Carlos Alberto Pujol

Publications (4)2.37 Total impact

• Article: Xylans from Scinaia hatei: Structural features, sulfation and anti-HSV activity.

  Pinaki Mandal, Carlos Alberto Pujol, Elsa Beatriz Damonte, Tuhin Ghosh, Bimalendu Ray
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  ABSTRACT: Natural compounds offer interesting pharmacological perspectives for antiviral drug development with regard to broad-spectrum antiviral properties and novel modes of action. In this study, we have analyzed alkali-extracted xylan of Scinaia hatei. Alkali extraction of this red alga yielded a xylan shown to have a molecular mass of 120kDa and a linear structure of (1-->4)-linked beta-d-xylopyranosyl residues. Derivatives (S1, S2, S3 and S4) generated by chemical sulfation from this macromolecule had degree of sulfation between 0.93 and 1.95, and contained strong anti-HSV activity with inhibitory concentration 50% (IC(50)) from 0.22 to 1.37mug/ml. Furthermore, they had no direct inactivating effect on virions in a virucidal assay. Sulfate groups account for their in vitro antiviral activity. Interestingly, sulfated xylans already exerted anti-HSV activity when only pre-incubated with the cultured cells prior to infection, thus pointing to a main inhibitory effect on viral entry.
  International journal of biological macromolecules 12/2009; 46(2):173-8. · 2.37 Impact Factor
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  Available from: intmedpress.com

  Article: Sulfated xylomannans from the red seaweed Sebdenia polydactyla: structural features, chemical modification and antiviral activity.

  Tuhin Ghosh, Carlos Alberto Pujol, Elsa Beatriz Damonte, Sharmistha Sinha, Bimalendu Ray
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  ABSTRACT: Many viruses display affinity for cell surface heparan sulfate proteoglycans with biological relevance in virus entry. This raises the possibility of the application of sulfated polysaccharides in antiviral therapy. In this study, we analysed polysaccharide fractions isolated from Sebdenia polydactyla. The purified xylomannan sulfate and its further sulfated derivatives showed strong activity against herpes simplex virus type-1 (HSV-1). Their 50% inhibitory concentration values were in the range 0.35-2.8 microg/ml and they lacked cytotoxicity at concentrations up to 1,000 microg/ml. The major polysaccharide, which had 0.6 sulfate groups per monomer unit and an apparent molecular mass of 150 kDa, contained a backbone of alpha-(1-->3)-linked d-mannopyranosyl residues substituted at position 6 with a single stub of beta-d-xylopyranosyl residues. The degree of sulfation seemed to play an important role because desulfation and/or further sulfation of the isolated macromolecules largely influenced their in vitro anti-HSV-1 activity.
  Antiviral chemistry & chemotherapy 01/2009; 19(6):235-42.
• Source

  Available from: intmedpress.com

  Article: Structural features and antiviral activity of sulphated fucans from the brown seaweed Cystoseira indica.

  Pinaki Mandal, Cecilia Gabriela Mateu, Kausik Chattopadhyay, Carlos Alberto Pujol, Elsa Beatriz Damonte, Bimalendu Ray
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  ABSTRACT: Natural compounds offer interesting pharmacological perspectives for antiviral drug development. In this study, we have analysed sulphated-fucan-containing fractions isolated from the brown seaweed Cystoseira indica. The crude water extract (CiWE) and the main fraction (CiF3) obtained by anion exchange chromatography had potent antiviral activity against herpes simplex virus types 1 (HSV-1) and 2 (HSV-2) without cytotoxicity for Vero cell cultures. Furthermore, they had no direct inactivating effect on virions in a virucidal assay, and lacked anticoagulant activity. The mode of action of these compounds could be mainly ascribed to an inhibitory effect on virus adsorption. Chemical, chromatographic and spectroscopic methods showed that the major polysaccharide had an apparent molecular mass of 35 kDa and contained a backbone of alpha-(1 --> 3)-linked fucopyranosyl residues substituted at C-2 with fucopyranosyl and xylopyranosyl residues. This sulphated fucan, considered the active principle of the C. indica water extract, also contained variously linked xylose and galactose units and glucuronic acid residues. Sulphate groups, if present, are located mostly at C-4 of (1 --> 3)-linked fucopyranosyl units, and appeared to be very important for the anti-herpetic activity of this polymer.
  Antiviral chemistry & chemotherapy 02/2007; 18(3):153-62.
• Article: Polysaccharides from Padina tetrastromatica: Structural features, chemical modification and antiviral activity

  Paramita Karmakar, Carlos Alberto Pujol, Elsa Beatriz Damonte, Tuhin Ghosh, Bimalendu Ray
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  ABSTRACT: Many viruses display affinity for cell surface heparan sulfate proteoglycans with biological relevance in virus entry. This raises the possibility of the application of sulfated polysaccharides in antiviral therapy. In this study, we have analyzed polysaccharide containing fractions derived from Padina tetrastromatica. A glucan containing α-(1 → 4)-linked glucopyranosyl residues, an alginate with apparent molecular mass of 50 kDa, and a fucoidan were isolated. Further sulfated derivatives of the fucoidan (S1–S3), which contained 0.8–1.2 sulfate groups per monomer unit showed inhibitory activity against herpes simplex virus (HSV) types 1 and 2. Their inhibitory concentration 50% (IC50) values were in the range 0.30–1.05 μg/ml and they lacked cytotoxicity at concentrations up to 1000 μg/ml. The antiviral effect was exerted during virus adsorption to the cell. The degree of sulfation seemed to play an important role because further sulfation of the isolated macromolecules largely influences their in vitro anti-HSV activity.
  Carbohydrate Polymers.