Bioactive components of the edible strain of red alga, Chondrus crispus, enhance oxidative stress tolerance in Caenorhabditis elegans

Jatinder Singh Sangha; Di Fan; Arjun H. Banskota; Roumiana Stefanova; Wajahatullah Khan; Jeff Hafting; James Craigie; Alan T. Critchley; Balakrishnan Prithiviraj

Journal of Functional Foods (Jul 2013)

Bioactive components of the edible strain of red alga, Chondrus crispus, enhance oxidative stress tolerance in Caenorhabditis elegans

Jatinder Singh Sangha,
Di Fan,
Arjun H. Banskota,
Roumiana Stefanova,
Wajahatullah Khan,
Jeff Hafting,
James Craigie,
Alan T. Critchley,
Balakrishnan Prithiviraj

Affiliations

Jatinder Singh Sangha: Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Dalhousie University, P.O. Box 550, Truro B2N 5E3, NS, Canada
Di Fan: Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Dalhousie University, P.O. Box 550, Truro B2N 5E3, NS, Canada
Arjun H. Banskota: Aquatic and Crop Resource Development, National Research Council Canada, 1411 Oxford Street, Halifax, NS, Canada B3H 3Z1
Roumiana Stefanova: Aquatic and Crop Resource Development, National Research Council Canada, 1411 Oxford Street, Halifax, NS, Canada B3H 3Z1
Wajahatullah Khan: Genome Research Chair Unit, Department of Biochemistry, College of Science, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2455, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
Jeff Hafting: Acadian Seaplants Limited, 30 Brown Avenue, Dartmouth, NS, Canada B3B 1X8
James Craigie: Aquatic and Crop Resource Development, National Research Council Canada, 1411 Oxford Street, Halifax, NS, Canada B3H 3Z1
Alan T. Critchley: Acadian Seaplants Limited, 30 Brown Avenue, Dartmouth, NS, Canada B3B 1X8
Balakrishnan Prithiviraj: Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Dalhousie University, P.O. Box 550, Truro B2N 5E3, NS, Canada; Corresponding author. Tel.: +1 902 893 6643; fax: +1 902 893 1404.

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 5, no. 3
pp. 1180 – 1190

Abstract

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Seaweeds are rich sources of bioactive compounds with potential health benefits. Anti-stress effects of the cultivated red alga, Chondrus crispus, were investigated in the Caenorhabditis elegans model. Methanolic extracts of C. crispus (CCME) enhanced C. elegans tolerance to juglone-induced oxidative stress and increased life span; however water extracts did not show such effects. CCME treatment reduced reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the worms and increased the transcription of stress response genes; sod3, hsp16.2, daf16 and skn1. The chemical profile of CCME revealed the presence of unsaturated fatty acids, pigments, galactolipids, floridoside, isothionic acid, taurine, phenylalanine and l-citruline. Bioassay guided fractionation revealed that fatty acids, lipids and pigments imparted stress tolerance. Taken together, our results suggest that organic fractions of cultivated C. crispus impart oxidative stress tolerance in C. elegans, possibly by altering the stress response pathways.

Published in Journal of Functional Foods

ISSN: 1756-4646 (Print); 2214-9414 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Technology: Home economics: Nutrition. Foods and food supply
Website: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/journal-of-functional-foods

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