Antioxidant and Antiglycemic Properties of Macroalgae, an Underutilized Blue Economy Bioresource in India

Macroalgae are marine bioresources with a myriad of bioactive potential to treat various chronic diseases such as cancer, obesity, diabetes and coronary heart diseases. Though there is a vast diversity of macroalgal species along the coastal states of India, they are not fully explored for their nutraceutical benefits. In this study, the antioxidant and antiglycemic properties along with its polysaccharide and total phenolic content of fifteen selected macroalgae from the Indian coast was evaluated. The antioxidant activity was assessed based on the radical scavenging and reducing power efficiency and the antiglycemic activity was determined based on its α-glucosidase inhibition capacity. The results show that Pterocladia capillacea (Rhodophyta) and Stoechospermum marginatum and Sphacelaria rigidula (Phaeophyta) exhibited good antioxidant and antiglycemic activity, equivalent to model compounds. Statistical analysis shows a highly significant correlation between both these activities and the total phenolic content. Characterizing the bioactivity can benefit the current generation as they are greatly affected by various chronic diseases due to oxidative stress. Exploring the macroalgae can provide potential natural alternatives, which are of great demand in the healthcare industry and pave way for its sustainable utilization for creating the Blue Economy.