BIOACTIVE POTENTIALS OF BROWN SEAWEEDS, SARGASSUM MYRIOCYSTUM J. AGARDH S.PLAGIOPHYLLUM C.AGARDH AND S.ILICIFOLIUM (TURNER) J. AGARDH

Abstract

The use of macroalgae has grown exponentially during the last decade. In addition to their value for human nutrition, seaweeds have multiple therapeutic applications. This work is aimed at providing information on the three least studied species of Sargassum so as to promote these algae to be potentially profitable from biotechnology and commercial perspectives, and also benefit public health. The proximate composition, total phenolic content, total antioxidant activity, alginic acid yield of three brown seaweeds, Sargassum myriocystum, S. plagiophyllum and S. ilicifolium were studied. The seaweeds were high in carbohydrate (33.38-40.21%) and low in lipid content (0.17-0.4%) on dry wt basis. Total phenolic content and total antioxidant activity were high in Sargassum plagiophyllum (28.66 ±3.05 mg /g) and S.ilicifolium (36.66 ± 9.86 mg /g). These seaweeds showed (12.6-15.0%) alginic acid yield. The characteristic peaks of alginic acid appeared at 3414.00, 3491.16, 3414.00, 1635.64, 1633.71 and 1413.82 cm-1, 1409.96 cm-1, corresponding to hydroxyl (OH), carbonyl (C=O) and carboxyl (COOH), respectively.