ISOLATION, CHARACTERIZATION AND ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY OF THE CRUDE POLYSACCHARIDE FROM PHYLLOPHORA PSEUDOCERANOIDES

The red seaweed Phyllophora pseudoceranoides (Gmelin) New. et Tayl, commonly found in the Romanian Black Sea coastal waters, has not been studied regarding its chemical composition and biological activities.

The aim of the present study was to isolate, characterize and assess the in vitro antioxidant activity of the crude polysaccharide from P. pseudocerano ides.

The water soluble polysaccharide was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). Total phenolic content was determined by Folin-Ciocalteu method. Antioxidant activity was evaluated by ABTS radical cation scavenging and reducing power assays. Commercial-grade carrageenan was used as positive control.

FT-IR analysis of the crude polysaccharide showed characteristic bands of carrageenan-type structure. A total phenolic content of 25.08 ± 1.00 mg GAE/g was determined in the crude polysaccharide. At 1.5 mg/mL, the polysaccharide exhibited important ABTS scavenging activity (49.59 ± 0.03%) and showed a good reducing power (0.4060 ± 0.002), when compared with the positive control (ABTS scavenging activity: 30.30 ± 0.03% and reducing power: 0.2494 ± 0.002, at a concentration of 1.5 mg/mL).

The antioxidant activity of the sulfated polysaccharide suggests its possible use as an ingredient and antioxidant agent in the food and pharmaceutical industries.