The red seaweed Phyllophora pseudoceranoides (Gmelin) New. et Tayl, commonly found in the Romanian Black Sea coastal waters, has not been studied regarding its chemical composition and biological activities.
Aims: The aim of the present study was to isolate, characterize and assess the in vitro antioxidant activity of the crude polysaccharide from P. pseudocerano ides.
Materials and methods: The water soluble polysaccharide was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). Total phenolic content was determined by Folin-Ciocalteu method. Antioxidant activity was evaluated by ABTS radical cation scavenging and reducing power assays. Commercial-grade carrageenan was used as positive control.
Results and discussion: FT-IR analysis of the crude polysaccharide showed characteristic bands of carrageenan-type structure. A total phenolic content of 25.08 ± 1.00 mg GAE/g was determined in the crude polysaccharide. At 1.5 mg/mL, the polysaccharide exhibited important ABTS scavenging activity (49.59 ± 0.03%) and showed a good reducing power (0.4060 ± 0.002), when compared with the positive control (ABTS scavenging activity: 30.30 ± 0.03% and reducing power: 0.2494 ± 0.002, at a concentration of 1.5 mg/mL).
Conclusions: The antioxidant activity of the sulfated polysaccharide suggests its possible use as an ingredient and antioxidant agent in the food and pharmaceutical industries.