The Antithrombotic Potential of Sulfated-Polysaccharides from Red Seaweed Hypnea musciformis (Wulfen) J.V. Lamouroux: An In Vitro, In Silico and In Vivo Study

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-16-2026

Publication Title

ACS Omega

Abstract

Thrombosis has emerged as a significant concern during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, with patients experiencing increased venous thromboembolism due to prolonged immobilization and inflammation. In Brazil, studies show a higher thrombosis risk among COVID-19 patients, emphasizing the need for effective thromboprophylaxis. Heparin (HEP), commonly used in hospitals, enhances antithrombin III (ATIII) activity to inhibit thrombin and factor Xa, thus reducing thrombosis risk. However, it can cause adverse effects like bleeding and HEP-induced thrombocytopenia, complicating its use and prompting the search for safer anticoagulant alternatives. This study aimed to evaluate the anticoagulant properties of sulfated polysaccharides (SP) derived from the red seaweed Hypnea musciformis, particularly their hydrolysates with different molecular weights. Additionally, computational analyses were conducted to investigate their interaction with ATIII, compared to HEP, to determine if the mechanism of action is similar. In vitro, the assays assessed the antithrombotic activity using activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) and prothrombin time (PT) tests, with low-molecular-weight HEP CLEXANE (LMWH) as a positive control. Results showed that the intact polysaccharide and one hydrolysate (EX 5) prolonged activated partial thromboplastin time, while no samples affected prothrombin time. The in vivo bleeding time test revealed that these samples had a significantly lower hemorrhagic tendency than the positive control. Computational simulations indicated a stronger interaction between ATIII and the intact polysaccharide compared to its hydrolysate. These findings suggest that SP from H. musciformis could offer a promising anticoagulant therapy with reduced bleeding risk for clinical application in thrombotic conditions.

First Page

5181

Last Page

5192

PubMed ID

41658173

Volume

11

Issue

4

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