Research Article: Phytochemical analysis, antioxidant, and anticancer activities of three brown algae from the Persian Gulf

Marine seaweeds are sources of bioactive compounds such as novel anticancer components. This study investigated the phytochemical composition, antioxidant, and anticancer activities of aqueous and methanolic extracts of three brown algae (Sargassum obtusifolium, Padina gymnospora, and Cystoseira indica) from the Persian Gulf. The contents of total polyphenols, total flavonoids, and total carbohydrates were determined. The antioxidant activity of the extracts was determined by DPPH method. The cytotoxicity of extracts was evaluated using the MTT assay on breast cancer (MCF۷) and lung cancer (A۵۴۹) cell lines. The aqueous extracts had higher levels of polyphenols, flavonoids, and carbohydrates (ranging from ۱۲۵±۱۱ to ۲۰۲±۱۹ mg/g) than methanolic extracts (ranging from ۴۳.۸±۳.۴ to ۷۶.۶±۶.۹ mg/g). At ۵۰ µg/mL, the inhibition of DPPH radical ranging from ۴۰.۹±۰.۶ to ۶۲.۳±۱.۴% with an IC۵۰ ranged from ۶۰.۹±۰.۵ to ۳۰.۴±۰.۴ µg/mL. The MTT cell proliferation assay confirmed a significant reduction in MCF۷ cell line viability in the methanolic extracts at ۳۹۰ µg/mL and ۱۹۰ µg/mL compared to the control group. The methanolic extract of S. obtusifolium showed the highest selectivity index on MCF۷ and A۵۴۹ cells (۱.۱۶±۰.۱۹ and ۱.۷۷±۰.۱۶ respectively), despite containing lower levels of phytochemicals than the aqueous extracts. The findings suggest that the methanolic extract of S. obtusifolium exhibits selective cytotoxicity against MCF۷ cells. Also, the aqueous extract of C. indica shows an adequate antioxidant index, usable in nutritional science.

کلیدواژه ها:

Polyphenol ، Flavonoid ، Cytotoxicity ، Selectivity index ، MTT assay ، Breast cancer