Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of methanol and aqueous extracts of Sargassum wightii

Introduction: Antioxidants of natural sources for the treatment of many ailments have taken priority since the last decades. Recently, researches have been focused on marine algae as they are the largest reservoir of bioactive compounds. Hence, the objective of this study was to explore the in-vitro antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of methanolic and aqueous extracts of Sargassum wightii. Methods: The total phenolics, flavonoids, and ascorbic acid (AA) contents were evaluated informs of gallic acid equivalent (GAE), rutin equivalent (RUE), and AA equivalent, respectively. The aqueous and methanolic extracts were isolated. The antioxidant activities were explored using۲,۲-diphenyl-۱-picrylhydrazil (DPPH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), hydroxyl radical scavenging, and ferric reducing power assays. The in vitro anti-inflammatory activity was assayed using nitric oxide radical scavenging, inhibition of protein denaturation, and antiproteinase activities. Results: We observed significant changes in DPPH scavenging activity with both methanolicSargassum extract (MSE) and aqueous Sargassum extract (ASE) [IC۵۰: ۵۱۱.۱۵ µg/mL and ۹۲۷.۰۵µg/mL, respectively]. Methanolic extract showed a greater SOD scavenging activity [IC۵۰: ۳۶۹.۵۶µg/mL] and hydroxyl radical scavenging potential [IC۵۰: ۶۶۸.۹۳ µg/mL] than that of ASE [SOD,IC۵۰: ۹۲۳.۹۴ µg/mL; hydroxyl ion, IC۵۰: ۹۵۳.۵۷ µg/mL]. In the Ferric reducing antioxidant power assay, MSE and ASE exhibited absorbance of ۰.۹۳±۰.۱۲ and ۰.۵۹±۰.۰۸, respectively, at ۱۲۰۰ µg/mL each. Both methanol and ASEs showed NO– scavenging activity having IC۵۰ in order, AA(۹۶.۴۶ µg/mL)