PHARMACOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT OF FUCOIDAN ISOLATED FROM SARGASSUM SP. FROM SHANKARPUR BEACH IN MEDINIPUR DISTRICT OF WEST BENGAL, INDIA

Garai P. K., Gupta S., Bagchi S., Sil S. K.*

This study presents a comprehensive pharmacological assessment of Fucoidan, a sulfated polysaccharide isolated from the brown seaweed Sargassum sp. collected from Shankarpur Beach in the Purba Medinipur district of West Bengal, India. Marine natural products are recognized as sustainable sources of bioactive factors with diverse health benefits. The seaweed specimens were harvested in August 2025 and processed to isolate the cell-wall matrix polysaccharides. In-silico pharmacokinetic profiling using SwissADME platform was employed to evaluate the molecule's therapeutic potential. Results from the "Boiled Egg" model indicated high gastrointestinal absorption and established that the molecule is not blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeant. Crucially, the Fucoidan isolate demonstrated zero violations of Lipinski’s Rule of Five, alongside compliance with Veber, Egan, and Muegge drug-likeness filters, yielding a bioavailability score of 0.56. These findings confirm that Fucoidan from Sargassum sp. possesses favorable drug-like properties and significant potential as a bioactive component in nutraceutical and pharmacological applications, particularly for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities.