Antioxidant potential and antiangiogenic activity of Tetraselmis suecica grown in a semicontinuous culture

Abstract

AbstractBACKGROUNDA main advantage of microalgae cultivation is its capacity to produce metabolites of biotechnological interest through modification of growth conditions. The aim was to evaluate the effect of strontium addition (Sr) to the culture medium and culture scale‐up of Tetraselmis suecica on antioxidant capacity and antiangiogenic activity.RESULTSAntiradical activity in extracts through the DPPH (α, α‐diphenyl‐β‐picrylhydrazyl free radical) scavenging method was higher for a 5‐L reactor (81.9 ± 2.5%) than for a 80‐L reactor (60 ± 4.6%), and through the TEAC (Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity) method, the activity measures were 1.38 ± 0.05 and 1.12 ± 0.05 mmol Trolox, respectively. Lipid peroxidation β‐carotene bleaching reached the highest activity coefficients for the 80‐L reactor (ethanol extract 724 ± 35 AAC). Antioxidant activity was similar with and without Sr, although it was affected by the scale‐up. Extractable solids were maximized in the 80‐L reactor (350 ± 6 mg g−1 for methanol–water), whereas phenolic compounds were higher for ethanol extracts (5.5 ± 0.1 mg GAE g−1 for 5‐ and 80‐L reactors, without Sr addition). The antiangiogenic activity was improved in the methanol extract by ≈50% more than the negative control.CONCLUSIONThe antioxidant activity of T. suecica biomass can be improved using different culture scale‐ups and solvents during extraction, increasing the production of natural sources of antioxidant and antiangiogenic compounds for their use in food, health and cosmetics. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry (SCI).