Chondrus crispus treated with ultrasound as a polysaccharides source with improved antitumoral potential

Ultrasound-assisted extraction was used to recover gelling biopolymers and antioxidant compounds from Chondrus crispus with improved biological potential. The optimal processing conditions were evaluated using a Box-Behnken design, and the impact on the biological and thermo-rheological properties of the carrageenan fraction and on the bioactive features of the soluble extracts were studied. The optimum extraction parameters were defined by extraction time of ~34.7 min; solid liquid ratio of ~2.1 g/100 g and ultrasound amplitude of ~79.0% with a maximum power of 1130 W. The dependent variables exhibited maximum carrageenan yields (44.3%) and viscoelastic modulus (925.9 Pa) with the lowest gelling temperatures (38.7 °C) as well as maximum content of the extract in protein (22.4 mg/g), gallic acid (13.4 mg/g) and Trolox equivalents antioxidant capacity (182.4 mg TEAC/g). Tested hybrid carrageenans exhibited promising biological activities (% of growth inhibition around 91% for four human cancer cellular lines: A549; A2780; HeLa 229; HT-29).