Phytochemical and Antioxidant Activities of Eucheuma spinosum as Natural Functional Food from North Sulawesi Waters, Indonesia.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE Research to find functional food from new natural sources has caught the attention of many researchers through the characterization of phytochemicals and biological activities. One potential source of natural ingredients is the red alga Eucheuma spinosum, which has been used as a daily source of natural food. The purpose of this study was to obtain a prospective new source of natural antioxidants from various extracts of tropical red alga (E. spinosum) through several tests, which were used as determinants of whether the alga can be used as a functional food source. MATERIALS AND METHODS Algal sample was extracted with organic solvents (methanol, n-hexane, ethyl-acetate and water) and purified by a combination of normal and reverse phase chromatography methods. RESULTS The algal extracts had antioxidant compounds based on free radical scavenging activities using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl-hydrate (DPPH) and superoxide dismutase (SOD). The ethyl acetate extract of E. spinosum scavenged DPPH and SOD free radicals, so that this extract was indicated contained powerful antioxidants. The result of the isolation of the antioxidant compound showed the presence of pure compound 3-(3-methoxyphenyl) propanal. CONCLUSION This study concluded that red algae E. spinosum contained natural antioxidants which have the potential to be developed as a functional food and disease prevention and treatment. In addition, the components of these antioxidant compounds from the algae have the potential to be used as natural sources of new functional ingredients.