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Bio‐screening of a few green seaweeds from India for their cytotoxic and antioxidant potential
Author(s) -
Vinayak Rashmi C,
Sudha Sabu Appukuttan,
Chatterji Anil
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
journal of the science of food and agriculture
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 142
eISSN - 1097-0010
pISSN - 0022-5142
DOI - 10.1002/jsfa.4490
Subject(s) - antioxidant , dpph , brine shrimp , food science , chemistry , oxidative stress , chelation , traditional medicine , biochemistry , organic chemistry , medicine
BACKGROUND: It has been evidenced in several epidemiological studies that seaweeds when consumed as diet protect against several chronic oxidative stress‐related diseases. Seaweeds, raw, cooked, or dried, are used as food in many cultures, although not very popularly in India. Globally, several studies have indicated that seaweeds are a rich source of phenolic compounds and have antioxidant properties. In the present study, we screened methanolic extracts (MEs) of five species of green seaweeds commonly found in India for their cytotoxic activity by brine shrimp lethality assay and antioxidant properties using various in vitro assays, including 1,1‐diphenyl‐2‐picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging, reducing power and metal ion chelating assays. RESULTS: A markedly variable, dose‐dependent activity was observed in all the seaweed extracts relative to their total phenolic content. Statistical analysis indicated a significantly strong correlation between the DPPH radical scavenging activity and total phenolic content ( R 2 = 0.88, P < 0.05) as well as reducing power and total phenolic content ( R 2 = 0.99, P < 0.01) of the dry MEs. Also, a very poor correlation between total phenolic content and metal chelating activity ( R 2 = 0.13, P > 0.05) was noted. None of the seaweed extracts were potently cytotoxic. CONCLUSION: The underlying results endorse seaweeds as a rich, novel source of antioxidant compounds needing systemic exploration. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry