Agarose is a polysaccharide found in red algae, typically Gelidium and Gracilaria. It is a strictly alternating polysaccharide of α-1,3 linked D-galactose and β-1,4 linked L-3,6 anhydrogalactose with occasional sulfation at position 6 of the anhydrogalactose residue. Agaro-oligosaccharides result from cleavage at galactose residues and neoagaro-oligosaccharides from cleavage at 3,6-anhydro residues. Neoagarooctaose is reported to have potential for novel cosmeceuticals.
Neoagarooctaose is a polymeric, bioactive oligosaccharide which is biosynthetically prepared from agarose, or, through hydrolysis of Gracilaria lemaneiformis agar.