A use of an anti-inflammatory polysaccharides composition comprising fucans and galactans to inhibit the release of one or more of IL-8, PGE2 and VEGF by a cell activated during an inflammatory process and an anti-inflammatory composition comprising a ratio of brown algae fucans/red algae galactans of between about 2.5/1 (w/w) to about 40/1 (w/w), the galactans having a molecular weight higher than about 100 kDa, and the fucans having a molecular weight between about 0.1 kDa and 100 kDa.