Evaluation of Indonesian selected macroalgae for their antitumor and cytoprotective activity

Abstract

Context: Macroalgae are known to exhibit secondary metabolites with interesting bioactive properties, including antibacterial, antioxidant, antitumor, and anti-UV effects. Indonesia is endowed with an abundance of macroalgae, yet information regarding their pharmaceutical properties remains largely unexplored. Objective: This study evaluates the antitumor and cytoprotective effects of Indonesian selected seaweeds Acanthophora spicifera (ASE), Acanthophora muscoides (AME), Sargassum polycystum (SPE), and Sargassum crassifolium (SCE) crude ethanol extracts. Materials and Methods: Preliminary phytochemical screening was used to determine chemical constituents in macroalgae ethanol extracts. Cytotoxicity and antiproliferative activity of macroalgae extracts were evaluated with Methyl Thiazolyl Tetrazolium (MTT) assay from 5 to 200 μg/ml concentration in human cervical cancer (HeLa) and human umbilical vein endothelium (HUVEC) cells for 72 hours. UV absorbing capabilities of macroalgae extracts were determined with UV-VIS (240-340 nm). Cytoprotective effects were evaluated by fluorescence microscopy observation of cells irradiated with UV-B for 3 minutes. Results: AME appeared to exhibit most diverse chemical constituents. Only ASE and AME demonstrated moderate cytotoxicity (ASE-IC50 = 190 ± 24 μg/ml; AME-IC50 = 180 ± 14 μg/ml) against HeLa cells in 72 hours incubation. Furthermore, the cytotoxicity effects of all macroalgae extracts could not be detected in HUVEC cells at tested concentrations. In addition, SPE and SCE potentially reduced nuclear DNA damage induced by UV-B radiation. Conclusion: Current results show Indonesian macroalgae possesses a broad range of possible therapeutic applications. Therefore, further advanced studies relating to the isolation of specific bioactive compounds and molecular mechanisms would be reasonable to fully utilize macroalgae potential uses in the pharmaceutical industries.