Water and ethanol brown macroalgal extracts of nine species of Laminariales and four species of Fucales of the Pacific coast of Russia were investigated. It has been shown that brown algae species of Agarum, Thalassiophyllum, Fucus and Cystoseira can be a source of the polyphenolic compounds with antioxidant activity. Phenolic content in the ethanol algal extracts (Undaria pinnatifida, Arthrothamnus bifidus, Thalassiophyllum clathrus and Agarum turneri) was 1.1-3.5 times higher than in the water extracts. In Sargassum pallidum and Kjellmaniella crassifolia, the total polyphenolic content was 2.1 and 1.6 times higher, respectively, in water extracts than in ethanol extracts. The maximum radical scavenging activity has been detected in Agarum turneri ethanol extracts (38.8 mg ascorbic acid/g and 2506.8 µmol Trolox equiv/g dry algae). Phlorotannin content varies from 16.8 μg/g dry sample of Costaria costata to 2763.2 μg/g dry sample of Agarum turneri. It is found the content of polyphenolic compounds in brown algae is determined mainly by their species-specificity and by their belonging to the genus. The presence of major phenols in the extract of Thalassiophyllum clathrus, such as phenolic acid (gallic acid), hydroxycinnamic acids (caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, coumaric acid) and flavonols (kaempferol, quercetin) has been established.
Keywords: brown algae; phenolic compounds; phlorotannins; radical scavenging activities.