• DOI:10.1007/s000110050256
• Corpus ID: 672069

Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of C-phycocyanin from blue-green algae

@article{Romay1998AntioxidantAA,
  title={Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of C-phycocyanin from blue-green algae},
  author={Cheyla Romay and Julio Armesto and Diadelis Rem{\'i}rez and Ricardo Gonz{\'a}lez and Nurys Led{\'o}n and Irene Salmer{\'o}n Garc{\'i}a},
  journal={Inflammation Research},
  year={1998},
  volume={47},
  pages={36-41}
}

• C. Romay, J. Armesto, +3 authors I. García
• Published 1998
• Biology, Chemistry
• Inflammation Research

Abstract.Objective: Phycocyanin is a pigment found in blue-green algae which contains open chain tetrapyrroles with possible scavenging properties. We have studied its antioxidant properties.¶Materials and methods: Phycocyanin was evaluated as a putative antioxidant in vitro by using: a) luminol-enhanced chemiluminescence (LCL) generated by three different radical species (O−2, OH•, RO•) and by zymosan activated human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNLs), b) deoxyribose assay and c) inhibition of liver microsomal lipid peroxidation induced by Fe+2-ascorbic acid. The antioxidant activity was also assayed in vivo in glucose oxidase (GO)-induced inflammation in mouse paw.¶Results: The results indicated that phycocyanin is able to scavenge OH• (IC50 = 0.91 mg/mL) and RO• (IC50 = 76 μg/mL) radicals, with activity equivalent to 0.125 mg/mL of dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO) and 0.038 μg/mL of trolox, specific scavengers of those radicals respectively. In the deoxyribose assay the second-order rate constant was 3.56 × 1011 M−1 S−1, similar to that obtained for some non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Phycocyanin also inhibits liver microsomal lipid peroxidation (IC50 = 12 mg/mL), the CL response of PMNLs (p < 0.05) as well as the edema index in GO-induced inflammation in mouse paw (p < 0.05).¶Conclusions: To our knowledge this is the first report of the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of c-phycocyanin.