Abstract

Seaweeds of the genera Laminaria, Gelidium, and Porphyra have been used in both food and non-food industries due to their unique properties and characteristic biological activity. This study assesses the antioxidant activity and immunomodulatory properties of the acidic polysaccharides extracted from Laminaria ochroleuca, Porphyra umbilicalis, and Gelidium corneum collected in the Atlantic coast of Tarifa (Cadiz, Spain). The proliferation of murine cell line RAW 264 decreased with increasing concentration of polysaccharides of the three algal species. The highest both antioxidant (25.69 mu mol TE g(-1) DW) and immunomodulatory activities were observed in the sulfated polysaccharides of L. ochroleuca compared to that of P. umbilicalis and G. corneum. Sulfated polysaccharides of L. ochroleuca presented high potential anticancer activity in cell lines of human colon cancer HTC-116 (IC50 = 0.44 mg mL(-1)), human malignant melanoma G-361 (IC50 = 5.42 mg mL(-1)), breast adenocarcinoma human MCF-7 (IC50 = 8.32 mg mL(-1)), and human leukemia U-937 (IC50 = 3.72 mg mL(-1)). It is concluded that metabolites of L. ochroleuca can offer significant advantages for the pharmaceutical industry, particularly when macrophage activation is required.