Structural and bioactive roles of fucoidan in nanogel delivery systems. A review.

Nanogels have gained great attention as delivery systems of drugs and bioactive food compounds due to their high surface area, swelling behavior, loading capacity, softness, and flexibility, that simulate the nature of most natural tissues. On its part, fucoidan is a marine polysaccharide obtained from brown seaweed, and it has a broad spectrum of biological activities, including anticancer effects. In this review, the theoretical framework of fucoidan, such as sources, extraction, and purification is described and discussed. Furthermore, the structural and bioactive roles of fucoidan in the preparation of these nanoplatforms are highlighted, and future opportunities for this polysaccharide in these innovative nanoplatforms are outlined in the concluding remarks. All rights reserved, Elsevier.