Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of C-phycocyanin from blue-green algae
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 (O2-, 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 microg/mL) radicals, with activity equivalent to 0.125 mg/mL of dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO) and 0.038 microg/mL of trolox, specific scavengers of those radicals respectively. In the deoxyribose assay the second-order rate constant was 3.56 x 10(11) 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.
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C-phycocyanin strongly inhibits inflammation in macrophages and animal models.
“In particular, C-PC, a natural blue pigment (~14% of SP dry weight) [40, 43, 44], has shown to have a strong inhibitory property against inflammation in macrophages [45, 46] and in animal models [47, 48].”
From Edible blue-green algae reduce the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines by inhibiting NF-κB pathway in macrophages and splenocytes (2013) · cites this paper as [47]
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“Several investigations demonstrated that phycocyanin exhibit antioxidant activity (Romay et al 1998 and Bhat and Madyastha, 2001).”
BackgroundAntiallergic and Allergic Properties
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- Authors
- Romay, C., Armesto, J., Remirez, D., González, R., Ledon, N., & García, I.
- Affiliations
- Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas (CU)
- ORCID
- González, R.
- Venue
- Inflammation Research
- Published
- 1998-01-01
- Volume
- 47
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 36-41
- ISSN
- 1023-3830 (ISSN-L)
- 1420-908X
- OpenAlex
- W2146798875
- Cited by
- 511
- References
- 15
- Citations by year
- 2026: 20 · 2025: 29 · 2024: 16 · 2023: 24 · 2022: 36 · 2021: 29 · 2020: 33 · 2019: 30 · 2018: 30 · 2017: 15 · 2016: 20 · 2015: 17 · 2014: 10 · 2013: 20 · 2012: 20
- FWCI
- 6.17
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
- Locations
- Inflammation Research (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Biochemistry › Antioxidant Activity and Oxidative Stress
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Aquatic Science › Seaweed-derived Bioactive Compounds
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Biochemistry › Phytochemicals and Antioxidant Activities
- Keywords
- phycocyanin, C-phycocyanin, cyanobacteria, antioxidant activity, anti-inflammatory activity, hydroxyl radical scavenging, superoxide radical scavenging, lipid peroxidation inhibition, polymorphonuclear leukocytes, chemiluminescence, tetrapyrroles
- MeSH terms
- Cyanobacteria, Animals, Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal, Antioxidants, Deoxyribose, Free Radicals, Glucose Oxidase, Humans, Inflammation, Luminescent Measurements, Male, Microsomes, Liver, Neutrophils, Phycocyanin, Zymosan, Lipid Peroxidation, Free Radical Scavengers, Rats, Sprague-Dawley, Hydroxyl Radical, Mice, Rats
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