Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences Journal of Herbmed Pharmacology 2345-5004 7 4 2018 10 01 Isolation, characterisation and in vitro screening of anticataract potential of Fucoidan from Sargassum wightii Greville 243 250 10.15171/jhp.2018.37 EN Sathiya Ramu https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3474-7033 Shah Akshay Mahendra Keerthana Kunchakuri Pooja P. Karadi Kumari Swetha Gowri Radhakrishnan Journal Article 10.15171/jhp.2018.37 2018 01 09 2018 07 28 Introduction: The present study was designed to isolate Fucoidan from Sargassum wightii Greville and to evaluate its in-vitro anti cataract potential against galactose induced cataract in isolated goat lenses.Methods: Fucoidan was isolated from S. wightii Greville and its sulfate content was estimated through barium chloride method. Isolated goat lenses were divided into 5 groups as group-I (normal control- vehicle treated), group-II (disease control- galactose treated 55 mM), group-III (galactose 55 mM + standard-ascorbic acid 20 μg/mL), group-IV (galactose 55 mM + Fucoidan-20 μg/mL) and group-V (galactose 55 mM + Fucoidan 40 μg/mL) and incubated for 72 hours, respectively, and subjected to biochemical estimations. The opacity of lenses was also noted prior to biochemical estimation.Results: The percentage yield of isolated Fucoidan was found to be 0.65%. The extent of sulfation in the isolated Fucoidan was found to be as high as 33%. In high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) studies, Peak 3 with Rf value of 0.18 matched with the standard D-glucose Rf value. Galactose induced cataractous lenses showed significant oxidative stress when compared to normal lenses whereas treatment with Fucoidan 20 and 40 μg/mL significantly combated oxidative stress and prevented the development of cataract when compared to cataractous lenses. The results obtained with the treatment of Fucoidan were dose dependant and comparable to standard.Conclusion: The present study substantiates the claim of anti-cataract potential of Fucoidan, which may be correlated to its anti-oxidant property.