Ascophyllum nodosum (Linnaeus) Le Jolis from Arctic: Its Biochemical Composition, Antiradical Potential, and Human Health Risk

• Published in: Marine drugs Vol. 22; no. 1; p. 48
• Main Authors: Obluchinskaya, Ekaterina D, Pozharitskaya, Olga N, Gorshenina, Elena V, Daurtseva, Anna V, Flisyuk, Elena V, Generalova, Yuliya E, Terninko, Inna I, Shikov, Alexander N
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 01.01.2024
• Subjects: Algae; Alginates; Alginic acid; Aluminum; Antioxidants; Arctic; Ascophyllum - chemistry; Ascophyllum nodosum; Biochemical composition; Biostimulants; Carbohydrates; Carcinogens; Child; Composition; Copper; Cosmetics; Enzymes; Fertility; Flavonoids; Food industry; Free radicals; Fucoidan; Health risks; Heavy metals; Humans; Iron; Magnesium; Manganese; Mannitol; Monosaccharides; Pharmaceutical industry; Pollution index; Polyphenols; Polysaccharides; Saccharides; Salinity; Scavenging; Seaweed - chemistry; Seaweed meal; Seaweeds; Tidewater; toxic metals; Water temperature; Zinc; Barents Sea; Arctic region; Iceland; polyphenols; antioxidants; alginic acid; Arctic; fucoidan; mannitol; toxic metals; Ascophyllum nodosum
• ISSN: 1660-3397; 1660-3397
• DOI: 10.3390/md22010048

is a brown seaweed common in Arctic tidal waters. We have collected samples from the Barents Sea (BS), Irminger Sea (IS), and Norwegian Sea (NS) in different reproductive stages and have evaluated their biochemical composition, radical scavenging potential, and health risks. The total content of dominating carbohydrates (fucoidan, mannitol, alginate, and laminaran) ranged from 347 mg/g DW in NS to 528 mg/g DW in BS. The proportion of two main structural monosaccharides of fucoidan (fucose and xylose) differed significantly between the seas and reproductive phase, reaching a maximum at the fertile phase in the BS sample. Polyphenols and flavonoids totals were highest in NS samples and increased on average in the following order: BS < IS < NS. A positive correlation of free radical scavenging activity for seaweed extracts with polyphenols content was observed. The concentration of elements in from the Arctic seas region was in the following order: Ca > Mg > Sr > Fe > Al > Zn > As total > Rb > Mn > Ba > Cu > Co. Seaweeds from BS had the lowest metal pollution index (MPI) of 38.4. from IS had the highest MPI of 83. According to the calculated target hazard quotient (THQ) and hazard index (HI) values, Arctic samples pose no carcinogenic risk to adult and child health and are safe for regular consumption. Our results suggest that the Arctic has a remarkable potential for food and pharmaceutical industries as an underestimated source of polysaccharides, polyphenols, and flavonoids.