Enteromorpha compressa Exhibits Potent Antioxidant Activity

Abstract

The green macroalgae, Enteromorpha compressa (Linnaeus) Nees, Ulva lactuca, and E. linza, were seasonally collected from Abu Qir bay at Alexandria (Mediterranean Sea) This work aimed to investigate the seasonal environmental conditions, controlling the green algal growth, predominance, or disappearance and determining antioxidant activity. The freshly collected selected alga (E. compressa) was subjected to pigment analysis (chlorophyll and carotenoids) essential oil and antioxidant enzyme determination (ascorbate oxidase and catalase). The air-dried ground alga was extracted with ethanol (crude extract) then sequentially fractionated by organic solvents of increasing polarity (petroleum ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate, and water). Antioxidant activity of all extracts was assayed using different methods (total antioxidant, DPPH [2, 2 diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl], ABTS [2, 2 azino-bis ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid], and reducing power, and β-carotene linoleic acid bleaching methods). The results indicated that the antioxidant activity was concentration and time dependent. Ethyl acetate fraction demonstrated higher antioxidant activity against DPPH method (82.80%) compared to the synthetic standard butylated hydroxyl toluene (BHT, 88.5%). However, the crude ethanolic extract, pet ether, chloroform fractions recorded lower to moderate antioxidant activities (49.0, 66.0, and 78.0%, resp.). Using chromatographic and spectroscopic analyses, an active compound was separated and identified from the promising ethyl acetate fraction.

Biological potential of marine macroalgae of the genusCystoseira

“…The recorded activity was shown to correlate with the total phenolic content in the algal extracts. In most algae, phenols are important anti oxidants because of their ability to scavenge free radicals such as singlet oxygen, superoxide and hydroxyl radicals [24]. Like our results, numerous studies have found a high correlation between antioxidative activities of algae and phenolic content [14,25].…”

“…Previous antioxidant activity for different Cystoseira species, using other extraction solvents; the antioxidant activity studies have demonstrated was confirmed by acetone algal extracts. Different extraction solvents, according to the their polarity, may extract various compounds including pigments (chlorophylls a, b, carotenoids), alkaloids, and phenolic compounds, as well as essential oil which can participate in the great antioxidant activity [24]. This means that synergistic effects may occur between these constituents leading to the pronounced antioxidant activity of algal extracts (containing the antioxidant active components).…”

Aqueous extracts of microalgae exhibit antioxidant and anticancer activities

“…There is a current worldwide interest in finding new and safe antioxidants from natural sources such as plant material to prevent oxidative deterioration of food and to minimize oxidative damage to living cells The use of synthetic antioxidants has decreased due to their suspected activity as promoters of carcinogenesis as well as a general consumer rejection of synthetic food additives [1] .…”

Evaluation of in vitro antioxidant, antimicrobial, genotoxic and anticancer activities of lichen Cetraria islandica

“…Flavonoids are widely distributed natural compounds and also the most important natural phenolics. In most lichens, phenols are important antioxidants because of their ability to scavenge free radicals such as singlet oxygen, superoxide and hydroxyl radicals (Shanab et al 2011). Numerous researches reported a significant correlation between antioxidative activities of lichens and phenolic content (Behera et al 2009;Ranković et al 2012).…”