutic use)
• Sea Cucumbers (chemistry)
• Sea Urchins (chemistry)