Search Results (10)

Air pollution-related skin damage has heightened the demand for natural protective agents. Hizikia fusiformis, a brown seaweed rich in fucoidan and bioactive fatty acids (α-linolenic acid, eicosatetraenoic acid, and palmitic acid), possesses antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. This study investigated the protective effects of H. fusiformis ethanol extract (HFE) against particulate matter (PM)-induced oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis in human keratinocytes. Antioxidant activity was assessed using DPPH and hydroxyl radical scavenging assays, while PM-induced cytotoxicity, ROS generation, inflammatory markers, and apoptotic pathways were evaluated using the WST-8 assay, DCFH2-DA, qPCR, western blotting, and Hoechst staining. HFE significantly reduced ROS levels, enhanced antioxidant enzyme activity, and mitigated PM-induced cytotoxicity. These effects were mediated by fucoidan and fatty acids, which modulated inflammatory pathways (NF-κB and MAPK), stabilized membranes, and inhibited apoptosis (Bcl-2, Bax, and caspase-3). Collectively, these findings highlight HFE’s potential as a natural anti-pollution skincare ingredient, supporting further in vivo studies and formulation development. Full article

Hijiki (Hizikia fusiformis) is a seaweed native to warm-temperate and subtropical regions that has a high edible value and economic value, with a production of about 2 × 10⁵ tons/year. Current research has clearly shown that the pharmacological activities of active ingredients from hijiki have covered a broad spectrum of areas, including antioxidant, hypoglycemic, antiviral, anticoagulant, anti-inflammatory, intestinal flora modulation, anti-aging, antineoplastic and antibacterial, and anti-Alzheimer’s disease areas. However, no studies have reported on the production of antioxidant peptides from hijiki proteins. The objectives of this study were to optimize the preparation process and explore the cytoprotective function and mechanisms of antioxidant peptides from hijiki protein. The results indicated that papain is more suitable for hydrolyzing hijiki protein than pepsin, trypsin, alkaline protease, and neutral protease. Under the optimized parameters of an enzyme dosage of 3%, a material–liquid ratio of 1:30, and an enzyme digestion time of 5 h, hijiki hydrolysate with a high radical scavenging activity was generated. Using ultrafiltration and serial chromatographic methods, ten antioxidant oligopeptides were purified from the papain-prepared hydrolysate and identified as DGPD, TIPEE, TYRPG, YTPAP, MPW, YPSKPT, YGALT, YTLLQ, FGYGP, and FGYPA with molecular weights of 402.35, 587.61, 592.64, 547.60, 532.53, 691.77, 523.57, 636.73, 539.58, and 553.60 Da, respectively. Among them, tripeptide MPW could regulate the Keap1/Nrf2 pathway to significantly ameliorate H₂O₂-induced oxidative damage of A549 cells by increasing cell viability and antioxidant enzyme (SOD, CAT, and GSH-Px) activity, decreasing ROS and MDA levels, and reducing the apoptosis rate. Molecular docking experiments show that HFP5 (MPW) exerts its inhibitory effect mainly through hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions with the Kelch domain of the Keap1 protein, eventually facilitating the translocation of Nrf2 to the nucleus. Therefore, antioxidant peptides from hijiki can be applied to develop algae-derived health foods for treating diseases associated with oxidative stress. Full article

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic skin condition that is characterized by dysregulated immune responses and a heightened risk of Staphylococcus aureus infections, necessitating the advancement of innovative therapeutic methods. This study explored the potential of (6Z,9Z,12Z,15Z)-(2R,3R,4R,5R)-2,3,4,5,6-pentahydroxyhexyl octadeca-6,9,12,15-tetraenoate (HSN-S1), a compound derived from the marine alga Hizikia fusiformis, which shows anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and immunomodulatory properties. HSN-S1 was isolated and characterized using advanced chromatographic and spectroscopic methods. Its efficacy was evaluated via in vitro assays with keratinocytes, macrophages, and T cells to assess cytokine suppression and its immunomodulatory effects; its antibacterial activity against S. aureus was quantified. The in vivo effectiveness was validated using a 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene-induced AD mouse model that focused on skin pathology and cytokine modulation. HSN-S1 significantly reduced pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion, altered T-helper cell cytokine profiles, and showed strong antibacterial activity against S. aureus. In vivo, HSN-S1 alleviated AD-like symptoms in mice and reduced skin inflammation, transepidermal water loss, serum immunoglobulin-E levels, and Th2/Th17 cytokine outputs. These findings suggest HSN-S1 to be a promising marine-derived candidate for AD treatment, as it offers a dual-target approach that could overcome the limitations of existing therapies, hence warranting further clinical investigation. Full article

Seaweed farming has made outstanding contributions to food supply and the restoration of the ecological environment despite the limitations in production and ecological effects due to the current intensive farming of single algae species. These limitations can be overcome by selecting suitable algal species based on their physiological characteristics and by constructing a large-scale seaweed rotation model. This study carried out a trial culture in aquaculture sea areas, and performed in situ monitoring of the environmental conditions and physiological characteristics of Saccharina japonica, Hizikia fusiformis, and Gracilariopsis lemaneiformis. Additionally, a comparative analysis of the three macroalgae at different times was conducted to determine their response characteristics to environmental factors. The results showed that: (1) The three macroalgae had varying light tolerance. The effective quantum yield of Hizikia fusiformis and Gracilariopsis lemaneiformis remained unchanged during the changes in light environment, while that of Saccharina japonica first decreased and then recovered. (2) The relative electron transport rates of the three macroalgae were significantly different under different temperature conditions. Hizikia fusiformis and Saccharina japonica exhibited the highest relative electron transport rates (70.45 and 106.75, respectively) in May (20.3 °C). Notably, Gracilariopsis lemaneiformis demonstrated good growth and exhibited the highest relative electron transport rate (93.07) in September (27.5 °C). These findings collectively support the feasibility of establishing a macroalgae rotation model. Based on the combined environmental conditions of the seas in Shandong, Zhejiang, and Fujian, a macroalgae rotation model was proposed. The application of this model in the construction of artificial seaweed farms in marine ranches can provide a stable output of large-scale seaweed production and ecological benefits. Full article

This study investigated the applicability of algae (Hizikia fusiformis, Green gracilaria, and Codium fragile) for removing heavy metals (Cd²⁺, Cu²⁺, Ni²⁺, and Pb²⁺) from aqueous solutions. Among the algae, H. fusiformis was chosen as a bioadsorbent and modified with NaOH and HCl. The results showed that the biosorption capacity of H. fusiformis improved significantly after treatment with NaOH; however, H. fusiformis modified with HCl did not achieve the expected value. The NaOH treatment enhanced the biosorption of metals on the treated H. fusiformis because of the hydrolysis reaction producing carboxylic (–COOH) and hydroxyl groups (–OH). The kinetics for Cd²⁺, Cu²⁺, Ni²⁺, and Pb²⁺ biosorption well fitted to pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order, and Elovich models, with R² of >0.994. The Freundlich model provided a good fit for the equilibrium biosorption of Cd²⁺, Cu²⁺, and Ni²⁺ by both algae and the Langmuir model for Pb²⁺. The maximum biosorption of metals was in the order Pb²⁺ >> Cu²⁺ ≈ Ni²⁺ > Cd²⁺, with q_max of 167.73, 45.09, 44.38, and 42.08 mg/g, respectively. With an increase in the solution pH, metal biosorption was enhanced, and considerable enhancement was observed in the pH range of 2–4. Thus, H. fusiformis is expected to be considered a superior candidate for metal biosorption. Full article

The brown seaweed Hizikia fusiformis (syn. Sargassum fusiforme), commonly known as “Hijiki”, has been utilized in traditional cuisine and medicine in East Asian countries for several centuries. H. fusiformis has attracted much attention owing to its rich nutritional and pharmacological properties. However, there has been no comprehensive review of the nutritional and pharmacological properties of H. fusiformis. The aim of this systematic review was to provide detailed information from the published literature on the nutritional and pharmacological properties of H. fusiformis. A comprehensive online search of the literature was conducted by accessing databases, such as PubMed, SpringerLink, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar, for published studies on the nutritional and pharmacological properties of H. fusiformis between 2010 and 2021. A total of 916 articles were screened from all the databases using the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses method. Screening based on the setdown criteria resulted in 59 articles, which were used for this review. In this review, we found that there has been an increase in the number of publications on the pharmacological and nutritional properties of H. fusiformis over the last 10 years. In the last 10 years, studies have focused on the proximate, mineral, polysaccharide, and bioactive compound composition, and pharmacological properties, such as antioxidant, anticancer, antitumor, anti-inflammatory, photoprotective, neuroprotective, antidiabetic, immunomodulatory, osteoprotective, and gastroprotective properties of H. fusiformis extracts. Overall, further studies and strategies are required to develop H. fusiformis as a promising resource for the nutrition and pharmacological industries. Full article

Algae are considered pigment-producing organisms. The function of these compounds in algae is to carry out photosynthesis. They have a great variety of pigments, which can be classified into three large groups: chlorophylls, carotenoids, and phycobilins. Within the carotenoids are xanthophylls. Xanthophylls (fucoxanthin, astaxanthin, lutein, zeaxanthin, and β-cryptoxanthin) are a type of carotenoids with anti-tumor and anti-inflammatory activities, due to their chemical structure rich in double bonds that provides them with antioxidant properties. In this context, xanthophylls can protect other molecules from oxidative stress by turning off singlet oxygen damage through various mechanisms. Based on clinical studies, this review shows the available information concerning the bioactivity and biological effects of the main xanthophylls present in algae. In addition, the algae with the highest production rate of the different compounds of interest were studied. It was observed that fucoxanthin is obtained mainly from the brown seaweeds Laminaria japonica, Undaria pinnatifida, Hizikia fusiformis, Sargassum spp., and Fucus spp. The main sources of astaxanthin are the microalgae Haematococcus pluvialis, Chlorella zofingiensis, and Chlorococcum sp. Lutein and zeaxanthin are mainly found in algal species such as Scenedesmus spp., Chlorella spp., Rhodophyta spp., or Spirulina spp. However, the extraction and purification processes of xanthophylls from algae need to be standardized to facilitate their commercialization. Finally, we assessed factors that determine the bioavailability and bioaccesibility of these molecules. We also suggested techniques that increase xanthophyll’s bioavailability. Full article

Hizikia fusiformis (Harvey) Okamura is an edible marine alga that has been widely used in Korea, China, and Japan as a rich source of dietary fiber and essential minerals. In our previous study, we observed that the methanol extract of H. fusiformis and its non-polar fractions showed potent protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) and α-glucosidase inhibition. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to identify the active ingredient in the methanol extract of H. fusiformis. We isolated a new glycerol fatty acid (13) and 20 known compounds including 9 fatty acids (1–3, 7–12), mixture of 24R and 24S-saringosterol (4), fucosterol (5), mixture of 24R,28R and 24S,28R-epoxy-24-ethylcholesterol (6), cedrusin (14), 1-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-2-[2-hydroxy -4-(3-hydroxypropyl)phenoxy]-1,3-propanediol (15), benzyl alcohol alloside (16), madhusic acid A (17), glycyrrhizin (18), glycyrrhizin-6’-methyl ester (19), apo-9′-fucoxanthinone (20) and tyramine (21) from the non-polar fraction of H. fusiformis. New glycerol fatty acid 13 was identified as 2-(7′- (2″-hydroxy-3″-((5Z,8Z,11Z)-icosatrienoyloxy)propoxy)-7′-oxoheptanoyl)oxymethylpropenoic acid by spectroscopic analysis using NMR, IR, and HR-ESI-MS. We investigated the effect of the 21 isolated compounds and metabolites (22 and 23) of 18 against the inhibition of PTP1B and α-glucosidase enzymes. All fatty acids showed potent PTP1B inhibition at low concentrations. In particular, new compound 13 and fucosterol epoxide (6) showed noncompetitive inhibitory activity against PTP1B. Metabolites of glycyrrhizin, 22 and 23, exhibited competitive inhibition against PTP1B. These findings suggest that H. fusiformis, a widely consumed seafood, may be effective as a dietary supplement for the management of diabetes through the inhibition of PTP1B. Full article

The study objective was to investigate total phenolic content using Folin-Ciocalteu’s method, to assess nine phenols by HPLC, to determine antioxidant capacity of the water soluble compounds (ACW) by a photochemiluminescence method, and to calculate the correlation coefficients in commercial algal food products from brown (Laminaria japonica, Eisenia bicyclis, Hizikia fusiformis, Undaria pinnatifida) and red (Porphyra tenera, Palmaria palmata) seaweed, green freshwater algae (Chlorella pyrenoidosa), and cyanobacteria (Spirulina platensis). HPLC analysis showed that the most abundant phenolic compound was epicatechin. From spectrophotometry and ACW determination it was evident that brown seaweed Eisenia bicyclis was the sample with the highest phenolic and ACW values (193 mg·g⁻¹ GAE; 7.53 µmol AA·g⁻¹, respectively). A linear relationship existed between ACW and phenolic contents (r = 0.99). Some algal products seem to be promising functional foods rich in polyphenols. Full article

Total lipid contents of green (Chlorella pyrenoidosa, C), red (Porphyra tenera, N; Palmaria palmata, D), and brown (Laminaria japonica, K; Eisenia bicyclis, A; Undaria pinnatifida, W, WI; Hizikia fusiformis, H) commercial edible algal and cyanobacterial (Spirulina platensis, S) products, and autotrophically cultivated samples of the green microalga Chlorella kessleri (CK) and the cyanobacterium Spirulina platensis (SP) were determined using a solvent mixture of methanol/chloroform/water (1:2:1, v/v/v, solvent I) and n-hexane (solvent II). Total lipid contents ranged from 0.64% (II) to 18.02% (I) by dry weight and the highest total lipid content was observed in the autotrophically cultivated cyanobacterium Spirulina platensis. Solvent mixture I was found to be more effective than solvent II. Fatty acids were determined by gas chromatography of their methyl esters (% of total FAMEs). Generally, the predominant fatty acids (all results for extractions with solvent mixture I) were saturated palmitic acid (C16:0; 24.64%–65.49%), monounsaturated oleic acid (C18:1(n-9); 2.79%–26.45%), polyunsaturated linoleic acid (C18:2(n-6); 0.71%–36.38%), α-linolenic acid (C18:3(n-3); 0.00%–21.29%), γ-linolenic acid (C18:3(n-6); 1.94%–17.36%), and arachidonic acid (C20:4(n-6); 0.00%–15.37%). The highest content of ω-3 fatty acids (21.29%) was determined in Chlorella pyrenoidosa using solvent I, while conversely, the highest content of ω-6 fatty acids (41.42%) was observed in Chlorella kessleri using the same solvent. Full article