Antioxidant and Antiproliferative Activity of Asparagopsis taxiformis

Asparagopsis taxiformis (Rhodophyta) is a species of red algae belonging to the family Bonnemaisoniaceae. The objective of the present study was to evaluate antioxidant and antiproliferative activity of four fractions (petroleum ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate, and methanol) of A. taxiformis.

The red seaweed, A. taxiformis was collected from Mandapam Coastal Region, Gulf of Mannar, Tamil Nadu. Epiphytes present in algal extracts were cleaned and washed with seawater and fresh water. In vitro antioxidant activity was determined by hydrogen peroxide scavenging, ferric reducing antioxidant power, superoxide radical, metal-chelating activity, and phosphomolybdenum reduction assay. Further, the cytotoxic activity was evaluated using brine shrimp lethality assay. This method is rapid, reliable, inexpensive, and convenient as compared to other cytotoxicity assays. Gallic acid, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, ascorbic acid, and quercetin were used as reference antioxidant compounds.

Reducing power of chloroform extract increased with increasing concentration of the extract. The radical scavenging activity of extracts was in the following order: ascorbic acid > methanol > chloroform > petroleum ether > ethyl acetate. Highest metal-chelating activity was observed in petroleum ether fractions (63%). Reduction of Mo (VI) to Mo (V) increased in methanol extract (27%) at 100 μg/ml. Moreover, all fractions had an inhibitory effect on the formation of hydroxyl radicals. Results showed that ethyl acetate, methanol, and petroleum ether fractions exhibited potent cytotoxic activity with median lethal concentration values of 84.33, 104.4, and 104.4 μg/ml, respectively.

Thus, the results showed that red algae possess strong antioxidant and cytotoxic activity that suggests their possible use in the development of pharmaceutical drugs.

Various fractions of red algae Asparagopsis taxiformis was evaluated for in vitro antioxidant and antiproliferative studies. All results indicate potential use of red algae for drug development. Abbreviations Used: Mo: Molybdenum, AlCl_3.H₂O: Aluminum chloride, NaNO₂: Sodium nitrite, NaOH: Sodium hydroxide, H₂O₂: Hydrogen peroxide, NADH: Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, NBT: Nitroblue tetrazolium chloride, PMS: Phenyl methanesulfonate, FeCl₂: Ferrous chloride.