Ex vivo antioxidation activity of polysaccharides from the red alga Porphyra yezoensis

Abstract

The ex vivo antioxidation activity of polysaccharide extracted from the red seaweed Porphyra yezoensis was studied by systematically measuring and analyzing the scavenging efficiencies on the free radicals O–2•, •OH and DPPH, and the inhibitory effects on the hemolysis in mouse erythrocytes induced by H2O2 and on lipid peroxidation in mouse liver homogenates. The results show that Porphyra polysaccharide, in the experimental concentration range, possessed antioxidation activity. The scavenging efficiency for O–2• was found to be remarkably high and the maximum scavenging rate was 82.77%. The scavenging efficiency for •OH was even higher than for O–2•, with a maximum removing rate of 85.63%, whereas for DPPH it was 13.97%. The inhibitory effects on mouse erythrocyte hemolysis and malondialdehyde formation in mouse liver were significant, with maximum inhibition rates of 82.90% and 58.48%, respectively. The combined data indicate that the polysaccharide extracted from Porphyra has strong antioxidation activity.

Keywords

• Porphyra yezoensis
• polysaccharide
• antioxidation
• free radical