SPED

SPED (rhamnan-type sulfated polysaccharide derivative) is a novel marine-derived candidate being developed as a hypoglycemic agent for type 2 diabetes. It is prepared from a sulfated polysaccharide (SPE) derived from *Enteromorpha prolifera* through specific enzymatic hydrolysis. SPED has demonstrated the ability to improve glucose metabolism and promote the PI3K/PKB/GSK-3β signaling pathway by regulating the mRNA expression of insulin receptors (IR), insulin receptor substrate 2 (IRS-2), phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase (PI3K), protein kinase B (PKB), and glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK-3β). Acute and sub-acute toxicity studies in mice showed no damaging effects, indicating a favorable safety profile.