Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Antioxidant activities and phenolics content of eight species of seaweeds from north Borneo

  • Published:
Journal of Applied Phycology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The antioxidant activity of eight edible species of Malaysian North Borneo seaweeds obtained from Sabah waters (Kudat, Tanjung Aru and Semporna) consisting of three red seaweeds (Eucheuma cottonii, E. spinosum and Halymenia durvillaei), two green seaweeds (Caulerpa lentillifera and C. racemosa) and three brown seaweeds (Dictyota dichotoma, Sargassum polycystum and Padina sp.) were determined. Methanol and diethyl ether were used as extraction solvent. The antioxidant activities were determined by two methods, TEAC (trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity) and FRAP (ferric reducing antioxidant power) assays. The total phenolic content of the extract was determined according to the Folin–Ciocalteu method and results were expressed as phloroglucinol equivalents. The methanolic extracts of green seaweeds, C. lentillifera and C. racemosa, and the brown seaweed, S. polycystum showed better radical-scavenging and reducing power ability, and higher phenolic content than the other seaweeds. The TEAC and FRAP assays showed positive and significantly high correlation (R 2 = 0.89). There was a strong correlation (R 2 = 0.96) between the reducing power and the total phenolic content of the seaweeds methanolic dry extracts. These seaweeds could be potential rich sources of natural antioxidants.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Anggadiredja J, Andyani R, Hayati, Muawanah (1997) Antioxidant activity of Sargassum polycystum (Phaeophyta) and Laurencia obtusa (Rhodophyta) from Seribu Islands. J Appl Phycol 9:477–479

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Benzie IFF, Strain JJ (1999) Ferric reducing (antioxidant) power as a measure of antioxidant capacity: the FRAP assay. In: Packer L (ed) Oxidants and Antioxidants Volume 299 of Methods in Enzymology. Academic Press, Orlando, pp 15–27

    Google Scholar 

  • Benzie IFF, Szeto, YT (1999) Total antioxidant capacity of teas by the ferric reducing/antioxidant power assay. J Agric Food Chem 47:633–636

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cao G, Prior RL (1998) Comparison of different analytical methods for assessing total antioxidant capacity of human serum. Clin Chem 44:1309–1315

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chauhan V, Chauhan A (2006) Oxidative stress in Alzheimer’s disease. Pathophysiology 13:195–208

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Duan X-J, Zhang X-M, Li X-M, Wang B-G (2006) Evaluation of antioxidant property of extract and fractions obtained from a red alga, Polysiphonia urceolata. Food Chem 95:37–43

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dykens JA, Shick, JM, Benoit C, Buettner GR, Winston GW (1992) Oxygen radical production in the sea anemone Anthopleura elegantissima and its endosymbiotic algae. J Exp Biol 168:219–241

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Frankel EN, Meyer AS (2000) The problems of using one-dimensional methods to evaluate multifunctional food and biological antioxidants. J Sci Food Agric 80:1925–1941

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Halliwell B, Aeschbach R, Löliger J, Aruoma OI (1995) The characterization of antioxidants. Food Chem Toxicol 33:601–617

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ito N, Hirose M, Fukushima S, Tsuda H, Shirai T, Tatematsu M (1986) Studies on antioxidants: Their carcinogenic and modifying effects on chemical carcinogenesis. Food Chem Toxicol 24:1071–1082

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jiménez-Escrig A, Jiménez-Jiménez I, Pulido R, Saura-Calixto F (2001) Antioxidant activity of fresh and processed edible seaweeds. J Sci Food Agric 81:530–534

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kranl K, Schlesier K, Bitsch R, Hermann H, Rohe M, Böhm V (2005) Comparing antioxidative food additives and secondary plant products - use of different assays. Food Chem 93:171–175

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lapornik B, Prošek M, Wondra AG (2005) Comparison of extracts prepared from plant by-products using different solvents and extraction time. J Food Eng 71:214–222

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Matsukawa R, Dubinsky Z, Kishimoto E, Masaki K, Masuda Y, Takeuchi, T, Chihara, M, Yamamoto, Y, Niki, E, Karube, I (1997) A comparison of screening methods for antioxidant activity in seaweeds. J Appl Phycol 9:29–35

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mohd Zin Z, Abdul-Hamid A, Osman A (2002) Antioxidative activity of extracts from Mengkudu (Morinda citrifolia L.) root, fruit and leaf. Food Chem 78:227–231

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morrisey PA, O’Brien NM (1998) Dietary antioxidants in health and disease. Int Dairy J 8:463–472

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nagai T, Yukimoto T (2003) Preparation and functional properties of beverages from sea algae. Food Chem 81:327–332

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nakamura T, Nagayama K, Uchida K, Tanaka R (1996) Antioxidant activity of phlorotannins from the brown alga Eisenia bicyclis. Fish Sci 62:923–926

