FUCOIDAN-DERIVED OLIGOSACCHARIDE

摘要

Fucoidan is a sulfated polysaccharide having an extremely large molecular weight. In the development of pharmaceuticals and health foods using fucoidan, there are problems with respect to absorption property, antigenicity, homogeneity, anti-coagulant activity and the like. Then, provided is a low molecular weight compound derived from a low molecular weight fucoidan having a specified structure and function, which can overcome the above-mentioned problems. Novel fucoidan oligosaccharides (I) to (XI) as disclosed in the description can be found by the hydrolysis of fucoidan with an acid. It is found that these oligosaccharides have various immune function-modulating effects including IFN-?-inducing capability, IL-10 and 12-inducing capability, dendritic cell-maturating effect and CTL activity-inducing effect.