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Evaluation of antioxidant properties and total phenolic contents of some strains of microalgae

Journal of Applied Phycology volume 22, pages 43–50 (2010)Cite this article

Abstract

Antioxidant activities of both cells and extracellular substances were evaluated in 12 soil-isolated strains of microalgae according to FRAP and DPPH-HPLC assays. Their total phenolic contents were also determined by Folin–Ciocalteu method. Extractions were performed with hexane, ethyl acetate, and water. The results of FRAP assay showed that algal cells contained considerable amounts of antioxidants from 0.56 ± 0.06 to 31.06 ± 4.00 µmol Trolox g−1 for Microchaete tenera hexane extract and Chlorella vulgaris water extract, respectively. In water fractions of extracellular substances, the antioxidants were from 1.30 ± 0.15 µmol Trolox g−1 for Fischerella musicola to 73.20 ± 0.16 µmol Trolox g−1 for Fischerella ambigua. Also, DPPH-HPLC assay represented high antioxidant potential of water fractions. The measured radical-scavenging activities of the studied microalgae were at least 0.15 ± 0.02 in Nostoc ellipsosporum cell mass to a maximum of 109.02 ± 8.25 in C. vulgaris extracellular substance. The amount of total phenolic contents varied in different strains of microalgae and ranged from zero in hexane extract to 19.15 ± 0.04 mg GAE g−1 in C. vulgaris extracellular water fraction. Significant correlation coefficients between two measured parameters indicated that phenolic compounds were a major contributor to the microalgal antioxidant capacities.

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Acknowledgement

This work was supported by the grant No. 6087-33-03-86 from the research council of Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Drug and Food Control, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, P.O. Box 14155-6451, Tehran, 14174, Iran

    Mannan Hajimahmoodi, Najmeh Mohammadi & Mohammad Reza Oveisi

  2. Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology; Biotechnology Research Center, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, P.O. Box 14155-6451, Tehran, 14174, Iran

    Mohammad Ali Faramarzi & Najmeh Mohammadi

  3. Department of Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Advanced Medical Technologies, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, 14174, Iran

    Mohammad Ali Faramarzi

  4. Department of Biology, ACECR, Research Institute of Applied Science, Tehran, Iran

    Neda Soltani

  5. Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Pharmacy, Shaheed Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, P.O. Box 14155-6153, Tehran, Iran

    Nastaran Nafissi-Varcheh

Authors
  1. Mannan Hajimahmoodi
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  2. Mohammad Ali Faramarzi
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  3. Najmeh Mohammadi
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  4. Neda Soltani
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  5. Mohammad Reza Oveisi
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  6. Nastaran Nafissi-Varcheh
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Correspondence to Mohammad Ali Faramarzi.

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Hajimahmoodi, M., Faramarzi, M.A., Mohammadi, N. et al. Evaluation of antioxidant properties and total phenolic contents of some strains of microalgae. J Appl Phycol 22, 43–50 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10811-009-9424-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10811-009-9424-y

Keywords

  • Antioxidant property
  • Folin–Ciocalteu method
  • FRAP assay
  • DPPH-HPLC assay
  • Microalgae
  • Phenolic content