Effect of phlorotannin-rich extracts of Ascophyllum nodosum and Himanthalia elongata (Phaeophyceae) on cellular oxidative markers in human HepG2 cells

Phlorotannins have received much attention due to their ecophysiological importance and potential applications in the biotechnology and food industries. Antioxidant activity studies in seaweeds have mainly focused on in vitro assays; however, there is a paucity of data regarding the effect of brown algal phlorotannins on living cultured cells. The aim of the present study was to investigate both direct and protective effects of phlorotannin-rich extracts on cell viability and the cellular oxidative status of cultured liver cells HepG2 against oxidative stress induced by tert-butyl hydroperoxide (t-BOOH). Extracts of the Phaeophyceae Ascophyllum nodosum (Fucaceae) and Himanthalia elongata (Himanthaliaceae) were submitted to gastrointestinal digestion prior to incubation for 20 h in a HepG2 culture at physiological concentrations (0.5–50 μg mL⁻¹). Various markers of cellular oxidative stress were then assessed, such as the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), antioxidant defences (concentration of reduced glutathione and activities of glutathione peroxidase, reductase and glutathione-S-transferase) and the levels of malondialdehyde as a marker for lipid peroxidation. The direct effect on cellular markers was assessed immediately after the incubation period, whereas for the protective effect, the incubation period was followed by a 3-h treatment with t-BOOH. The results indicated no effect on cell viability, and both extracts showed reduced levels of ROS and increased antioxidant defences in the direct treatment. Moreover, the extracts showed a significant protective effect against chemically induced oxidative stress in HepG2 cells by reducing ROS generation and enhancing antioxidant defences, hence supporting the utility of including brown algal extracts in functional food products.