The effect of solvents on the antioxidant activity in Caco-2 cells of Irish brown seaweed extracts prepared using accelerated solvent extraction (ASE (R))

The antioxidant activities of extracts from the Irish seaweed Ascophyllum nodosum (AN), Fucus vesiculosus (FV) and Fucus serratus (FS) prepared using different solvents were assessed in Caco-2 cells. The extracts were prepared using 100% H2O (AN100, FV100, FS100), 60% ethanol (AN60e, FV60e, FS60e), 80% ethanol (AN80e, FV80e, FS80e) or 60% methanol (AN60m, FV60m, FS60m) combined with an accelerated solvent extraction (ASE®) technique. The cellular antioxidant status was determined by measuring catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and glutathione (GSH) content. The protective effects of the extracts against H2O2 and tert-BOOH-induced DNA damage were assessed using the comet assay. AN100 and AN80e significantly protected (P < 0.05) against H2O2-induced DNA damage. AN60e, AN80e, FS100, FS80e and FV60m protected against tert-BOOH-induced DNA damage. Extracts prepared from AN, particularly those prepared using 80% aqueous ethanol, appeared to have the greatest antioxidant potential, based on their ability to protect against oxidant-induced DNA damage.