Apiogalacturonans are a type of

pectin Pectin ( grc, πηκτικός ': "congealed" and "curdled") is a heteropolysaccharide, a structural acid contained in the primary lamella, in the middle lamella, and in the cell walls of terrestrial plants. The principal, chemical component o ...

s known to be found in the walls of

Lemna ''Lemna'' is a genus of free-floating aquatic plants referred to by the common name "duckweed". They are morphologically divergent members of the arum family Araceae. These rapidly growing plants have found uses as a model system for studies in ...

and

Zostera marina ''Zostera marina'' is a flowering vascular plant species as one of many kinds of seagrass, with this species known primarily by the English name of eelgrass with seawrack much less used, and refers to the plant after breaking loose from the submer ...

. Substituted galacturonans are characterized by the presence of the saccharide appendant residue D-apiose in the case of apiogalacturonan, branching from a backbone of D-galacturonic acid residues. According to the Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, " e backbone of these polysaccharides is resistant to fragmentation by microbial EPGs." Lemnan belongs to rare apiogalacturonic pectic polysaccharides, along with zosteran from Zostera marina. The apiogalacturonan in Lemna has been researched for several nutritional and biotechnology applications in animal models. In brief, it has been shown to have gastric-protection and immune-adjuvant properties. It is also cryoprotective and this application has been patented. The apiogalacturonan from Zostera Marina currently is used in a variety of cosmetic functions. The German group

Beiersdorf AG Beiersdorf AG is a German multinational company that manufactures and retails personal-care products and pressure-sensitive adhesives. Its brands include Elastoplast, Eucerin (makers of Aquaphor), Labello, La Prairie, Nivea, Tesa SE (Tesa ...

holds several patents on the application of apiogalacturonan for cosmetic applications. Zostera marina L. was selected for its antioxidative activity and inhibition of matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) expression. Apiogalacturonan from both Lemna and Zostera marina can be used in cosmetic products.

References

{{reflist Polysaccharides