Low-molecular-weight carbohydrates from red seaweeds

Red algae (Rhodophyta) produce, as their principal photosynthetic metabolites, low-molecular-weight carbohydrates and polyols. The former are heterosides consisting of galactose and glycerol and are produced by all the orders of Phodophyta except the ceramiales. They are named: floridoside [α-D-galactopyranosyl (1->2)-glycerol], isofloridoside D-form [α-D-galactopyranosyl-(1->)D-glycerol] and L-form [α-D-galactopyranosyl-(1->1)-L-glycerol] (Meng et al., 1987, Karsten et al., 1993). The Ceramiales synthesize the chemically related digeneaside [α-D-mannopyranosyl-(1->2)-L-glycerate] (Kirst, 1980). Some of the red seaweeds also produce polyols such as dulcitol and D-sorbitol (Karsten et al., 1992). (author)