GC-MS profiling, anti-oxidant and anti-diabetic assessments of extracts from microalgae Scenedesmus falcatus (KU.B1) and Chlorella sorokiniana (KU.B2)

Abstract

Microalgae are a potentially valuable source in the food, pharmaceutical and nutraceutical sectors. While biological activities surveys have investigated the pharmaceutical properties of a few microalgae species, there are not many reports covering biological activity studies. This study was carried out to identify the metabolites by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and evaluate the anti-oxidant, anti-diabetic properties of green algae extracts, Chlorella sorokiniana (KU.B2) and Scenedesmus falcatus (KU.B1). A total of 51 different chemical constituents were detected and tentatively identified. The primary compounds in both microalgae extracts included (R)-2-hexanol (38.67% in C. sorokiniana and 23.53% in S. falcatus), n-hexadecanoic acid (13.58% in C. sorokiniana and 18.94% in S. falcatus) and octadecanoic acid (22.30% in C. sorokiniana and 32.67% in S. falcatus). According to the profiling results, the C. sorokiniana extract exhibited greater anti-oxidant activity, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging (IC50 = 480.30 ±?14.85 µg ml-1), nitric oxide (NO) radical scavenging (562.73 ±?3.52 µg mL-1) and ferric reducing anti-oxidant power (FRAP) of 58.51 ± 2.42 mgTE g-1. Comparatively, the C. sorokiniana extract had higher contents of alpha-glucosidase and alpha-amylase (IC50 = 491.22 ± 78.41 and 2,817.00 ±143.04 µg mL-1, respectively) than the S. falcatus extract. This first report demonstrated anti-diabetic effect of both extracts on diabetic enzymes. The results confirm microalgae's anti-oxidant and anti-diabetic properties and suggest their potential benefits in cosmeceutical, nutraceutical and pharmaceutical applications.