Extracting activity patterns: Exploratory data analysis on a fucoidan extract data set with mixed variables

Factor analysis on mixed data (FAMD) was carried out on an open access fucoidan extract data base to uncover potential parameters which affect the use of fucoidans in cosmetics (elastase inhibition) and in the field of ophthalmology. The confidence ellipsoids for the fucoidan extracts exhibiting elastase inhibition, and the extracts showing no inhibition, were separated well in the dimensional space created from the variables. The tentative results suggest that innate algae factors, such as the species, the region where it was collected, and the harvest time, greatly influence elastase inhibition activity. Similarly, it was found that glucose content could potentially affect the bioactivity, likely because laminarin is present in the extract. These tentative findings suggest that some species are more suited for use in cosmetics, and that the harvest time likely needs to be optimized. No separation was obtained in the dimensional space on the ophthalmology data, which was likely due to limited, comparable data.