Antioxidant capacity of some marine green macroalgae species fluid extracts

Abstract

The complex valorization of marine algae biomass is an important resource for many industries like pharmaceuticals and cosmeceuticals, as raw material for the extraction of bioactive principles (vitamins, pigments, sterols and collagen), cosmetics, biofertilizers and wastewater treatment. In the last years a special attention has been given to the use of macroalgae in the pharmaceuticals and dermato-cosmetics field. Algal growth is due to the amount of nutrients available in the marine environment. The aim of this study was to emphasize the comparative total antioxidative capacity of some hydroalcoholic extracts from two marine green algae species, Ulva lactuca Ag.-syn. Ulva rigida (L.), and Cladophora vagabunda (L.) Hoek, frequently present along the South Romanian Black Sea Coast, Constanta County, with pharmaceutical and dermato-cosmetics interest as potential antioxidant product. Total antioxidant capacity (TEAC) by photochemiluminescence method, ACL procedure Analytik Jena, was determined. For the analysis, Photochem apparatus, Analytik Jena AG, Germany, was used. Various concentrations of green algae were mixed with in different concentrations in ethyl alcohol 50% and ethyl alcohol 70%. Total antioxidant capacity results revealed that Cladophora vagabunda (L.) Hoek 1% extract, in ethyl alcohol 70% concentration, present the highest antioxidant activity compared with Ulva lactuca Ag.-syn. Ulva rigida (L.) species and is suitable for pharmaceutical applications.