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Optimal conditions for the extraction of antioxidant compounds from the red alga Acanthophora spicifera

Abstract:

Acanthophora spicifera is a red seaweed that is easily adapted to different environmental conditions due to its ability to regenerate by fragmentation, making it an invasive species in tropical and subtropical areas. In addition, it is known for its bioactive components (antioxidants, phytohormones, and phytopigments). This study proposes to determine the optimal conditions for extracting antioxidant compounds from the macroalgae that grow in the intertidal zone of San Pedro beach in the province of Santa Elena, in two drying processes (oven and freeze-drying) and ethanolic extraction (digestion and ultrasound) at different ethanol concentrations (50% and 70%) in time and temperature ranges for subsequent determination of antioxidant activity by the DPPH, ABTS, phenols, flavonoids, and total auxin methods in microplates. . The data were analyzed by analysis of variance (ANOVA) using the statistical software R.4.2.0 and InfoStat, they observe that the best results were given by digestion with a 50% ethanol concentration and values were obtained for: activity radical scavenger DPPH 3.65±0.011 μmol ET/g d.w., higher cationic radical inhibitory activity ABTS 14.06±0.03 μmol ET/g d.w., for flavonoids 1278.58±2.94 μg EQ/g d.w., for phenols 900±0.129 μg GEA/g d.w. The optimal conditions for the ethanolic extraction of the macroalga A. spicifera were 47 °C and 47 minutes for the DPPH radical scavenging activity and 47 °C and 39 minutes for the ABTS cationic radical inhibitor activity, 45 °C and 37 minutes for total phenols and 43 °C and 38 minutes for total flavonoids.