POTENTIAL CELL PROLIFERATION INHIBITOR ISOLATED FROM INDONESIAN BROWN ALGAE (PHAEOPHYTA) Original Article

Objective: The objective of this study is to determine the toxic activity of n-hexane and ethyl acetate extracts of brown algae as anticancer candidates. Methods: The brown algae were collected from West Java south coast, identified and then dried. The dry algae was then extracted by using nhexane and ethyl acetate, filtered, then dried. The toxic activity of n-hexane and ethyl acetate extracts of five species brown algae was screened by using the brine shrimp lethality test (BSLT). The detection for chemical compound was carried out by placing the extracts on a Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) plate and spraying them with several spray reagents such as Dragendorff, Citro boric acid, and vanillin-sulfuric acid. Results: We identified five species of brown algae i.e.: Sargassum sp., Sargassum duplicatum J. G. Agardh, Sargassum myriocystum J. G. Agardh, Turbinaria ornata (Turner) J. G. Agardh, and Turbinaria decurrens Bory. Four of ten extracts had toxic activities, i.e.: n-hexane extract of Sargassum myriocystum J. G. Agardh (LC 50= 273.28 µg/ml), n-hexane extract of Turbinaria ornata (Turner) J. G. Agardh (LC 50= 320.4 µg/ml), n-hexane extract of Turbinaria decurrens Bory (LC 50 = 579.33 µg/ml), and the ethyl acetate extract of Sargassum sp. (LC 50= 743.98 µg/ml), whereas Sargassum duplicatum J. G. Agardh was found to be less toxic (nontoxic) (LC 50>1000 µg/ml). The active compound of this alga was detected in TLC is terpenoid. Conclusions: N-hexane extract of Sargassum myriocystum J. G. Agardh showed the highest toxicity in the brine shrimp assay (LC 50