Physicochemical investigation of the red alga Acanthophora spicifera (Vahl) Borgesen, collected from Al-Shoaiba coast, Red Sea, Saudi Arabia, led to the isolation of a flavone from the algal tissue with acetone. Preparative chromatography on silica gel thin-layer chromatography was used for the separation of the flavone and eluted with the methanol:chloroform:ethyl acetate (1:7:2) solvent system. The physicochemical analyses infrared, mass spectra, and ultraviolet spectra in addition to shift reagents (NaOMe, NaOAc, NaOAc + H3BO3, AlCl3, and AlCl3 + HCl) were used for the identification and elucidation of the structure of the flavone compound (4,5,7-trihydroxy flavonoids). The flavone compound was identified as apigenin bycomparing its physicochemical data with those in the literature. Analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities of apigenin were evaluated. Apigenin showed promising analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities in the hot plate test and writhing test in mice as well as tail-immersion tests and carrageenan-induced paw edema and cotton pellet-induced granuloma formation in rats. It is concluded that apigenin possesses potent analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and antiproliferative activities, which might be due to the inhibition of PGE2 as well as proinflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-1β, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α.

Human activities on coasts and climate changes during the past ten years have given rise to considerable shoreline changes along the El Arish coast (the northern coast of the Sinai Peninsula). In the El Arish Power Plant, sediment accretion has reached the tip of the breakwaterof the cooling water intake basin, necessitating extensive dredging inside the basin. To the east of El Arish Harbour, the shoreline has been incontinuous retreat. The differences between the year 2000 and 2010 in the shoreline along the El Arish coast weredetermined by analysing satellite images from NOAA-AVHRR images. The analyses revealed erosion and accretionpatterns along the coast. The physical parameters showed that the minimum water temperature of 18°C wasrecorded at site I in winter and that the maximum was 40°C at site II in summer. The latter temperature can be attributed to the effluent dischargeof cooling water from the El Arish power plant. Spatial and temporal patterns in the distribution and abundance of macroalgae were measured at four sites(I, II, III and IV) along the El Arish coast. The percentage cover of the successional macroalgae exhibited environmental fluctuations. After ten years,the phytocommunity showed that red and green algae were dominant at the study sites. Significant differences between past and current flora were observed.39 taxa recorded in 2000 were absent in 2010, while 9 taxa not previously reported were present in 2010. These changes are discussed in the context ofpossible global warming effects.PERMANOVA showed significant changes (p < 0.001) between sites, seasons, species abundance and macroalgal groups along the El Arish coast in 2000 and2010. The similarity matrix showed a significant difference between the flora in 2010 and that recorded in 2000, indicating poor similarity and changes inspecies composition among the seasons at the different sites. Most of the algae belonged to the filamentous, coarsely branched and sheet functional formgroups

No abstract

No abstract

This study analyzed the fatty acids composition and their profile qualitatively and quantitatively of the nine abundant macroalgal specimens collecting from Egyptian coasts. GC mass analysis identified 23 types, including 13 of saturated fatty acids (SFA) and 10 of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUSFA). SFA dominated with 78%, while MUFAs had 22%, and UFAs were negligible at 0.01%. MUSFA oleic acid (omega-9) was present in all species except green macroalgae Galaxura rugosa and Ulva fasciata, replaced by MUSFA linoleic acid (omega-6). Oleic acid methyl ester (omega-9) was registered in all the studied species, except red Hypnea cornuta & Jania rubens, and brown Hormophysa cuneiformis. Chlorophyta registered 35% of the fatty acid composition, followed by Rhodophyta (33%) and Phaeophyta (32%). Major SFAs were palmitic acid glycidyl ester, oleic acid glycidyl ester and palmitic methyl ester, comprising over half of total fatty acids. Red and brown macroalgae were richer in palmitic and oleic glycidyl esters, while green macroalgae had more palmitic methyl ester. Linoleic acid, nonadecylic acid, elaidic acid methyl ester, linoleic acid methyl, behenic acid, pentacosylic acid, palmitic acid, and trans-palmitoleic acid were exclusively identified in Chlorophyta. Lacceroic acid was distinguished in Rhodophyta, whereas pelargonic acid just appeared in brown alga Turbinaria turbinata. The maximum values of fatty acids were recorded in the green macroalga Caulerpa racemosa while reed macroalga Hypnea cornuta.was the minimum one. The research sheds light on the fatty acid composition and its potential implications for human health and nutrition.