Chlorella powder inhibits the activities of peptidase cathepsin S, PLA2, cyclooxygenase-2, thromboxane synthase, tyrosine phosphatases, tumor necrosis factor-α converting enzyme, calpain and kinases

Abstract

A Chlorella powder was tested in 118 in vitro enzyme assay systems. The powder showed potent inhibitions of peptidase cathepsin S, thromboxane A₂ synthase and cyclooxygenase-2 in a dose-concentration manner with IC₅₀±standard error of the mean values of 3.46±0.93 µg/ml, 3.23±0.69 µg/ml, and 44.26±9.98 µg/ml, respectively. Other activities observed were inhibitions of tumor necrosis factor-α converting enzyme, protein tyrosine phosphatase (SHP-2), calpain, protein kinases and protein tyrosine phosphatases. Chlorella powder had no significant effect on cyclooxygenase-1. These actions to inhibit cyclooxygenase-2 and thromboxane synthase could contribute to the purported anti-inflammatory and anti-thrombotic effects of Chlorella. These results reveal important potential biochemical activities to be developed that, if confirmed by in vivo studies, might be exploited for the prevention or treatment of several serious pathologies, including inflammatory diseases, immune and cancer.

• Chlorella
• cyclooxygenase
• peptidase-cathepsin S
• calpain
• tumor necrosis factor-αconverting enzyme
• protein tyrosine phosphatase
• thromboxane A₂ synthase