Objective: The ampholytic polysaccharide sacran is extracted from the indigenous Japanese cyanobacterium Aphanothece sacrum. Sacran is an anionic polysaccharide with as many as 100,000 negative charges in one molecular chain found from suizenji-nori which is unique to Japan, and it is highly biocompatible, with moisturizing and anti-inflammatory effects. However, there is currently little information available concerning the use oral preparations of sacran for the treatment of chronic diseases. We investigated the renal protective and antioxidant effects of Sacran administration on chronic renal failure model rats. Materials and Methods: Using 5/6 nephrectmized rats (CRF-rats), we orally administered Sacran at a dose of 20mg/day for 4 weeks and evaluated the changes in biochemical parameters such as body weight and blood pressure. In addition, the progression of renal failure was evaluated by the fluctuation of serum creatinine and indoxyl sulfate levels, a uremic toxin and a source of urea nitrogen. Furthermore, the antioxidant effect was also evaluated based on the degree if albumin oxidation. Immnohistochemical evaluations were performed with renal fibrosis and 8-OHDG. As a comparison, a group to which the oral carbonaceous adsorbent AST-120 was administered and a non-treatment group were used. Results: The administration of Sacran results in a significant decrease in renal injury, oxidative stress, serum indoxyl sulfate, creatinine and urea nitrogen and accumulated renal fibrosis, 8-OHDG levels, compared with the AST-120 or non-treatment group, respectively. Conclusion: These results suggest that the ingestion of Sacran results in a significant reduction in the levels of prooxidants, such as uremic toxins, in the gastrointestinal tract, thereby inhibiting the subsequent development of oxidative stress in the systemic circulation.

Key words: Sacran, Antioxidant, Chronic renal failure, Oxidative stress, Adsorption, Anti-inflammation