Marine Polysaccharides Research Articles

Advanced Extraction Techniques and Physicochemical Properties of Carrageenan from a Novel Kappaphycus alvarezii Cultivar

Carrageenans are valuable marine polysaccharides derived from specific species of red seaweed (Rhodophyta) widely used as thickening and stabilizing agents across various industries. Kappaphycus alvarezii, predominantly cultivated in tropical countries, is the primary source of kappa-carrageenan. Traditional industrial extraction methods involve alkaline treatment for up to three hours followed by heating, which is inefficient and generates substantial waste. Thus, developing improved extraction techniques would be helpful for enhancing efficiency and reducing environmental impacts, solvent costs, energy consumption, and the required processing time. In this study, we explored innovative extraction methods, such as ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) and supercritical water extraction (SFE), together with other extraction methods to produce kappa-carrageenan from a new strain of K. alvarezii from the Philippines. FTIR-ATR spectroscopy was employed to characterize the structure of the different carrageenan fractions. We also examined the physicochemical properties of isolated phycocolloids, including viscosity, and the content of fatty acids, proteins, and carbohydrates. For refined carrageenan (RC), both the traditional extraction method and the UAE method used 1 M NaOH. Additionally, UAE (8% KOH) was employed to produce semi-refined carrageenan (SRC). UAE (8% KOH) produced a high yield of carrageenan, in half the extraction time (extraction yield: 76.70 ± 1.44), and improved carrageenan viscosity (658.7 cP), making this technique highly promising for industrial scaling up. On the other hand, SFE also yielded a significant amount of carrageenan, but the resulting product had the lowest viscosity and an acidic pH, posing safety concerns as classified by the EFSA’s re-evaluation of carrageenan as a food additive.

Polysaccharide breakdown products drive degradation-dispersal cycles of foraging bacteria through changes in metabolism and motility

Most of Earth’s biomass is composed of polysaccharides. During biomass decomposition, polysaccharides are degraded by heterotrophic bacteria as a nutrient and energy source and are thereby partly remineralized into CO2. As polysaccharides are heterogeneously distributed in nature, following the colonization and degradation of a polysaccharide hotspot the cells need to reach new polysaccharide hotspots. Even though many studies indicate that these degradation-dispersal cycles contribute to the carbon flow in marine systems, we know little about how cells alternate between polysaccharide degradation and motility, and which environmental factors trigger this behavioral switch. Here, we studied the growth of the marine bacterium Vibrio cyclitrophicus ZF270 on the abundant marine polysaccharide alginate, both in its soluble polymeric form as well as on its breakdown products. We used microfluidics coupled to time-lapse microscopy to analyze motility and growth of individual cells, and RNA sequencing to study associated changes in gene expression. We found that single cells grow at reduced rate on alginate until they form large groups that cooperatively break down the polymer. Exposing cell groups to digested alginate accelerates cell growth and changes the expression of genes involved in alginate degradation and catabolism, central metabolism, ribosomal biosynthesis, and transport. However, exposure to digested alginate also triggers cells to become motile and disperse from cell groups, proportionally increasing with the group size before the nutrient switch, and this is accompanied by high expression of genes involved in flagellar assembly, chemotaxis, and quorum sensing. The motile cells chemotax toward polymeric but not digested alginate, likely enabling them to find new polysaccharide hotspots. Overall, our findings reveal cellular mechanisms that might also underlie bacterial degradation-dispersal cycles, which influence the remineralization of biomass in marine environments.

Polysaccharide breakdown products drive degradation-dispersal cycles of foraging bacteria through changes in metabolism and motility.

Most of Earth's biomass is composed of polysaccharides. During biomass decomposition, polysaccharides are degraded by heterotrophic bacteria as a nutrient and energy source and are thereby partly remineralized into CO2. As polysaccharides are heterogeneously distributed in nature, following the colonization and degradation of a polysaccharide hotspot the cells need to reach new polysaccharide hotspots. Even though many studies indicate that these degradation-dispersal cycles contribute to the carbon flow in marine systems, we know little about how cells alternate between polysaccharide degradation and motility, and which environmental factors trigger this behavioral switch. Here, we studied the growth of the marine bacterium Vibrio cyclitrophicus ZF270 on the abundant marine polysaccharide alginate, both in its soluble polymeric form as well as on its breakdown products. We used microfluidics coupled to time-lapse microscopy to analyze motility and growth of individual cells, and RNA sequencing to study associated changes in gene expression. We found that single cells grow at reduced rate on alginate until they form large groups that cooperatively break down the polymer. Exposing cell groups to digested alginate accelerates cell growth and changes the expression of genes involved in alginate degradation and catabolism, central metabolism, ribosomal biosynthesis, and transport. However, exposure to digested alginate also triggers cells to become motile and disperse from cell groups, proportionally increasing with the group size before the nutrient switch, and this is accompanied by high expression of genes involved in flagellar assembly, chemotaxis, and quorum sensing. The motile cells chemotax toward polymeric but not digested alginate, likely enabling them to find new polysaccharide hotspots. Overall, our findings reveal cellular mechanisms that might also underlie bacterial degradation-dispersal cycles, which influence the remineralization of biomass in marine environments.

