Spirulina platensis extraction

The blue-green filamentous algae Spirulina platensis also inhibited HIV-1 replication in human T-cell lines, peripheral mononuclear blood cells and Langerhans cells [16]. The extract inactivated HIV-1 infectivity directly when preincubated with the virus before addition to human T-cell lines. These data indicate that aqueous Spirulina platensis extract contains antiretroviral activity that may be of potential clinical interest. Antiviral activities were also reported from the water-soluble fraction of the marine diatom Haslea ostrearia, which delayed HIV-1-induced sincytia formation on MT-4 cells [17]. 

Accelerated Solvent Extraction of Functional Compounds from Microalgae Spirulina platensis... 

In a previous work, we studied the possibility of extracting antioxidants from microalgae Spirulina platensis using ASE with different solvents (33-34). Likewise, other authors have studied the carotenoids extraction from microalgae Haematococcus pluvialis and Dunaliella salina using ethanol as solvent and ASE (35). 

In the present work an attempt has been made to optimize the parameters related to the extraction of antioxidants (with ASE) from Spirulina platensis using only environmentally clean solvents such as water, ethanol and mixtures. Thus, as a first approach, a study about different sample pre-treatments and how these affect both, the extraction yield and the final antioxidant activity has been performed. Moreover, a relationship between the efficient concentration (ECso) and the final composition of the solvent (as a function of the dielectric constant) has been studied and a preliminary characterization of the chemical composition of one of the best antioxidant extract has been done using an optimised CE-DAD method. 

Table 1 shows the extraction conditions selected to optimize the extraction of antioxidants from Spirulina platensis. As mentioned, different combinations between solvent composition and temperature were tested in order to cover a wide range of dielectric constants. Since dielectric constant of water drops when increasing temperature, approaching to that of an organic solvent (such as medianol), we were interested in knowing if it could be possible to achieve approximately the same antioxidant composition (and activity) using mixtures of similar dielectric constants or if the composition would mainly depend on the selectivity of the solvent used (and therefore not directly dependant on the dielectric constant). Table 1 also shows the ECso values measured at all the conditions tested. 

Hayashi, K., Hayashi, T., and Morita, N. (1993). An extract from Spirulina platensis is a selective inhibitor of Herpes simplex virus type 1 penetration into HeLa cells. Phytother. Res. 7, 76-80. 

Jaime, L. Mendiola, J.A. Herrero, M. Separation and characterization of antioxidants from Spirulina platensis nticroalga combining pressurized liquid extraction, TLC, and HPLC-DAD. J. Sep. Sci. 2005, 28 (16), 2111-2119. 

Energy transduction in cyanobacteria is poorly understood relative to our understanding of phosphorylation in eukaryotic photosynthesis. As part of a study of electron transport and phosphorylation in the cyanobacterium Spirulina platensis, our laboratory extracted and partially purified a protein with latent Ca-ATPase activity that reconstituted photophosphorylation in ATPase-depleted membranes (Owers-Narhi et al. 1979). In the present report we describe the purification to homogeneity and some of the characteristics of the Spirulina platensis coupling factor Ca-ATPase (SFi). 

FIGURE 1. SDS Page of SFi and CFi Standards are BSA (66,000), ovalbumin (45,000), trypsinogen (24,000), B-lacto-globulin (18,400) and lysozyme (14,300). The subunits of CF are labeled on the right. SF was purified from chloroform extracts of sonic vesicles prepared from Spirulina platensis. 

An EDTA- and chlorofonn-extractable protein with latent Ca-ATPase activity can be purified from the cyanobacterium Spirulina platensis using procedures established for higher plant coupling factors (CFi) This prokaryotic enzyme hydrolyzes ATP at good rates and is reconstitutively active. 

OzDEMiR G, CONK DOLAY M, Ku uKAKYuz K, PAZARBANi B and YiLMAZ M (2001), Determining the antimicrobial activity capacity of various extracts of Spirulina platensis produced in Turkey s conditions , J Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 1st. Algal Technology Symposium, 18(1), 161-166. 

Andrich, G., A. Zinnai, U. Nesti, and F. Venturi. 2006. Supercritical Fluid Extraction of Oil from Microalga Spirulina (Arthrospira) Platensis. Acta Alimentaria 35 (2) 195-203. 

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