Fucoidan Content from Brown Seaweed (Sargassum filipendula) and Its Potential As Radical Scavenger

Abstract

One of the health problems arising from the increasing of free radicals in the environment. Therefore, we need an alternative compound that can act as a radical scavenger agent. Fucoidan is one of the sulfated polysaccharides in the cell wall of brown seaweed such as Sargassum filipendula. It is composed of L-fucose, sulfate and small amounts of monosaccharides such as galactose, xylose, glucose, and mannose which are thought to have free radical scavenger activity. However, the content and activity of active compounds are influenced by the extraction method, temperature, time and solvent concentration. This study aims to determine the content and antioxidant activity of fucoidan from brown seaweed (Sargassum filipendula) on the variation of HCl solvent concentrations (0.01M; 0.03M; and 0.05M) and extraction times (10 minutes; 15 minutes; and 20 minutes) using Ultrasonic Assisted Extraction method. The stages of this research include sample preparation, analysis of raw materials, sample pre-treatment, extraction using Ultrasonic Bath, alginate precipitation, fucoidan precipitation, determination of fucoidan content and antioxidant activity of fucoidan (IC50). The results showed that the highest content and antioxidant activity (IC50) of fucoidan from Sargassum filipendula was at 0.03 M of HCl concentration and 15 minutes of extraction time, respectively at 6.07% and 85.46 ppm. From IC50 values, it is known that fucoidan has strong antioxidant activity and potential to be a radical scavenger agent.