Halosquirtibacter laminarini gen. nov., sp. nov. and Halosquirtibacter xylanolyticus sp. nov., marine anaerobic laminarin and xylan degraders in the phylum Bacteroidota

The bacterial group of the phylum Bacteroidota greatly contributes to the global carbon cycle in marine ecosystems through its specialized ability to degrade marine polysaccharides. In this study, it is proposed that two novel facultative anaerobic strains, DS1-an-13321T and DS1-an-2312T, which were isolated from a sea squirt, represent a novel genus, Halosquirtibacter, with two novel species in the family Prolixibacteraceae. The 16S rRNA sequence similarities of these two strains were 91.26% and 91.37%, respectively, against Puteibacter caeruleilacunae JC036T, which is the closest recognized neighbor. The complete genomes of strains DS1-an-13321T and DS1-an-2312T each consisted of a single circular chromosome with a size of 4.47 and 5.19 Mb, respectively. The average amino acid identity and the percentage of conserved proteins against the type species of the genera in the family Prolixibacteraceae ranged from 48.33 to 52.35% and 28.34–37.37%, respectively, which are lower than the threshold for genus demarcation. Strains DS1-an-13321T and DS1-an-2312T could grow on galactose, glucose, maltose, lactose, sucrose, laminarin, and starch, and only DS1-an-2312T could grow on xylose and xylan under fermentation conditions. These strains produced acetic acid and propionic acid as the major fermentation products. Genome mining of the genomes of the two strains revealed 27 and 34 polysaccharide utilization loci, which included 155 and 249 carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes), covering 57 and 65 CAZymes families, respectively. The laminarin-degrading enzymes in both strains were cell-associated, and showed exo-hydrolytic activity releasing glucose as a major product. The xylan-degrading enzymes of strain DS1-an-2312T was also cell-associated, and had endo-hydrolytic activities, releasing xylotriose and xylotetraose as major products. The evidence from phenotypic, biochemical, chemotaxonomic, and genomic characteristics supported the proposal of a novel genus with two novel species in the family Prolixibacteraceae, for which the names Halosquirtibacter laminarini gen. nov., sp. nov. and Halosquirtibacter xylanolyticus sp. nov. are proposed. The type strain of Halosquirtibacter laminarini is DS1-an-13321T (= KCTC 25031T = DSM 115329T) and the type strain of Halosquirtibacter xylanolyticus is DS1-an-2312T (= KCTC 25032T = DSM 115328T).

Marine sulfated polysaccharide affects the formation mechanism of gelatin emulsion-based oleogels

Protein-polysaccharide delivery systems function as a promising tool to deliver bioactive ingredients aiming to improve their solubility and bioavailability. In this study, gelatin (Gel) and κ-carrageenan (Car) were used to evaluate the characteristics of the Gel-Car emulsion and the emulsion-templated oleogels. Results showed that Car addition significantly reduced the particle size and increased the potential absolute value during emulsion storage, especially for Gel-0.5% Car and Gel-1.0% Car emulsions, indicating Car addition enhanced the emulsion's stability. The emulsions' rheological results indicated that all the emulsions exhibited weak gel-like behavior dominated by elasticity, suggesting Car addition improved the emulsions' shear resistance and viscoelasticity. The emulsions' instability indices were Gel (0.034), Gel-0.1% Car (0.026), Gel-0.5% Car (0.013), and Gel-1.0% Car (0.011), indicating Car addition enhanced the emulsions' stability. For oleogels, Car addition significantly reduced the oil loss rate, delayed the thermal degradation, and improved the viscoelasticity, shear resistance, thixotropic recovery properties, and high-temperature resistance, especially for Gel-1.0% Car oleogel. The stability analysis exhibited that Car addition improved the oleogels' stability, with Gel-0.5% Car oleogel showing the best stability. FFA release was Gel (25.22%), Gel-0.1% Car (26.86%), Gel-0.5% Car (31.38%), and Gel-1.0% Car (39.57%), suggesting Car addition promoted the rapid release of FFA during oleogels digestion. Results above indicated that Gel-Car oleogels exhibited good structural stability and high gel strength, which provide a theoretical basis and new ideas for the preparation of oleogels from protein-marine sulfated polysaccharides using the emulsion template method for food industrial application.

Size fractionation informs microbial community composition and interactions in the eastern tropical North Pacific Ocean

Abstract Marine microorganisms are drivers of biogeochemical cycles in the world's oceans, including oxygen minimum zones (OMZs). Using a metabarcoding survey of the 16S rRNA gene, we investigated prokaryotic communities, as well as their potential interactions with fungi, at the coastal, offshore, and peripheral OMZ of the eastern tropical North Pacific. Water samples were collected along a vertical oxygen gradient, and large volumes were filtered through three size fractions, 0.22 μm, 2 μm, and 22 μm. The changes in community composition along the oxygen gradient were driven by Planctomycetota, Bacteroidota, Verrucomicrobiota, and Gammaproteobacteria; most are known degraders of marine polysaccharides and usually associated with the large particle-associated community. The relative abundance of Nitrososphaerota, Alphaproteobacteria, Actinomycetota, and Nitrospinota were high in free-living and small particle-associated communities. Network analyses identified putative interactions between fungi and prokaryotes in the particle-associated fractions, which have been largely overlooked in the ocean. In the small particle-associated network analysis, fungal ASVs had exclusively negative connections with SAR11 nodes. In the large particle-associated network analysis, fungal ASVs displayed both negative and positive connections with Pseudomonadota, SAR324, and Thermoplasmatota. Our findings demonstrate the utility of three-stage size-fractioned filtration in providing novel insights into marine microbial ecology.

Healing Potential of the Marine Polysaccharides Carrageenan and Ulvan on Second-Degree Burns.

The treatment of second-degree burn wounds presents a significant clinical challenge, often characterized by prolonged healing times and risk of complications. In this study, the wound healing potential of bioactive marine sulfated polysaccharides ulvan and carrageenan formulated in gels at concentrations of 1.5%, 5.0%, and 10% w/w was evaluated. Hairless female SKH-hr2 mice (n = 7 per treatment) with burn-inflamed skin were treated with the polysaccharide-based gels, and the therapeutic efficacy was assessed using a comprehensive array of evaluation methods, including a histopathological analysis, clinical observation, photo-documentation, an image analysis, an evaluation of biophysical skin parameters, and FT-IR spectroscopy. Our findings indicate that the 10% w/w carrageenan gel exhibited significant enhancement in wound healing, particularly in the early stages of the healing process. This was evidenced by the restoration of the α-helix structure of collagen and the configuration of glycosaminoglycans, as demonstrated by FT-IR absorption bands of the skin both in vivo and ex vivo. Furthermore, the 5% w/w ulvan gel also demonstrated notable efficacy in promoting wound healing, particularly in the later stages of the healing process. These results suggest that carrageenan and ulvan gels hold promise for improving the efficiency of wound healing in second-degree burn wounds. Our study contributes to the understanding of the therapeutic potential of marine polysaccharides and provides insights into their mechanism of action in promoting wound healing.

Identification and Characterization of a Highly Active Hyaluronan Lyase from Enterobacter asburiae.

Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a well-known functional marine polysaccharide. The utilization and derivative development of HA are of great interest. Hyaluronan lyase has wide application prospects in the production of HA oligosaccharides and lower molecular weight HA. In this study, a strain of Enterobacter asburiae CGJ001 with high hyaluronan lyase activity was screened from industrial wastewater. This strain exhibited an impressive enzyme activity of 40,576 U/mL after being incubated for 14 h. Whole genome sequencing analysis revealed that E. asburiae CGJ001 contained a cluster of genes involved in HA degradation, transport, and metabolism. A newly identified enzyme responsible for glycosaminoglycan degradation was designated as HylEP0006. A strain of E. coli BL21(DE3)/pET-22b(+)-hylEP0006 was successfully constructed. HylEP0006 exhibited optimal degradation at 40 °C and pH 7.0, showing a high activity of 950,168.3 U/mg. HylEP0006 showed specific activity against HA. The minimum degradation fragment of HylEP0006 was hyaluronan tetrasaccharides, and HylEP0006 could efficiently degrade HA into unsaturated disaccharides (HA2), with HA2 as the final product. These characteristics indicate that HylEP0006 has a potential application prospect for the extraction and utilization of hyaluronic acid.

Magnet-Like Motion of Marine Polysaccharides by Remote Control of Chitosan/Fucoidan Nanoparticles for Targeted Movements and Manipulation

Magnet-Like Motion of Marine Polysaccharides by Remote Control of Chitosan/Fucoidan Nanoparticles for Targeted Movements and Manipulation

Fucoidan based polymeric nanoparticles encapsulating epirubicin: A novel and effective chemotherapeutic formulation against colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common and challenging malignancy that needs some effective and safer chemotherapeutic agents for the treatment. In this study, anticancer agent epirubicin (Epi) was loaded in polymeric polyethylene glycol-polylactic acid-nanoparticles (mPEG-PLA-NPs) coated with a marine anti-cancer non-toxic polysaccharide fucoidan (FC), to achieve a synergistic activity against CRC. The characterization of the NPs revealed that they were spherical, monodispersed, stable, with a negative zeta potential, and exhibited good biocompatibility and controlled release. In vitro anti-cancer activity of the NPs on HCT116 cell line was found to be promising, and corroborated well with in vivo studies involving BALB/C mice injected with C26 murine cancer cells. The outcome of MTT assay demonstrated that IC50 value of free Epi was 3.72 µM, and that of non-coated and coated Epi nano-formulations was 33.67 and 10.19 µM, respectively. Higher tumor regression, better survival and reduced off-side cardiotoxicity were observed when this novel NPs formulation was used to treat tumor-bearing mice. Free FC and Epi treated mice showed 37.73 % and 61.49 % regression in tumor size, whereas there was 79.76 % and 90.34 % tumor regression in mice treated with non-coated Epi NPs and coated Epi NPs, respectively. Therefore, mPEG-PLA-FC-Epi-NPs hold a potential to be used as an effective chemotherapeutic formulation against CRC, since it exhibited better efficacy and lower toxicity.

Unravelling the tissue regenerative nature of marine polysaccharide chitosan embedded halloysite reinforced poly (vinyl alcohol) nanocomposite films

The study focuses on developing the poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) nanocomposite films reinforced with Halloysite Nano-Tubes (HNT) which were surface functionalised with chitosan forming a Schiff base structure. The work was aimed to traverse its way in tissue engineering. Modification of halloysite with sea polysaccharide chitosan enhanced its ability to bind to the PVA matrix. The modification was assisted by FTIR, XRD, FESEM, TEM, AFM and DSC-TGA techniques. The films could withstand a higher temperature and exhibited high ranges of tensile strength and Young’s modulus. In addition, biocompatible studies such as in-vitro swelling, enzymatic degradation, water contact angle and hemolysis presented extremely well compatibilities proving it to be viable in physiological pH (in phosphate buffered saline). The cell adhesion and proliferation studies conducted on NIH3T3 mouse fibroblasts revealed the cell proliferation and tissue regeneration properties of the films. Both the tests performed for cell growth- Trypan blue dye exclusion and Acridine Orange Ethidium bromide assays showed a doubled rate of cell growth on the films which proves its biomedical nature.Graphical

Engineering marine polysaccharides for enhanced tissue-specific delivery of LYTACs

Engineering marine polysaccharides for enhanced tissue-specific delivery of LYTACs

Marine polysaccharides and potential enzymes for its degradation

Marine polysaccharides and potential enzymes for its degradation

Encapsulation of Bacillus thuringiensis using sodium alginate and chitosan coacervates for insect-pest management

The study investigates the complex coacervation process of sodium alginate (SA) and chitosan (CS), aiming to optimize the yield of coacervates formed from these marine polysaccharides. Structural interactions between SA and CS were analyzed across varying chitosan concentrations (0.01 mg to 20 mg/mL) using turbidimetric analysis. The optimal chitosan concentration for maximum coacervate formation was determined to be 10 mg/mL. Under these conditions, Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki (Bt) strain Bt-127 was successfully microencapsulated, achieving an entrapment rate of 56 %. Boric acid was selected as the cross-linking agent due to its compatibility with Bt and the SA-CS coacervates. Microscopic analysis confirmed the formation of coacervates/microcapsules and effective entrapment of Bt within them, with an entrapment efficiency of 98 %. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy verified the chemical interactions between SA and CS within the coacervates. Bioassays against Spodoptera litura larvae using the leaf dip method demonstrated the efficacy of the encapsulated Bt formulation, showing an LC50 of 0.51 g/L. These findings highlight the potential of SA-CS coacervates for effective Bt microencapsulation and application in pest control.

