Polysaccharides and Derivatives from Africa to Address and Advance Sustainable Development and Economic Growth in the Next Decade

Abstract

Polysaccharides are highly variable and complex biomolecules whose inventory of structures is still very incomplete, as nature still preserves unexplored biotopes. Plants, macroalgae and microalgae are an integral part of the daily life of human being regardless of culture, time, or knowledge development of a country. Natural medicine is an ancestral knowledge widely distributed throughout the world, handed down for centuries from generation to generation by those commonly referred to as “nganga” healers or shamans. It is also called alternative medicine or traditional medicine, and has been associated for millennia to legends. This review gives an emphasis regarding the ethnobotanic approach associated to the structural variability of poly- and oligosaccharides for designing the new polysaccharide-based drugs and hydrocolloids of tomorrow. The guiding thread is to survey the potential of plants (and some macroalgae) from Africa as a source of polysaccharides with original structures and, secondly, to correlate these structures with biological and/or functional properties in particular to address and advance the sustainable development and economic growth of mankind.

Medicinal plants as a cellulose source for the fabrication of poly(lactic acid) composites: A mini-review

“…In most instances, the traditional medicinal use of these plants has been used as a guiding thread to survey their potential. 26,27,29 Previous studies have demonstrated the extraction of cellulose fibers with different dimensions from various medicinal plants by employing acid hydrolysis and/or mechanical treatment. 30,31 The obtained cellulose was analyzed using morphology techniques such as optical, scanning electron, and atomic force microscopies, as well as physicochemical techniques like infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and thermogravimetric analysis.…”

Self‐Delivering Microstructured Iota Carrageenan Spray Inhibits Fibrosis at Multiple Length Scales

“…[25,26] While often considered as inert carriers desirable only for their material and release properties, there is increasing evidence that many polysaccharides have inherent immunomodulatory functions. [27][28][29][30][31] Using polysaccharides can be advantageous because they are far more stable and more cost effective than biologics, and many have proven low toxicity, having been used in the food industry for decades. [32] Further, the microstructure of many polysaccharides can be manipulated to form hydrogels, microgels, and fluid gels.…”