Exploring marine resources against neurological disorders– the neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory potential of the brown seaweed Bifurcaria bifurcata

Abstract

Oxidative stress is strongly involved in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases, like Parkinson´s disease (PD). Particularly, an excess of reactive oxygen species (ROS) released by the cells promotes an oxidative stress condition, which is a main cause of tissue injury leading to nervous system dysfunction. In this work, the antioxidant, neuroprotective and anti-in ammatory activities of different fractions from Bifurcaria bifurcata are presented and related with their chemical pro le. The antioxidant capacity was evaluated by the Folin-Ciocalteu method, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity, ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) assays. Neuroprotective capacity was evaluated to prevent neurological cell death mediated by the neurotoxin 6hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) on SH-SY5Y cells, and their anti-in ammatory effects on RAW 264.7 macrophages. Regarding results, ethyl acetate fractions (100 µg/mL) exhibited signi cant antioxidant and neuroprotective activities in the in vitro models assayed. Furthermore, two of the most polar fractions obtained with methanol and water, also evidenced a signi cant neuroprotective potential. B. bifurcata fractions treatment decreased ROS production, mitochondrial dysfunction, and Caspase-3 activity.Regarding the anti-in ammatory potential, ve fractions (100 µg/mL) inhibited nitric oxide (NO) production and reduced the interleukin -6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α) levels. Mannitol, identi ed as the major component of the most bioactive fraction, protected SH-SY5Y cells against the 6-OHDA neurotoxicity mediating ROS generation mitigation, mitochondrial dysfunction, and DNA damage, together with the Caspase-3 activity inhibition. Results suggest that B. bifurcata is a relevant source of neuroprotective agents, with particular interest for preventive therapeutics.

Harnessing the power of seaweed: unveiling the potential of marine algae in drug discovery

“…Gracilaria edulis and Gracilariopsis longissima (also known as Gracilaria verrucosa, Rhodophyta) extracts have shown neuroprotective effects in studies [101][102][103]. The presence of bioactive compounds like polysaccharides, phycobiliproteins, and antioxidants contributes to their neuroprotective potential by combating oxidative stress and inflammation [104].…”