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Namiki M (1990) Antioxidants/antimutagens in food. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr 29:273–300

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pavia H, Aberg P (1996) Spatial variation in polyphenolic content of Ascophyllum nodosum (Fucales, Phaeophyta). Hydrobiology 326/327:199–203

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Prior RL, Cao G (1999) In vivo total antioxidant capacity: comparison of different analytical methods. Free Rad Biol Med 27:1173–1181

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Prior R, Wu X, Schaich K (2005) Standardized methods for the determination of antioxidant capacity and phenolics in foods and dietary supplements. J Agric Food Chem 53:4290–4302

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pulido R, Bravo L, Saura-Calixto F (2000) Antioxidant activity of dietary polyphenols determined by ferric reducing antioxidant power assay. J Food Agric Food Chem 48:3396–3402

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ragan MA, Glombitza KW (1986) Phlorotannins, brown algal polyphenols. In: Round-Chapman (ed) Progress in Phycological Research. Bioprocess, London, pp 130–132

    Google Scholar 

  • Ramarathnam N, Osawa T, Ochi H, Kawakishi S (1995) The contribution of plant food antioxidants to human health. Trends Food Sci Technol 6:75–82

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Re R, Pellegrini N, Proteggente A, Pannala A, Min Yang, Rice-Evans C (1999) Antioxidant activity applying an improved ABTS radical cation decolorization assay. Free Rad Biol Med 26:1231–1237

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rodrigo R, Bosco C (2006) Oxidative stress and protective effects of polyphenols: Comparative studies in human and rodent kidney. A review. Comparative Biochem Physiol Part C 142:317–327

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rupérez P, Ahrazem O, Leal JA (2002) Potential antioxidant capacity of sulfated polysaccharides from the edible marine brown seaweed Fucus vesiculosus. J Agric Food Chem 50:840–845

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Safer AM, Al-Nughamish AJ (1999) Hepatotoxicity induced by the antioxidant food additive butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) in rats: An electron microscopical study. Histol Histopathol 14:391–406

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tachakittirungrod S, Okonogi S, Chowwanapoonpohn S (2007) Study on antioxidant activity of certain plants in Thailand: Mechanism of antioxidant action of guava leaf extract. Food Chem 103:381–388

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tapiero H, Tew KD, Nguyen Ba G, Mathé G (2002) Polyphenols: do they play a role in the prevention of human pathologies? Review. Biomed Pharmacother 56:200–207

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Temple NJ (2000) Antioxidants and disease: more questions than answers. Nutr Res 20:449–459

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Thaipong K, Boonprakob U, Crosby K, Cisneros-Zevallos L, Byrne DH (2006) Comparison of ABTS, DPPH, FRAP, and ORAC assays for estimating antioxidant activity from guava fruit extracts. J Food Comp Anal 19:669–675

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Vairappan CS (2003) Potent antibacterial activity of halogenated metabolites from Malaysian red algae, Laurencia majuscule (Rhodomelaceae, Ceramiales). Biomolecular Eng 20:255–259

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Velioglu YS, Mazza G, Gao I, Oomah BD (1998) Antioxidant activity and total phenolics in selected fruits, vegetables, and grain products. J Agric Food Chem 46:4113–4117

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yan X, Nagata T, Fan X (1998) Antioxidant activities in some common seaweeds. Plant Foods Human Nutr 52 253–262

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yan X, Chuda Y, Suzuki M, Nagata T (1999) Fucoxanthin as the major antoxidant in Hijikia fusiformis, a common edible seaweed. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem 63:605–607

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yen GC, Chen HY (1995) Antioxidant activity of various tea extracts in relation to their antimutagenicity. J Agric Food Chem 43:27–32

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Borneo Marine Research Institute at the Universiti Malaysia Sabah and Sabah Fisheries Department for supplying the seaweeds, Dr. Charles Vairappan for collection of seaweeds and technical assistance, and Teh Ooi Kock of University Malaya for their technical assistance in the antioxidant assays. This study was funded by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation of Malaysia.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Food Science and Nutrition, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Locked Bag 2073, 88999, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia

    Patricia Matanjun

  2. Faculty of Food Science & Technology, Universiti Putra Malaysia, UPM 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia

    Suhaila Mohamed & Kharidah Muhammad

  3. Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia, UPM 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia

    Noordin Mohamed Mustapha

  4. Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

    Cheng Hwee Ming

Authors
  1. Patricia Matanjun
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Suhaila Mohamed
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Noordin Mohamed Mustapha
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Kharidah Muhammad
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Cheng Hwee Ming
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Suhaila Mohamed.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Matanjun, P., Mohamed, S., Mustapha, N.M. et al. Antioxidant activities and phenolics content of eight species of seaweeds from north Borneo. J Appl Phycol 20, 367–373 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10811-007-9264-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10811-007-9264-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation