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Natural Product Research
Formerly Natural Product Letters
Volume 33, 2019 - Issue 11
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Short Communication

Antioxidant and anti-proliferative properties of extracts from heterotrophic cultures of Galdieria sulphuraria

, , , , , & show all
Pages 1659-1663 | Received 23 Nov 2017, Accepted 02 Jan 2018, Published online: 15 Jan 2018
 

Abstract

This study explores the possibility to use the extremophilic microalga Galdieria sulphuraria (strain 064) as a source of natural biomolecules with beneficial and protective effects on human health. Galdieria was cultivated in heterotrophy conditions and cells extracts for their antioxidant and anti-proliferative properties were tested. Galdieria extracts showed high antioxidant power tested through ABTS assay and revealed high glutathione and phycocyanin contents. Based on Annexin-V FITC/propidium iodide and MTT analysis, algae extracts inhibited the proliferation of human adenocarcinoma A549 cells (51.2% inhibition) through the induction of apoptosis without cell cycle arrest. Besides, cytotoxicity and cytometry assays showed a positive pro-apoptotic mechanism. On these bases, we suggest that G. sulphuraria from heterotrophic culture, for its therapeutic potential, could be considered a good candidate for further studies with the aim to isolate bioactive anti-cancer molecules.

Acknowledgements

We thank Dr Alessandra Trocino and librarians of the National Cancer Institute, Naples, for providing excellent bibliographic services and assistance.

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