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Bioactivity and composition of lipophilic metabolites extracted from Antarctic macroalgae

  • Clinical Microbiology - Research Paper
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Abstract

Macroalgae comprise a vast group of aquatic organisms known for their richness in phytochemicals. In this sense, the lipophilic profile of five Antarctic seaweed species was characterized by chromatographic and spectroscopic analysis and their antioxidant and antimicrobial potential was evaluated. Results showed there were 31 lipophilic substances, mainly fatty acids (48.73 ± 0.77 to 331.91 ± 10.79 mg.Kg−1), sterols (14.74 ± 0.74 to 321.25 ± 30.13 mg.Kg−1), and alcohols (13.07 ± 0.04 to 91.87 ± 30.07 mg.Kg−1). Moreover, Desmarestia confervoides had strong antioxidant activity, inhibiting 86.03 ± 1.47% of the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical at 1 mg.mL−1. Antimicrobial evaluation showed that extracts from Ulva intestinalis, Curdiea racovitzae, and Adenocystis utricularis inhibited the growth of Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922), Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25923), and Salmonella typhimurium (ATCC 14028) from concentrations of 1.5 to 6 mg.mL−1. Therefore, the evaluated brown, red, and green macroalgae contained several phytochemicals with promising biological activities that could be applied in the pharmaceutical, biotechnological, and food industries.

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Funding

We are grateful for the logistical support provided by the Brazilian Antarctic Program and for the financial support by the Office to Coordinate Improvement of University Personnel (CAPES—grant 99999.002378/2015-9), Rio Grande do Sul State Research Foundation (FAPERGS—grant 2010/50193-1), São Paulo State Research Foundation (FAPESP) and National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq—grant 407588/2013-2).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center of Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Food Sciences, Lipidomic and Bio-Organic Laboratory, Bioforensic Research Group, Federal University of Pelotas, Eliseu Maciel St., s/n, Pelotas, RS, 96900-010, Brazil

    Lucas M. Berneira, Ivandra I. de Santi, Caroline C. da Silva, Dalila Venzke, Marco A. Z. dos Santos & Claudio M. P. de Pereira

  2. Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Chemistry, State University of São Paulo, Lineu Prestes Av., 748, São Paulo, SP, 05508-000, Brazil

    Pio Colepicolo

  3. Center of Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Food Sciences, Biochemistry Research and Molecular Biology of Microorganisms Laboratory, Federal University of Pelotas, Eliseu Maciel St., s/n, Pelotas, RS, 96900-010, Brazil

    Rodrigo de A. Vaucher

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  1. Lucas M. Berneira
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  2. Ivandra I. de Santi
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  3. Caroline C. da Silva
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  4. Dalila Venzke
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  5. Pio Colepicolo
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  6. Rodrigo de A. Vaucher
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  7. Marco A. Z. dos Santos
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  8. Claudio M. P. de Pereira
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Contributions

Conceptualization: Dalila Venzke, Pio Colepicolo; Methodology: Ivandra S. de Santi; Formal analysis and investigation: Marco A. Z. ds Santos, Rodrigo de A. Vaucher; Writing (original draft preparation): Lucas M. Berneira; Writing (review and editing): Caroline C. da Silva; Funding acquisition: Claudio M. P. Pereira.

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Correspondence to Claudio M. P. de Pereira.

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Berneira, L.M., de Santi, I.I., da Silva, C.C. et al. Bioactivity and composition of lipophilic metabolites extracted from Antarctic macroalgae. Braz J Microbiol 52, 1275–1285 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42770-021-00475-6

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