Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology, STU-UNIVPM Joint Algal Research Center, Department of Biology, College of Science, Shantou University, Shantou 515063, China.
Molecules. 2018 Sep 25;23(10):2451. doi: 10.3390/molecules23102451.
Because of their potential use as functional ingredients in human nutrition, oligosaccharides derived from natural sources are receiving paramount consideration. Red seaweed, a proven rich source of agar and carrageenan, is one of the most abundantly present sources of such oligosaccharides. Agaro-oligosaccharides (AOS) and carrageenan-oligosaccharides (COS) are produced from agar and carrageenan, respectively, through chemical and enzymatic hydrolyses. Enzymatic hydrolysis of agar and carrageenan into oligosaccharides is preferred in industrial production because of certain problems associated with chemical hydrolysis, including the release of high amounts of monosaccharides and undesirable toxic products, such as furfural. AOS and COS possess many biological activities, including prebiotic, immuno-modulatory, anti-oxidant, and anti-tumor activities. These activities are related to their chemical structure, molecular weight, degree of polymerization, and the flexibility of the glycosidic linkages. Therefore, the structure⁻function relationship and the mechanisms occurring during the specific biological applications of AOS and COS are discussed herein. Moreover, the chromatographic separation, purification, and characterization of AOS and COS are also part of this review. This piece of writing strives to create a new perspective on the potential applications of AOS and COS in the functional food and pharmaceutical industry.
由于其作为人类营养功能性成分的潜在用途，来源于天然来源的低聚糖受到了极大的关注。红海藻是琼脂和卡拉胶的已知丰富来源，也是此类低聚糖最丰富的来源之一。琼寡糖（AOS）和卡拉胶寡糖（COS）分别通过化学和酶解从琼脂和卡拉胶中产生。在工业生产中，由于与化学水解相关的某些问题，如单糖和不期望的有毒产物（如糠醛）的释放，酶解将琼脂和卡拉胶水解成寡糖是优选的。AOS 和 COS 具有许多生物活性，包括益生元、免疫调节、抗氧化和抗肿瘤活性。这些活性与它们的化学结构、分子量、聚合度以及糖苷键的柔韧性有关。因此，本文讨论了 AOS 和 COS 在特定生物应用中的结构-功能关系和发生的机制。此外，AOS 和 COS 的色谱分离、纯化和表征也是本综述的一部分。本文旨在为 AOS 和 COS 在功能性食品和制药行业的潜在应用提供新的视角。
