A comparative study on the nutritional and cytotoxic potentials of the polysaccharides extracted from Chlorella vulgaris

Authors

Caspian Sea Ecology Research Center (CSERC), Iranian Fisheries Science Research Institute (IFSRI), Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Sari, Iran

10.22092/ijfs.2025.134037

Abstract

Chlorella, a green microalga, is valued in food and medicine for its high nutritional and functional properties. Reactive oxygen species can cause oxidation reactions linked to cardiovascular diseases, degenerative conditions, and cancer. However, bioactive compounds and carotenoids in microalgae can help to alleviate certain disease symptoms by protecting tissues. Polysaccharides from C. vulgaris were extracted using a hot water method and their antioxidant activity was evaluated through the DPPH radical scavenging method and reducing power. The impact on the death rate of mouse colon cancer cells (CT-26) was also assessed using the 2, 5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) method. The analysis showed that C. vulgaris contained 19.08±0.09 w/v % polysaccharides and yielded about 5% of its dry weight. The extracted polysaccharides demonstrated antioxidant activity with the highest DPPH inhibition and reducing power, measuring 91.15% and 0.781% at 6 mg/mL, respectively. BHA at 0.031 mg/mL exhibited DPPH scavenging (39.78%) and reduced the power (3.65%). The polysaccharides also showed cytotoxic effects, specifically against CT-26 cells with an IC50 value of 481.53μg/mL after 48 h. These findings suggest that polysaccharides from C. vulgaris may possess potential cytotoxic properties against tumor cell lines.

Keywords

Iranian Journal of Fisheries Sciences
Volume 24, Issue 4
July 2025
Pages 969-981

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