Caulerpa cupressoides

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Cactus tree alga
Scientific classification Edit this classification
(unranked): Viridiplantae
Division: Chlorophyta
Class: Ulvophyceae
Order: Bryopsidales
Family: Caulerpaceae
Genus: Caulerpa
Species:
C. cupressoides
Binomial name
Caulerpa cupressoides
(
C.Agardh

Caulerpa cupressoides, commonly known as cactus tree alga,[1] is a species of seaweed in the Caulerpaceae family.[2] Green alge of Caulerpa genus are salty and pungent in style and are consumed by several marine cultures around the world.[3]

Description

The plant has runners that are overlaid by sand rising up to thick stalks that split into heavy upright branches that are in turn lined with rows of short think branchlets. The length can vary from 2 to 25 centimetres (0.8 to 9.8 in) with a tall slender habit to a short bushy habit. It is a

coenocytic species that grows well in shallow protected areas with sandy bottoms.[1]

Distribution

It is found around much of the world including the Americas between

Perth then north through the Mid West and Pilbara coasts and into the Kimberley
region

Taxonomy

The species was described by Carl Adolph Agardh in 1817 as a part of the work Synopsis algarum Scandinaviae, adjecta dispositione universali algarum. The specific epithet is taken from Latin, meaning cypress like. A synonym is Fucus cupressoides.[5]

Several variations of the species exist including:

  • Caulerpa cupressoides var. cupressoides
  • Caulerpa cupressoides var. elegans
  • Caulerpa cupressoides var. flabellata[3]
  • Caulerpa cupressoides var. lycopodium[3]
  • Caulerpa cupressoides var. mamillosa[6]

Biomedical potential

hypolipidemic medications.[3]

Sulfated polysaccharides

The sulfated

dose-dependent anticoagulant activities in the intrinsic and extrinsic pathways.[3]

Lectins

Seaweeds are rich sources of

anti-nociceptive and anti-inflammatory agents, had been detected in Caulerpa cupressoides var. lycopodium, collected from Pacheco in Brazil.[3] Current analgesia-inducing drugs such as opioids and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are not helpful in all cases because of their side effects and low potency, so the search for alternatives with minimal side effects began in Caulerpa cupressoides species.[8]

In one research study, Caulerpa cupressoides lectins were injected in mice.

antinociceptive effect was strongly reduced when lectins were combined with their binding sugar mucin, which on its own did not modify the nociceptive response induced by acetic acid.[8]

One study conducted on rats demonstrated that the administration of Caulerpa cupressoides lectins has a potential

COX-2 and ICAM-1 inhibition, and independent from the opioid system and NO/cGMP/PKG/K+ATP channel pathway.[7]

The single dose of lectin from Caulerpa cupressoides injected over seven consecutive days in mice did not show any signs of toxicity; furthermore, the animal body weight and the weight of essential organs such as liver, kidney, or heart appeared normal suggesting that usage of such lectins could be safe for further analysis.[8]

References

  1. ^ a b "Cactus tree alga (Caulerpa cupressoides)". Marine Species Identification Portal. Keys of Nature. Retrieved 9 August 2017.
  2. Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions
    .
  3. ^
    S2CID 225454252
    .
  4. ^ "Caulerpa cupressoides (Vahl) C.Agardh". Algaebase. M.D. Guiry. 2017. Retrieved 9 August 2017.
  5. National University of Ireland, Galway. Retrieved 14 April 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link
    )
  6. Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions
    .
  7. ^
    S2CID 4936508
    .
  8. ^
    PMID 20601179
    .
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