Fucoxanthin’s Optimization from <i>Undaria pinnatifida</i> Using Conventional Heat Extraction, Bioactivity Assays and In Silico Studies
Catarina Lourenço-Lopes,
Maria Fraga-Corral,
Anton Soria-Lopez,
Bernabe Nuñes-Estevez,
Marta Barral-Martinez,
Aurora Silva,
Ningyang Li,
Chao Liu,
Jesus Simal-Gandara,
Miguel A. Prieto
Affiliations
Catarina Lourenço-Lopes
Nutrition and Bromatology Group, Analytical and Food Chemistry Department, Faculty of Food Science and Technology, University of Vigo, Ourense Campus, E-32004 Ourense, Spain
Maria Fraga-Corral
Nutrition and Bromatology Group, Analytical and Food Chemistry Department, Faculty of Food Science and Technology, University of Vigo, Ourense Campus, E-32004 Ourense, Spain
Anton Soria-Lopez
Nutrition and Bromatology Group, Analytical and Food Chemistry Department, Faculty of Food Science and Technology, University of Vigo, Ourense Campus, E-32004 Ourense, Spain
Bernabe Nuñes-Estevez
Nutrition and Bromatology Group, Analytical and Food Chemistry Department, Faculty of Food Science and Technology, University of Vigo, Ourense Campus, E-32004 Ourense, Spain
Marta Barral-Martinez
Nutrition and Bromatology Group, Analytical and Food Chemistry Department, Faculty of Food Science and Technology, University of Vigo, Ourense Campus, E-32004 Ourense, Spain
Aurora Silva
Nutrition and Bromatology Group, Analytical and Food Chemistry Department, Faculty of Food Science and Technology, University of Vigo, Ourense Campus, E-32004 Ourense, Spain
Ningyang Li
Key Laboratory of Food Processing Technology and Quality Control in Shandong Province, College of Food Science and Engineering, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an 271002, China
Chao Liu
Key Laboratory of Novel Food Resources Processing, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Agro-Food Science and Technology, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan 250000, China
Jesus Simal-Gandara
Nutrition and Bromatology Group, Analytical and Food Chemistry Department, Faculty of Food Science and Technology, University of Vigo, Ourense Campus, E-32004 Ourense, Spain
Miguel A. Prieto
Nutrition and Bromatology Group, Analytical and Food Chemistry Department, Faculty of Food Science and Technology, University of Vigo, Ourense Campus, E-32004 Ourense, Spain
Brown macroalgae are a potential source of natural pigments. Among them, Undaria pinnatifida is recognized for its high concentration of fucoxanthin (Fx), which is a pigment with a wide range of bioactivities. In this study, three independent parameters were optimized for conventional heat extraction (CHE) to maximize the recovery of Fx from Undaria pinnatifida. Optimal conditions (temperature = 45 °C, solvent = 70%, and time = 61 min) extracted 5.1 mg Fx/g dw. Later, the bioactivities of the Fx-rich extracts (antioxidant, antimicrobial, and neuroprotective) were assessed using in vitro and in silico approaches. In vitro assays indicated that Fx has a strong antioxidant capacity and even stronger antimicrobial activity against gram-positive bacteria. This data was supported in silico where Fx established a high binding affinity to DR, a Staphylococcus aureus protein, through aa ALA-8, LEU-21, and other alkane interactions. Finally, the in vitro enzymatic inhibition of AChE using Fx, was further supported using docking models that displayed Fx as having a high affinity for aa TYR72 and THR 75; therefore, the Fx extraction behavior explored in this work may reduce the costs associated with energy and solvent consumption. Moreover, this paper demonstrates the efficiency of CHE when recovering high amounts of Fx from Undaria pinnatifida. Furthermore, these findings can be applied in different industries.
