The Carotenoid Contents (Fucoxanthin and β-Carotene), Total Phenolic Content, and Antioxidant Activity of Ethanolic Extracts from Selected Indonesian Seaweeds

Abstract

Abstract Carotenoids have been shown to have antioxidant activity. The purpose of this study was to analyze the content of carotenoids (fucoxanthin and β-carotene), then to analyze the total phenolic content (TPC), and to test the antioxidant activity of the ethanolic extract from selected Indonesian seaweeds using the 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH) method. The seaweeds used in this study were Padina sp., Sargassum sp., Turbinaria sp., Actinotricia sp., Halimenia sp., Rhodopeltis sp., and Ulva sp. There are several stages of the method, namely extraction by maceration with ethanol p.a. Then, carotenoid analysis was carried out by Thin Layer Chromatography and carotenoid content was carried out by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography. After that TPC analysis was performed using the Folin-Ciocalteu method, and antioxidant activity was analyzed using the DPPH method. The results showed that the highest fucoxanthin content was found in the ethanolic extract of Padina sp. brown seaweed at 133.31 ppm, and the highest β-carotene content was found in the ethanolic extract of red seaweed Actinotricia sp. at 3.60 ppm. The highest TPC was found in the ethanolic extract of Padina sp. of 20.08 g GAE/g. In general, the ethanolic extracts of the seven seaweeds analyzed produced weak antioxidant activity when compared to the ascorbic acid control.