In this study, antioxidant and free radical scavenging activities of the natural antioxidative compound, pyrogallol-phloroglucinol-6,6'-bieckol (PPB) isolated from brown algae, Ecklonia cava was assessed in vitro by measuring the radical scavenging activities (DPPH, alkyl, hydroxyl, and superoxide) using electron spin resonance (ESR) spectrometry, intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging activity, and DNA damage assay. According to the results of these experiments, the scavenging activity PPB against difference radicals was in the following order: DPPH, alkyl, hydroxyl, and superoxide radicals (IC(50); 0.90, 2.54, 62.93 and 109.05 µM). The antioxidant activities of PPB were higher than that of the commercial antioxidant, ascorbic acid. Furthermore, PPB effectively inhibited DNA damage induced by H(2)O(2). These results suggest that the natural antioxidative compound, PPB, can be used by the natural food industry.
Keywords: Ecklonia cava; antioxidant; brown algae; pyrogallol-phloroglucinol-6,6'-bieckol.