Antiulcer, wound healing and hepatoprotective activities of the seaweeds Gracilaria crassa, Turbinaria ornata and Laurencia papillosa from the southeast coast of India

Seaweeds have bioactive compounds of interest in the pharmaceutical industry. In India, seaweeds are used exclusively for phycocolloids production and have not yet received consideration as a dietary supplement. So, it has become imperative to explore the biomedical potential of seaweeds and promote their utilization as a functional food. The seaweeds Turbinaria ornata, Gracillaria crassa and Laurencia papillosa, collected from the Tuticorin coast of the Southeast coast of India and selected based on preliminary screening, were extracted with acetone and evaluated for antiulcer, wound healing and hepatoprotective activities. L. papillosa showed the highest level of gastric protection activity (81%) at 200 mg/kg, comparable to the standard drug ranitidine (90%). G. crassa followed with 76%. G. crassa and L. papillosa, showed marked wound-healing activity. G. crassa at 200 mg/kg, showed a marked effect on the serum marker enzymes indicating prominent hepatoprotective activity. The noteworthy wound-healing and hepato-protective properties of G. crassa besides anti-ulcer activity next to L. papillosa were indicative of its potential for further consideration

Antioxidative Effect of Seaweed Extracts in Chilled Storage of Minced Atlantic Mackerel (Scomber scombrus): Effect on Lipid and Protein Oxidation

In this study, antioxidant activity of absolute ethanol, 50 % ethanol and water extracts of two species of seaweeds namely, Fucus serratus and Polysiphonia fucoides were evaluated for their ability to retard lipid and protein oxidation in minced mackerel. Mackerel mince added with 0.5 g/kg of extracts was prepared. For comparison, BHT at 0.2 g/kg and a control with no added extracts were also prepared. The samples were stored at 5 °C for 8 days, and sampling was done at time 0, 1, 2, 4, 5 and 8 days. The 50 % ethanolic extracts of P. fucoides were found to be very effective in retarding lipid and protein oxidation, as it resulted in low levels of peroxide value, volatiles and carbonyl compounds and protected against the loss of α-tocopherol and tryptophan residues. In spite of the higher phenolic content, the absolute ethanol extracts of both species showed a pro-oxidative tendency in minced mackerel. Water extract with lowest phenolic content showed no antioxidant effect in minced mackerel. In conclusion, the 50 % ethanolic extracts of P. fucoides can be a potential source of natural antioxidants, as these extracts have antioxidant activities similar to synthetic antioxidants such as BHT. However, the extent of protection offered by these extracts against protein oxidation was not clear and further studies are needed to understand the nature of the interaction between proteins and these extracts