Sacran, a new polysaccharide isolated from cyanobacterium Aphanothece sacrum (Sur.) Okada, is known to have potential as an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) for the treatment of atopic dermatitis, various types of dermatitis, skin wound, hemorrhoids and corneal epithelium disorder. In the present studies, the effects of sacran on skin injury and skin pain induced by stratum corneum tape-stripping and gastric ulcer induced by indomethacin, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), and hydrochloride/ethanol (HCl/EtOH) in mice were investigated. Sacran solution 0.05% (w/v) showed greater reduction of skin injury and skin pain induced by stratum corneum tape-stripping, compared to that of 0.01% (w/v) and 0.1% (w/v) sacran solutions. In addition, the inhibitory effects of 0.05% (w/v) sacran on skin injury and skin pain induced by tape-stripping were significantly superior to 0.05% (w/v) hyaluronic acid solution. On the other hand, 1.0% (w/v) sacran solution significantly inhibited gastric ulcer formation induced by indomethacin, compared with 1% (w/v) dextran solution and the inhibitory effect of sacran was comparable to that of the positive control omeprazole. In addition, 1% (w/v) and 2% (w/v) sacran solution reduced HCl/EtOH-induced gastric ulcer in mice, with the alleviative effect of sacran was comparable to or greater than that of the positive control sodium alginate. These results suggest that sacran has potential as API to treat skin injury and pain induced by tape-stripping and gastric ulcer induced by NSAIDs and EtOH.
Keywords: anti-inflammatory effect; ethanol; non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug; protective effect; sacran; tape-stripping.