@article {532, title = {Alpha-amylase inhibitory activity and sterol composition of the marine algae, Sargassum glaucescens}, journal = {Pharmacognosy Research}, volume = {7}, year = {2015}, month = {October 2015}, pages = {314-321}, type = {Original Article}, chapter = {314}, abstract = {

Background: Sargassum species (phaeophyceae) are economically important brown algae in southern parts of Iran. Sargassum is mainly harvested as a row material in alginate production industries and is a source of plant foods or plant bio-stimulants even a component of animal foods. Objectives: In this study, Sargassum glaucescens, collected from the seashore of Chabahar, was employed for phytochemical and biological evaluations. Materials and Methods: For that purpose, the dried algae was extracted by methanol and subjected to different chromatographic separation methods. Results: Six sterols, fucosterol (1), 24(S)-hydroxy-24-vinylcholesterol (2), 24(R)-hydroxy-24-vinylcholesterol (3), stigmasterol (4), β-sitosterol (5) and cholesterol (6) were identified by spectroscopic methods including 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR and mass spectroscopy. In vitro alpha-amylase inhibitory test was performed on the methanolic extract and the results revealed a potent inhibition (IC50 = 8.9 {\textpm} 2.4 mg/mL) of the enzyme compared to acarbose as a positive control. Conclusion: Various biological activities and distribution of sterols in Sargassum genus have been critically reviewed here. The results concluded that these algae are a good candidate for further anti-diabetic investigations in animals and human.

}, keywords = {Alpha-amylase inhibitor, Brown algae, Sargassum glaucescens, Sterol.}, doi = {10.4103/0974-8490.167893}, author = {Nasrin Payghami and Shahla Jamili and Abdolhossein Rustaiyan and Soodabeh Saeidnia and Marjan Nikan and Ahmad Reza Gohari} }