Antioxidant properties of Sargassum tenerrimum brown algae and Valoniopsis pachynema green algae from Chabahar coasts

Nowadays, finding natural antioxidants from marine sources is interesting. In this regard, seaweeds are very important. In this study, the antioxidant properties of two species of brown algae Sargassum tenerrimum and green algae Valoniopsis pachynema, and the effect of different solvents on the extraction of the antioxidant compounds were investigated. Algae were collected from Tis and Ramin beaches in the Chabahar. After drying and powdering, it was extracted by dichloromethane, methanol, chloroform, and hexane. Then the antioxidant power of concentrations of 0.01, 0.1, and 1 mg/mL of the extracts was analyzed using DPPH free radical scavenging methods, reducing power and iron ion chelating activity, in order to determine the best extract with the antioxidant properties. The highest percentage of radical inhibition was obtained in S. tenerrimum at a concentration of 1 mg/mL of methanolic extract (88.22%) and in green algae V. pachynema in dichloromethane extract (74.4%). The highest reducing power (0.85) and chelating activity (88.83%) in dichloromethane extract of brown algae S. tenerrimum were obtained. The highest reducing power in dichloromethane extract (0.4) and the highest chelation activity in chloroform extract (81.22%) of green algae V. pachynema were seen. The concentration of 1 mg/mL of dichloromethane has more ability to extract antioxidant compounds compared to other treatments. The brown algae S. tenerrimum showed higher antioxidant power than green algae V. pachynema. Therefore, the algal extract of S. tenerrimum can be a potential source for compounds with antioxidant properties, and additional tests are needed.