Development of pH-responsive porphyran-coated gold nanorods for tumor photothermal and immunotherapy

Cancer poses a significant threat to human health, and monotherapy frequently fails to achieve optimal therapeutic outcomes. Based on this premise, porphyran (PHP), a marine polysaccharide with immunomodulatory function, was used as a framework to coat gold nanorods and construct a novel nanomedicine (PHP-MPBA-GNRs) combining photothermal therapy and immunotherapy. In this design, PHP not only maintained the dispersion stability and photothermal stability of gold nanorods but also could be released under weakly acidic conditions to activate anti-tumor immunity. In vivo studies have shown that PHP-MPBA-GNRs can effectively inhibit tumor cell proliferation and reduce metastasis under near-infrared (NIR) light irradiation. Preliminary mechanistic investigations revealed that PHP-MPBA-GNRs could increase reactive oxygen species (ROS) and induce apoptosis in cancer cells. The PHP in PHP-MPBA-GNRs can also activate dendritic cells and up-regulate the expression of co-stimulatory molecules and antigen-presenting complexes. All biological experiments, including in vivo tests, demonstrated that PHP-MPBA-GNRs achieved a combination of photothermal therapy and immunotherapy for tumors.

Refined linkage analysis of the sulphated marine polysaccharide fucoidan of Cladosiphon okamuranus with a focus on fucose

Methylation followed by depolymerization and gas chromatography (GC) is an effective methodology for the linkage analysis of polysaccharides, including fucoidan, a sulphated algal polysaccharide. However, this sample material demands attention to experimental details to prevent aberrations in the analytical result. The use of deficient bases for methylation, the presence of water, analyte degradation during hydrolysis, and coelution of the target analytes during gas chromatography create doubts about published results. We therefore investigated critical parameters of the method and carefully optimized the steps of the protocol to ensure the integrity of the results for the fucose monomers.Fucoidan from Cladosiphon okamuranus was used as reference sample to determine the glycosidic bonds, and sulphate positions in the monomer. Fucoidan in protonated form was methylated in a strictly water-free environment using lithium dimsyl as base and methyl iodide for methylation. The methylated polymer was isolated by solid phase extraction, which was crucial to recover also the highly sulfated fraction. Hydrolysis was conducted with trifluoroacetic acid. To separate all target analytes in GC-FID/MS, a stationary phase with high cyanopropyl content (HP-88) was required, as the commonly employed phenyl siloxane phases result in co-elution, which distorts the result severely.

Effects of Fucoidans on Activated Retinal Microglia.

Sulfated marine polysaccharides, so-called fucoidans, have been shown to exhibit anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory activities in retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). In this study, we tested the effects of different fucoidans (and of fucoidan-treated RPE cells) on retinal microglia to investigate whether its anti-inflammatory effect can be extrapolated to the innate immune cells of the retina. In addition, we tested whether fucoidan treatment influenced the anti-inflammatory effect of RPE cells on retinal microglia. Three fucoidans were tested (FVs from Fucus vesiculosus, Fuc1 and FucBB04 from Laminaria hyperborea) as well as the supernatant of primary porcine RPE treated with fucoidans for their effects on inflammatory activated (using lipopolysaccharide, LPS) microglia cell line SIM-A9 and primary porcine retinal microglia. Cell viability was detected with a tetrazolium assay (MTT), and morphology by Coomassie staining. Secretion of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα), interleukin 1 beta (IL1β) and interleukin 8 (IL8) was detected with ELISA, gene expression (NOS2 (Nitric oxide synthase 2), and CXCL8 (IL8)) with qPCR. Phagocytosis was detected with a fluorescence assay. FucBB04 and FVs slightly reduced the viability of SIM-A9 and primary microglia, respectively. Treatment with RPE supernatants increased the viability of LPS-treated primary microglia. FVs and FucBB04 reduced the size of LPS-activated primary microglia, indicating an anti-inflammatory phenotype. RPE supernatant reduced the size of LPS-activated SIM-A9 cells. Proinflammatory cytokine secretion and gene expression in SIM-A9, as well as primary microglia, were not significantly affected by fucoidans, but RPE supernatants reduced the secretion of LPS-induced proinflammatory cytokine secretion in SIM-A9 and primary microglia. The phagocytosis ability of primary microglia was reduced by FucBB04. In conclusion, fucoidans exhibited only modest effects on inflammatorily activated microglia by maintaining their cell size under stimulation, while the anti-inflammatory effect of RPE cells on microglia irrespective of fucoidan treatment could be confirmed, stressing the role of RPE in regulating innate immunity in the retina.

