Annual variation in composition and in vitro anti-HIV-1 activity of the sulfated glucuronogalactan from Schizymenia dubyi (Rhodophyta, Gigartinales)

International audienceAn account is given of the annual variation in composition andin vitro anti-HIV-1 activity of the water-soluble sulfated glucuronogalactan fromSchizymenia dubyi collected in Sicily. No marked variation seasonal chemical or physico-chemical features was observed, with the exception of L-galactose residues and viscosity. Evaluation of the anti-HIV-1 effect of the polysaccharide indicated that syncitial formation and HIV-associated reverse transcriptasein vitro were completely suppressed at 5 µg ml–1 by alga collected during the summer/spring period. This high anti-HIV-1 activity corresponded with a decrease in L-galactose, viscosity and sulfate content of the polysaccharide