*4.2. Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Polysaccharides from Sea Urchins*

Like other echinoderms, sea urchins are a rich source of bioactive polysaccharides, though few of them have been evaluated for anti-inflammatory activity. A high molecular weight sulphated polysaccharide from the eggs of the sea urchin *Paracentrotus lividus*, attenuated carrageenan-induced rat paw edema by inhibiting the production or antagonizing action of various chemical mediators such as serotonin, histamine, prostanoids, and leukotrienes [89]. In another study, gonadal polysaccharides isolated from a sea chestnut (*Anthocidaris crassispina*) reduced NO production in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages [90].
