Studying the Relationship between the Antiviral Activity and the Structure of ἰ-Carrageenan Using Ultrasonication.

ἰ-carrageenan is a linear macroalgal polysaccharide that is well known for its antiviral bioactivity. Although it is considered a candidate for antiviral therapeutics, its application is highly limited due to its low solubility and high viscosity, which lower its adsorption efficiency. With the aim of deriving an active ἰ-carrageenan fragment with an improved adsorption capacity, we studied the effects of ultrasonication on structural changes in ἰ-carrageenan with respect to changes in its bioactivity against herpesviruses.

Antiviral bioactivity of renewable polysaccharides against .

Although several effective treatments exist against virus (VZV), resistant strains have emerged and the treatment is usually not definite and may have various undesired side effects. Thus, alternative treatment options are necessary. Here we studied the inhibitory effects of natural polysaccharides (PSs) obtained from renewable sources, varied by their structure and charge, on VZV infection , using a plaque assay.