The Remarkable Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Potential of the Extracts of the Brown Alga Cystoseira amentacea var. stricta

Abstract

Inflammation and oxidative stress are part of the complex biological responses of body tissues to harmful stimuli. In recent years, due to the increased understanding that oxidative stress is implicated in several diseases, pharmaceutical industries have invested in the research and development of new antioxidant compounds, especially from marine environment sources. Marine seaweeds have shown the presence of many bioactive secondary metabolites, with great potentialities from both the nutraceutical and the biomedical point of view. In this study, 50%-ethanolic and DMSO extracts from the species C. amentacea var. stricta were obtained for the first time from seaweeds collected in the Ligurian Sea (north-western Mediterranean). The bioactive properties of these extracts were then investigated, in terms of quantification of specific antioxidant activities by relevant ROS scavenging spectrophotometric tests, and of anti-inflammatory properties in LPS-stimulated macrophages by evaluation of inhibition of inflammatory cytokines and mediators. The data obtained in this study demonstrate a strong anti-inflammatory effect of both C. amentacea extracts (DMSO and ethanolic). The extracts showed a very low grade of toxicity on RAW 264.7 macrophages and L929 fibroblasts and a plethora of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects that were for the first time thoroughly investigated. The two extracts were able to scavenge OH and NO radicals (OH EC50 between 392 and 454 μg/mL; NO EC50 between 546 and 1293 μg/mL), to partially rescue H2O2-induced RAW 264.7 macrophages cell death, to abate intracellular ROS production in H2O2-stimulated macrophages and fibroblasts and to strongly inhibit LPS-induced inflammatory mediators, such as NO production and IL-1α, IL-6, cyclooxygenase-2 and inducible NO synthase gene expression in RAW 264.7 macrophages. These results pave the way, for the future use of C. amentacea metabolites, as an example, as antioxidant food additives in antiaging formulations as well as in cosmetic lenitive lotions for inflamed and/or damaged skin.

Bioprospecting of Less-Polar Fractions of Ericaria crinita and Ericaria amentacea: Developmental Toxicity and Antioxidant Activity

“…Meroditerpenes were found in both extracts with the structures containing the chromane or quinone groups, such as: cystoketal quinone, demethylcystoketal chromane and cystoketal chromane, and/or cystoketal. The extracts showed a very low grade of toxicity on RAW 264.7 macrophages and L929 fibroblasts and a plethora of antioxidant and antiinflammatory effects [21]. The different efficacy of the two extracts in the various antioxidant and anti-inflammatory tests may be attributable to the quantitative, and not qualitative, difference of the present natural organic compounds.…”

“…In a biological screening it was demonstrated that 4 -methoxy-(2E)-bifurcarenone inhibits cell division, since it stops the development of the fertilized eggs of the common sea-urchin Paracentrotus lividus [20]. DMSO and 50%-ethanolic extracts from E. amentacea from the Ligurian Sea (northwestern Mediterranean) were obtained, and their bioactive properties were investigated [21]. Meroditerpenes were found in both extracts with the structures containing the chromane or quinone groups, such as: cystoketal quinone, demethylcystoketal chromane and cystoketal chromane, and/or cystoketal.…”

Variations in the Composition, Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activities of Cystoseira compressa during Seasonal Growth

“…Both seaweeds showed similar DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activity with C. crinita cold methanolic extract having IC 50 of 125.6 µg/mL and 254.8 µg/mL, respectively. De La Fuente et al [32] extracted C. amentacea var. stricta with dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and 50% ethanol for determining TPC, TFC and antioxidant activity of extracts by DPPH radical scavenging, FRAP, OH scavenging, and nitric oxide (NO) scavenging methods.…”

Secondary Metabolites from Marine Sources with Potential Use as Leads for Anticancer Applications

“…In the last 5 years, several studies have been carried out with the aim of evaluating the bioactive properties of marine organisms. Several studies have tested the extracts and the isolated compounds from extracts of marine organisms for bioactivities [ 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 , 45 , 46 , 47 , 48 ], of which the cytotoxic activity [ 27 , 30 , 32 , 33 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 40 , 41 , 44 , 45 , 46 , 47 , 48 ] stands out. However, only in some studies was it possible to isolate the compounds and test them for cytotoxic activity [ 32 , 33 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 40 , 41 ].…”