Exploring the structural, functional, and biocompatibility aspects of marine bacterial extracellular polysaccharides for biopharmaceutical applications

Marine bacterial extracellular polysaccharides (EPS) represent a unique class of biopolymers with vast potential in biopharmaceutical research due to their diverse structural characteristics, functional properties, and biocompatibility. This study delves into the comprehensive analysis of the monosaccharide composition, molecular weight distribution, and conformational dynamics of marine bacterial EPS, employing advanced analytical techniques such as Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, Mass Spectrometry (MS), and Size-Exclusion Chromatography coupled with Multi-Angle Laser Light Scattering (SEC-MALLS). Furthermore, we explore the functional applications of these EPS in biofilm inhibition, immunomodulation, and as innovative drug delivery systems, highlighting their role in enhancing antibiotic efficacy and mitigating resistance. Through quantitative analysis and mathematical modeling, including rheological studies and kinetic modeling of biodegradation, this work assesses the EPSs biocompatibility and biodegradability, essential for their safe use in biomedicine. Our findings underscore the potential of marine bacterial EPS in developing novel biopharmaceutical formulations that are not only effective but also environmentally sustainable and biocompatible, paving the way for future advancements in medical and therapeutic applications.

Fucoidan-based bosutinib nanocrystals for pulmonary drug delivery: Solid state characterization and in-vitro assessment

Biopolymer based nanomedicine for pulmonary delivery is safe and effective in lung cancer therapy. Current work addressed marine polysaccharide fucoidan fabricated bosutinib nanocrystals (FBNC) as dry powder for inhalation (DPI). Microscopic characterization uncovered the cubic-shaped amorphous nanocrystals of about 150 nm with high homogeneity (polydispersity index < 0.3). The lyophilized nanocrystals were stable for 6 months at 4 ℃ and contained approximately 50 % drug. The solid-state characterization of FBNC including FTIR, XRD, DSC, XPS, solid-state NMR and BET revealed the conversion of crystalline bosutinib to amorphous nanocrystals with about 10-fold increase in surface area and saturation solubility. An in-vitro drug release study in simulated lung fluid showed over five-fold improvement in drug dissolution by nanocrystals than coarse drugs. The mucus permeation efficiency of nanocrystal also increased over five-times than coarse drug. The flow property analysis and aerosolization investigation revealed excellent flowability and good aerosolization performance (ED: 70–80 % and FPD: 40–60 %) indicating the nanocrystals capability in drug delivery to deep lungs. In conclusion, polysaccharide fucoidan stabilized bosutinib nanocrystals can be a novel drug delivery system for pulmonary administration as dry powder for inhalation.

Production of Anthocyanin-Rich Red Rose Petal Extract by Enzymatic Maceration

The use of enzymes to hydrolyze the plant cell matrix is a method known for extracting bioactive substances. The current work used this strategy to produce a rose petal extract rich in anthocyanins that is stable in the presence of marine polysaccharides and has a high antioxidant activity. The process evaluation was carried out sequentially, initially comparing water, ethanol, and their mixtures to anthocyanins extracted in the presence or absence of enzymes. Then, a multi-objective desirability function optimized experimental conditions such as solvent and enzyme concentrations. This study is the first report describing the use of a statistical tool, the central composite rotatable design (CCRD), to optimize anthocyanin extraction from rose petals. This method obtained a maximum extraction of 9.99 mg/g of phenols. The stability of the rose petal extract when using marine polysaccharides retained 60% of the anthocyanins over 28 days without deterioration when protected from sunlight but was practically degraded upon exposure to sunlight. The rose petal extract demonstrated a very high antioxidant capacity of 3.19 μg/mL, close to the literature data for citrus compounds, known to be high in antioxidant compounds for cosmetic food purposes.