Lectins are unique
proteins or
glycoproteins of non-immune origin that bind specifically to
carbohydrates. They recognise and interact reversibly to either free
carbohydrates or
glycoconjugates, without modifying their structure.
Lectins are highly diverse and widely distributed in nature and have been extensively reported from various red algae species. Numerous red algae species have been reported to possess
lectins having
carbohydrate specificity towards complex
glycoproteins or high-
mannose N-
glycans. These
lectin-
glycan interactions further trigger many biochemical responses which lead to their extensive use as valuable tools in biomedical research. Thus, owing to their exceptional
glycan recognition property, red algae
lectins are potential candidate for inhibition of various
viral diseases. Hence, the present report integrates existing information on the red algae
lectins, their
carbohydrate specificity, and characteristics of purified
lectins. Further, the review also reports the current state of research into their anti-viral activity against various enveloped viruses such as HIV,
hepatitis,
influenza,
encephalitis, coronavirus and herpes simplex virus and other biomedical activities such as anti-
cancer, anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, anti-nociceptive and acaricidal activities.